Exchange of knowledge and new business contacts at the Open Meeting of CCI Member Companies in Gliwice.

As part of a series of Open Meetings of Chamber’s Member Companies, the event was held for the first time in Gliwice. More than 100 representatives of business, science and local government met on 27th February at the Science and Technology Centre Cechownia in Gliwice. 

Organising the event at this venue was possible thanks to the invitation of entities belonging to the CCI business community. The post-industrial building, a former Gliwice mine, now houses a branch of the Humanitas University and the headquarters of EMT-Systems.

– Thank you very much for your hospitality in such a historically unique place. Here, the mining industry has given place to new technologies, science and culture. We are delighted to be actively involved in this transformation and knowledge exchange. – said Tomasz Zjawiony President of CCI in Katowice, welcoming the gathered participants.

The city’s development plans, as part of the new 2020-40 strategy, were presented by the Vice Mayor of Gliwice, Ewa Weber.

– A compact and blue-green city, these are the slogans that position Gliwice in our strategy. We focus on science, the development of modern technology, soft areas, the expansion of existing infrastructure. The scientific community around the Silesian University of Technology and other universities was invited to work on the plans for the strategy. Covering 400 hectares, the Gliwice KSSE zone is already developed and has generated 25,000 new workplaces. We also place emphasis on boosting weekend tourism, which is fuelled, among other things, by events organised in the Arena Gliwice or Centrum Kultury Viktoria – mentioned Ewa Webner.

Dr Mariusz Lekston, Pro-Rector for Organisational, Legal and Personnel Policy of the Humanitas University talked about the 25 years of the university and its current status.

– Humanitas is an ancient Greek word that means directing human development and giving people the opportunity for intellectual comprehensiveness. This is the mission behind our activities. We have 40,000 graduates, 11 degree courses, 50 postgraduate courses, 2 MBAs. At the Gliwice branch we are planning to open two new courses: e-healthcare, management with IT. We do not lock ourselves into our environment. We have 113 partnership agreements signed with the business, law, management and economics sectors to our credit, giving us the opportunity to use them for utilitarian purposes – explained Dr Mariusz Lekston.

The one hundred and fourteenth partnership agreement – between WSH and Tech2Market Sp. z o.o. – was signed on 27th February in Cechownia. The document is intended to enable university students to undertake internships at the company, which specialises in providing support for the implementation of projects from European programmes.

The participants were also welcomed by Piotr Podgórski, Vice President of the Management Board of EMT-Systems Sp. z o.o.  The company has set up a training centre in Cechownia, through which the competencies of factory workers are improved. The building itself, designed in 1912 by Georg and Emil Zillmann, is an excellent event space for concerts, conferences, workshops or vernissages.

Chamber events are traditionally an opportunity to meet interesting guests and make new business contacts. The special guest of the event was Grzegorz Wróbel, Managing Director of Blachotrapez Sp. z o.o. – a family-owned company and leading Polish roofing manufacturer with over one billion in revenue and a sales network in 8 countries in Europe. Grzegorz Wróbel is a member of the Business Council established at the MBA course for family business managers at the Humanitas University.

In a discussion with journalist Tomasz Burk, listeners found out – when, why and in what format to invite an external manager to work with a family business?

– The hereditary processes in Poland have been in motion for only a few years, we don’t have experience or culture of passing down the business for the next generation. Acquiring managers is not easy, these people must have the ability to function as a coach for adults. Besides, in family business someone has to accept and trust us, and building relationships is very hard and time consuming –  highlighted Grzegorz Wróbel, Managing Director of Blachotrapez Sp. z o.o.

An integrable point of meetings is the welcoming of new Member Companies. The new members received certificates confirming their membership from Gabriela Morawska – Stanecka – Vice – Marshal of Senat, Ewa Weber – Vice – Mayor of Gliwice and Tomasz Zjawiony –  President of CCI in Katowice. 

For the grand finale, participants could take a look at the unique exhibition “Uwaga dotykać” – summarising the painting experience and development of Jacek Jarczewski’s authorial concept of a touch painting as well as take part in business discussions with refreshments. 

The next meeting of Member Companies will be held on 27th March in Czechowice-Dziedzice. 

We welcome new Member Companies of CCI:

• ALTKOM AKADEMIA S.A.
• KRK Partners Sp. z o.o.
• SMART-HR Anna Pycia-Pytlik
• Honey Payment
• Kancelaria Jasta Sp. z o.o.
• P.H.U. IMPULSE
• IDT ERA DRONÓW
• ASKREATE.COM Aleksandra Skowronek
• Twój Fotograf Tomasz Burzyński
• BIOLAND Aleksandra Żarkiewicz-Pacak
• Dariusz Halczok
• Śląska Agencja Finansowo-Ubezpieczeniowa Monika Król