Karel Komárek

Karel Komarek was born in Hodonín, Czech Republic on March 15, 1969. He started his first business immediately after completing his studies, gradually building one of the most prominent Czech family firms. His wife is Štěpánka Komárková. He has four children.[2]

Karel Komarek began his business career in a family firm that specialized in trading industrial fittings. He gradually expanded his activities, and today his business empire, KKCG, comprises a large portfolio of companies.

Komarek's first business venture dates back to the year 1992, when he founded M.O.S. Hodonín, a company that became the springboard for his joint business activities in the oil and gas production sector. The flagship of this pillar of Komarek's business is Moravské naftové doly, a company the entrepreneur has since developed over the course of many years.

In 1995 Komarek founded KKCG. KKCG's business activities comprise lotteries and gaming, oil and natural gas, information technologies, and investments. KKCG operates in 18 countries around the world. Its member companies include the SAZKA Group, MND, ARICOMA Group, Springtide Ventures venture capital fund, and others.[5][6]

In 2010, Karel Komarek achieved an important milestone by becoming completely independent in his business operations.

In 2012, KKCG became the sole owner of the largest Czech lottery company Sazka, which later served as the cornerstone for the establishment of Europe's gaming conglomerate, the SAZKA Group.[5][7][8] Komarek's SAZKA Group holds stakes also in Casinos Austria[9] (Austria) and OPAP[10] (Greece), and takes part in the licensed operations of the biggest Italian lottery company, Lotto.[11]

In recent years, KKCG has made large investments in information technologies, including the acquisition of majority stakes in such companies as AUTOCONT[12] and Cleverlance,[13] two biggest parts of its holding ARICOMA Group.[14]

KKCG is also active on the real estate market. It has completed various "top rezidence" residential projects in Prague and is currently building the Bořislavka Office and Shopping Center in the Prague 6 district.[15]

In 2018, Bloomberg estimated Komarek's worth at $3.3 billion dollars.[5][16]

In 2019, Forbes ranked Karel Komarek in 715th place among the world's billionaires. According to Forbes, his estimated worth is $3.2 billion dollars, which makes him one of the wealthiest Czech people today.[2]

Apart from business ventures, Karel Komarek has initiated numerous projects in the nonprofit sector. He is Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Karel Komárek Proměny Foundation, an organization that provides support for the improvement of public spaces, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Karel Komárek Family Foundation. He was instrumental in founding the Dvořák Prague International Music Festival.[17]

Karel Komarek has received the Gold Medal in the Arts from the Kennedy Center International Committee on the Arts for his achievements in the field of art.[4]

Karel Komárek Family Foundation

The mission of the Karel Komárek Family Foundation is to give people the courage to transform their ideas and visions into reality. Karel Komárek is a long-term supporter of the Proměny Foundation and the Dvořák Prague International Music Festival. He is an important donor to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., where he focuses on organizing performances by Czech artists at this prestigious American venue. The Karel Komárek Family Foundation also supports individuals, clubs, and entire communities who have found the courage to make their dreams and plans come true, and thus to change their own way of thinking and attitudes, and those of the people around them. The Karel Komárek Family Foundation was founded by Karel and Štěpánka Komárek in 2017.