ON AIR
Speech is silver.
Silence is golden.
Destructive.
Keynote Speaker Moderator Transformation · Leadership · Communication

I am an executive transformation leader who also knows how to hold a stage. The speaking and moderation work here comes from the same place as the work in the boardroom: reading the room, creating clarity and getting people moving. In-person, online, or hybrid. EN · DE · CZ · SVK.

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Speaking

One talk. A message most conferences skip.

Wer schweigt, verliert.
EN: "Silence Is a Losing Strategy." Communicating change when the answers don't exist yet.

Everyone's talking about AI on stage right now. Almost nobody is talking about how you lead people through the transformation it triggers. This isn't theory. It's lived experience from one of Europe's largest carve-outs, from Bosch to private equity ownership.

"Our job as leaders isn't about having all the answers. It's about maintaining trust while we're finding them."
The five questions I tell leaders to answer, even without certainty
  • What's happening?
  • What do we know?
  • What don't we know yet?
  • What's next?
  • How and when will people hear more?
Transformation Leadership in uncertainty Communication Change management AI & the human side of it
Moderating

Two decades leading the room.

Unscripted, by choice

I prepare deeply. Then I listen.

The interesting moment is usually the one nobody scripted: the follow-up question, the unexpected answer, the point where people stop performing and start talking.

"Unscripted means authentic. A real conversation can't be predetermined. It can be prepared for, led well and challenged when it needs to be."

20+ yrs

Hosting and moderating C-level events, from internal leadership sessions to global stages, including live broadcast commentary for a World Championship, with roots going back to my first moderating gig in high school.

technical → human

I translate complex technology into conversations any audience can follow, from the factory floor to the C-suite.

control-room fluent

Front and center when that's where I'm needed. Behind the scenes making it work when I'm not. Stage, camera, control room, live broadcast or virtual.

"Barbara's passion and energy are truly infectious, captivating audiences and fostering an environment of engagement and interaction... her ability to translate complex concepts into accessible discussions is noteworthy."

Dr. Andreas Nauerz Executive Board Member & CPO, IONOS (MDAX)

"Barbara is a star. She is quick on her feet and her decision making is on point. She does extremely well under pressure. She has the ability to lead and follow. A team player who you can drop in any country and she would be able to run a successful event." — David Lasday, Sportech | Strategic Advisor | Network-Driven Operator

David Lasday Strategic Advisor, Sportech
See me in action

Watch selected work

Selected clips from stages: keynotes, panels, and moderated sessions.

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ON AIR

Sometimes it's just a microphone.

And sometimes it amplifies more than your voice, it amplifies your responsibility. My grandfather, Gabo Zelenay, was a voice recognized across Czechoslovakia and beyond by generations of sports fans. He had a gift for bringing sporting moments to life, painting pictures with words, making listeners feel like they were right there.

Turns out, I landed behind a mic myself more than I realized: lacrosse fields, stages, town halls, livestreams, leadership broadcasts, transformation events. Different topics, different audiences, same tool.

Every time we speak, we shape how people understand what's happening around them. We can reduce uncertainty, or create it. Build trust, or lose it. Communication isn't about filling silence. It's about creating clarity, especially when uncertainty is inevitable but silence is destructive.

"Some legacies aren't about following in someone's footsteps. They're about finding your own voice."