CzechInvest has gained a reputation for exciting marketing and now one of the key executives behind it has been posted to London.

René Samek has been appointed director of UK operations for CzechInvest. Previously he was marketing director for the head office in Prague, where he was responsible for developing the investor of the year prize, which rewards foreign investors for their input in the Czech Republic.

Mr Samek says his assignment to London is a “great honour” as there are only seven CzechInvest positions available outside the Czech Republic.

His aim in his new job is to persuade more British companies to invest in the Czech Republic. He says: “Two years ago the UK overtook the US as the main foreign direct investor, however in the Czech Republic it is only the fifth or sixth highest investor. I also aim to get a major FTSE 100 company to invest there. Other countries have major companies in the Czech Republic, for example Germany has Siemens and Japan has Matsushita.”