Roman Valný: From Assembly Floor to CEO. Leading Innomotics through Innovation and Digital Transformation
Roman Valný has dedicated the past thirty years of his professional life to the production of electric motors, and today he heads the Czech branch of Innomotics. He has worked his way through every level of the company – from testing on the assembly floor to the position of CEO.
He now oversees six sites and nearly four thousand employees, guiding the company towards greater efficiency through digitalisation, automation, and innovation. Yet alongside strategic leadership, he continues to value people – personal contact with colleagues remains an important source of energy for him even today.
Thirty Years in Motors: What the Journey Gave – and Took
You started out in 1995 as a worker at the Frenštát plant of what was then Siemens, and today you lead its successor, Innomotics. What has this journey given you – and what has it taken away?
Yes, it’s been 30 years now since I first connected my working life with the production of electric motors – first here in Frenštát and Ostrava, and for some time abroad as well as at the Mohelnice plant, where I worked as Head of Production. To be honest, in the daily rush of work, you often don’t see any progress and can feel like you’re just drowning in problems, leaving nothing of real significance behind. But when I take a moment to stop and look back at what we’ve managed to achieve together over these past 30 years, I see incredible results from our efforts.
And what has this journey given me personally? It’s honestly a lot – I don’t even know if I can list everything. When I think back to my beginnings, fresh out of secondary school, I was an inexperienced kid with no knowledge of motors, processes, or foreign languages. So, in a way, this journey gave me everything. It gave me experience, expert knowledge in the field of electric motors, and I learned two major world languages – without which I might still be working in the same workshop I started in. It also gave me confidence, perspective, and, last but not least, many great colleagues – some of whom have become close friends. Since I spent several years as Head of Global Service, I’ve also had the opportunity to see much of the world and experience different cultures, from America to Asia. And what has it taken from me? I believe every situation – even the negative ones – helps you grow. Sure, I probably don’t have as much free time as I did when I used to come home at three in the afternoon after a shift, but that’s part of the managerial role – working late into the evening at times, especially in a managing director position.
“Every situation – even the negative ones – helps you grow.”
The Biggest Professional Challenge: Leading Six Sites and Separating from Siemens
What challenges did the transition from Director of the Frenštát plant to CEO of the entire Czech branch of Innomotics bring?
Well, you know, I actually never left my role as Director of the Frenštát plant. I took on the CEO position of Innomotics Czech Republic in May 2024, in addition to my role as plant director. It’s probably been the biggest challenge of my professional life – after all, in terms of employee numbers, we are the largest country organisation within Innomotics. We have around 4,000 employees across six sites, including three major production plants in Mohelnice, Drásov and Frenštát, a development centre in Ostrava, and sales offices in both Prague and Brno, along with a range of support departments serving not only the Czech Republic. The biggest challenge for me was stepping back from the plant‘s daily operations, which I’ve handed over to a colleague, so I can now focus more on the strategic development of Innomotics in the Czech Republic as part of the wider group. Another major challenge was the sale of the company and the complete separation of all systems and processes from Siemens. I believe we managed that very well and within record time, without disrupting deliveries to our customers in any way. And of course, another challenge is the rebranding of the company – the new name is entirely unfamiliar to the market. Even though we’ve been operating in the Czech market for over 120 years, many new or potential customers don’t know who we are. That’s definitely something I want to change and I aim to raise the profile of the Innomotics brand in the field of motors and generators much more visibly within the industrial market.
Key Milestones and Advice for Young Professionals: Start from the Ground Up
Which moments do you consider key to your personal growth, and what advice would you give to young people just starting out?
One of the key moments was my decision not to stay in a single position within the company. After eleven months working in testing, I found the job monotonous and became bored. That’s when I spoke up and said I wanted to do more. I began learning languages, and a few months later I was on my first internship in Germany. Another important milestone was studying at VŠB–Technical University of Ostrava, which helped me move forward in my career. I don’t believe a university degree is the most important thing, but at that time, it gave me a better understanding of how industrial companies operate. I actually had my career and education in reverse – work experience first, then school – but I believe it’s precisely because of that path that I’ve come as far as I have.
And my advice for young people? Be proactive, try out a variety of roles, but before you start managing others, make sure you’ve experienced the company from the ground up. Even if you start off in an office, take time to rotate through different departments to understand how everything works – ideally in overalls.
“I want to raise the profile of the Innomotics brand in the field of motors and generators much more visibly.”
The Future of Innomotics: Efficiency, Innovation, and New Markets
When you think about the future of Innomotics today – where would you like to steer the company? And what do you see as key, not just in terms of technology, but also in relation to the people who make up the company?
In terms of product innovation, we’re moving towards highly efficient electric motors in the IE5 efficiency class, and at this year’s Hannover Messe we even introduced motors in the IE6 class. The main goal is to reduce energy consumption during motor operation. We’re also focusing on market segments where we haven’t previously offered our motors.
