Our person of the day is Lenka Výborná, Director of HR Strategy at CETIN International 

Behind every trusted network stands something ever more complex and resilient than technology: the people who make the company’s heartbeat in sync with its potential. Skills, leadership, and culture are the invisible systems that allow talent to thrive over time. 

And in the fast-moving world of CETIN International, where infrastructure evolves constantly and expertise is in high demand, the challenge of HR is about shaping an environment where people can do their best work, feel seen, and continue building the connected digital future millions of Europeans rely on daily. 

That is why this week at People Beyond the Network, we meet Lenka Výborná, Director of HR Strategy at CETIN International. We speak with her about how HR strategy intertwines with technological ambition, how exceptional workplaces are built in practice, and why investing in people’s development is essential for the long-term strength of the organization. 
 

7 questions with Lenka Výborná. 7 perspectives on people, leadership, and what makes CETIN International an exceptional place to work.
 

1.What sits at the intersection of HR strategy and CETIN International’s ambitions as a tech company, and how do you translate that into attracting and keeping the best talent?  
At the intersection of HR strategy and CETIN International's ambitions lies creating an environment where innovation and human potential mutually reinforce each other. At the intersection is capability: the skills and leadership behaviours that power reliable networks, security, and innovation across four countries. We attract talent by offering not just technical challenges, but the opportunity to be part of telecommunications infrastructure transformation across several countries.  

Connecting technical experts across countries and creating space for bottom-up innovation is key, allowing our people to see the direct impact of their work. 

2. And on the inside, how do you accomplish the ambitious goal of people experiencing “CETIN International as an exceptional place to work” every day?
Creating an exceptional workplace begins with intentional listening. We systematically gather employee feedback every two months through the LutherOne platform, and we make our best to respond swiftly to insights gained. Our Well-being program stands out as truly distinctive – addressing both physical and mental health dimensions, we delivered approximately 90 exceptional activities throughout 2025. We continuously validate our approach through feedback mechanisms, ensuring our initiatives resonate with employees and align with their interests. 

Our international environment naturally broadens horizons, facilitating not just best practice sharing across countries, but enabling employees to collaborate with colleagues from diverse locations on international projects. The CETIN International talent program develops future leaders, bringing together high-potential individuals from all our countries. This is complemented by country-specific talent initiatives tailored to local needs and contexts. 

We firmly believe that an exceptional workplace isn't created through isolated initiatives, but through nurturing a consistent culture of respect, growth, and purposeful work that employees experience every day. 

I'd like to express my gratitude especially to Daniela Fišer, Head of People Development, Reward & HRIS, who leads the CETIN International talent program, and to the ladies and gentlemen from Internal Communication who drive well-being activities across our countries – particularly Neli Gancheva in Bulgaria, Lili Bánóczy in Hungary, Igor Zelenovic in Serbia, and Lukáš Šupín and his team in Slovakia. Their dedication and creativity are instrumental in making our workplace truly exceptional.

3. What part of your work remains invisible, but shapes the organization more than most people realize? 
Much of the most impactful work happens out of sight. It is the ongoing sense-making: aligning different cultures, leadership styles, legal realities, and business priorities into one coherent people approach. This includes quiet judgment calls, early interventions, trust-building conversations, and the continuous effort to ensure pay and progression remain fair and transparent. These subtle actions rarely draw attention, but they strongly shape the organization’s resilience, culture, and long-term performance. 

4. Beyond your professional role in 2025, you chose to invest effort and share your expertise in a couple of mentoring programmes, supporting aspiring female leaders. Tell us more about them and your personal motivation that supported this decision? 
Beyond my professional role, I'm dedicated to diverse mentoring formats, supporting women at different career stages. I participate in three distinct programs: the Equilibrium program at the British Chamber of Commerce where I provide continuous one-on-one guidance to a mentee over 10 months; the Power Talks flash mentoring program connecting experienced professionals with groups of young women (18-29) through intensive short sessions; and speed mentoring sessions with Business & Professional Women CR, where I facilitate roundtable discussions with 10-15 participants sharing experiences and recommendations in one dynamic session. This variety allows me to share my journey while learning from women with diverse perspectives. My motivation stems from the conviction that diversity in leadership brings better decisions and more innovative solutions. Mentoring also provides space for reflecting on my own practice and continuous growth, building a professional community that transcends individual companies and fields. 

5. The pace of change in telecoms and tech is relentless. How do you see HR strategy evolving in the next year to support not only new skills, but new ways of thinking and leading? 
The evolution of HR strategy in the coming year reflects both the profound transformation of the labor market driven by technology (especially artificial intelligence) and the changing expectations of employees and team leaders. We're moving from job-based planning to skills-based, with internal marketplaces that make mobility faster and reskilling easier. A key element will be the integration of AI tools that enable employees to acquire new competencies more quickly. Leadership will pivot to clarity and adaptability: goals that connect to outcomes, honest feedback, and teams confident with data and AI in daily decisions. 

I must acknowledge the crucial role of our CEOs across all entities who view HR directors as strategic partners rather than administrative function heads. This perspective enables HR to become a key partner in business transformation. Equally important is the dedication and vision of our HR directors in each country, who consistently balance local needs with global strategy while driving innovation in people practices. Their willingness to experiment, learn, and adapt has been fundamental to our progress. Without such collaborative approach between business and HR leadership, our strategic evolution would not be possible. This partnership reflects our shared understanding that creating organizations that are both technologically advanced and humanly thriving requires alignment at all levels. 

6. Culture is a word we hear often, but it could have a different meaning in various fields. In a highly technical and international organization, what builds a strong and sustainable culture? 
In a technically oriented international organization, strong culture is built on three pillars: shared values, respect for diversity, and effective communication. Shared values provide a unifying framework despite geographical and functional differences - in our case, values like Customer Focus (anticipating and delivering on promises), People (respect and teamwork), Technology (passion for innovation without compromising security), and Partnership (cooperation and transparency).  

Respect for diversity means not just tolerating but actively appreciating different perspectives and approaches that colleagues from various cultures and professional backgrounds bring. I'm fortunate to have Plamena Argent – Head of Group Internal Communication – on our team, whose cosmopolitan worldview, multicultural fluency, and extensive experience in both internal and external communication significantly enhances our effective communication practices. Effective communication includes both technical tools and human skills needed to overcome language and cultural barriers. 

Regular personal interactions also build strong culture - whether through collaborative projects or well-being activities that combine work and fun, these are essential for creating authentic relationships. When leaders consistently demonstrate these values through their actions and decisions, they create an environment where people feel connected to something larger than their individual roles. 

7. If you could change one assumption about careers in telecoms and tech, especially for young professionals and women at the start of their journey, what would it be? 
That would be the belief that success requires a single, purely technical starting point. Technical expertise is fundamental in our industry, we are a technology company that owns and operates telecommunications infrastructure, and engineering excellence is at the heart of our daily work. At the same time, from my experience as an HR leader, the real impact in telecoms comes from people who can connect technology with business needs and human context. We operate across multiple countries and cultures, and that requires the ability to see the bigger picture, work across disciplines, and translate complex technical topics into clear priorities and decisions. Especially for young professionals and women at the beginning of their careers, it’s important to know that there are many paths to success in this industry. Skills such as empathy, communication, and strategic thinking are not an add-on – they are essential for running and developing large-scale networks in a sustainable and responsible way.