In manufacturing, a high level of automation and robotics is crucial for us, so that we can shift our production employees away from repetitive tasks toward more skilled activities – not only in programming machines and robots. And last but not least, there’s digitalisation, which is key for us not only because it allows greater process transparency and faster decision-making, but also because it helps us identify areas where unproductive activities can be eliminated, thereby boosting our competitiveness. This also includes the introduction of artificial intelligence into both production and support processes.
Despite the change in ownership, we want to maintain our position as a leader in the technology of special electric motor production.
Digital Twins and AI: Exploring Smart Manufacturing
Automation is now standard in manufacturing companies. But I’m curious – are you already working with more advanced tools?
We’ve been working with digital twins for several years now. In the area of development, we collaborated with VŠB–Technical University of Ostrava for two years on creating a digital twin of motors, aiming to simulate different operating conditions and motor behaviours without the need to build physical prototypes. We developed parametric models that we now use in simulations and when designing new product lines.
Last year, for example, we completed a full digital twin of the Frenštát plant, including the entire machine fleet. Artificial intelligence will undoubtedly transform how companies operate, and it holds great potential for making production more efficient. We‘re just at the beginning of this journey, still exploring and testing the possibilities within the context of customised, specialised manufacturing.
Learning from Others: Partnerships, Experience Sharing, and True Friendships
As CEO, you often represent the company externally. What do you enjoy most about these meetings, and what do you usually take away from them?
It’s the exchange of experience – I have a strong drive to keep moving things forward, and I enjoy learning from others. That’s also something we, as a company, aim to offer to other members of the associations we’re part of. Just recently, for example, we hosted members of the Confederation of Industry of the Czech Republic at Innomotics in Frenštát this May. And this autumn, we’ll be attending the International Industrial Fair in Brno for the first time, where we’ll be at a joint stand with the Electrical and Electronic Association of the Czech Republic, with whom we’ve established a close partnership. We’re also a founding member of the Leaders Club of the Moravian-Silesian Region, and I’d even say that there, it’s no longer just about sharing experiences – it’s also about genuine friendships with other members.
“I take photos for joy, not for money – and if I do earn anything, it always goes to charity.”
Energy from Nature and Photography: How the CEO Recharges
Do you have any tricks that help you maintain your energy and performance during demanding workdays? And are you able to find time for yourself and your interests despite your hectic schedule?
Sometimes it’s really tough – especially when you’re both the managing director of the entire company and the head of a plant at the same time. Personally, three things help me. First, personal contact with people in the company – sometimes I simply take a walk through the production floor to recharge and have a chat with the team on the shop floor. Second, active rest through sport helps a lot. I love the mountains and try to seize every free moment to hike up a hill here in the Beskids. For my 50th birthday, I challenged myself to climb Velký Javorník 50 times in a year – and I managed it. On top of that, I added another 30 peaks as part of our company challenge, Innopeaks. My third passion is photography combined with travel, so whether I’m heading to the mountains or an exotic destination, I usually go fully equipped to capture a good shot. That recharges me the most. I enjoy landscape photography, but I also love capturing the full moon behind a structure, like the transmitter tower on Lysá hora, to create the effect of a massive moon with a small silhouette in the foreground – something you can’t see with the naked eye. I shoot for joy, not for money – and if I do earn anything, it always goes to charity. The prizes from photo competitions I’ve won have gone to the children’s hospice Dům pro Julii. And the proceeds from last year’s charity exhibition of my photos, titled “Cestou, necestou” (On and Off the Road), held at the Frýdek-Místek château by the Leaders Club of the Moravian-Silesian Region, reached an incredible sum of 135,000 CZK. I donated the full amount to the Via association for people with sensory impairments. Thanks to that, children with sensory disabilities can now look forward to a summer trip to the mountains, complete with a full programme to support their development.
Leadership Growth: Lifelong Learning and Early Mentors
Do you have any rituals or habits that help you grow as a leader? Do you pursue further education, find inspiration in books, podcasts, or the people around you? And is there someone who has had a significant influence on your professional journey?
It’s definitely a mix of all those things. At different times, different sources have helped me. In my early days, the person who had the biggest influence on me was Jaromír Zapletal, the former director of the Frenštát plant. His pointed questions often made me reflect on myself, which helped push me forward. Over five years, he gradually prepared me to take over the Frenštát plant, before retiring in 2016 after nearly 25 years in the role. Lifelong learning is also key – in my view, it’s something anyone aspiring to a leadership role should commit to. The world around us is changing at an incredible pace, and the words of Jan Neruda ring truer than ever: “He who stood still for a moment is already left behind.”
Thank you for the interview.
