Behind every accomplished leader lies a story shaped by early influences. For Ales Vyborny, those influences came from a family that prized education and sparked his fascination with history, politics, and the wider world. That curiosity grew into a career defined by cross-cultural understanding and strategic vision. These qualities today anchor his role as CEO of Amicus Verus s.r.o., where global perspective meets principled leadership.
The roots of his leadership style can be traced back to his upbringing in a family that placed immense value on education. Ales immersed himself in history, geography, foreign languages, politics, and geopolitics. These subjects didn’t just spark curiosity but shaped his worldview. This foundation gave him the instinct to approach challenges from multiple perspectives and to always consider the wider context before making decisions.
That curiosity led him to study International Trade at the University of Economics in Prague, at a time when opportunities to see the world beyond the Eastern bloc were scarce. Foreign trade became his bridge to the wider world, sharpening his adaptability and cross-cultural communication. It also taught him the value of trusted relationships, skills that remain central to his leadership philosophy today.
At the helm of Amicus Verus, Ales continues to lead with integrity and foresight. He fosters environments where diverse perspectives are not only welcomed but seen as essential, and where long-term vision guides immediate action. Ales believes that business is never just about transactions, but it is about people, context, and the global forces shaping tomorrow.
The Journey Behind Amicus Verus
The story of Amicus Verus s.r.o. begins long before its official founding. The seeds of Ales’s career were planted during his 27 years at BAE Systems, where he helped steer the company’s presence in Central and Eastern Europe. His journey started in 1997, when British Aerospace, known for icons like the Spitfire and Concorde, was reshaping itself into a global leader.
At the same time, history was unfolding all around him. As a young graduate in Prague during the Velvet Revolution, Ales witnessed his country’s turn toward democracy, NATO, and European integration. Defence priorities shifted, opening doors for Western technologies to replace Russian systems. He played a part in that transformation, working on landmark projects such as supporting the Czech Government fleet with Airbus aircraft.
Amicus Verus was born out of this blend of personal experience and historic change. What began as a continuation of his expertise in large-scale defence projects has since evolved into something broader: a strategic advisory firm bridging international know-how with local realities, guiding both established corporations and fresh innovators through a complex global landscape.
Lessons From the Court
Ask Ales how he balances the demands of leadership, and his answer doesn’t involve complicated routines. It comes down to sport. He has been on the basketball court since he was 12, and the game remains his anchor.
Basketball is more than exercise in Ales’s eyes. It is a teacher. It instilled discipline, resilience, and the ability to adapt quickly, whether in victory or defeat. Those same lessons fuel his approach to business: stay focused, play as a team, and keep moving no matter the challenge. By prioritizing physical activity, he keeps both mind and body sharp, ensuring he can bring energy and clarity to his role as CEO.
Principles in Action
Every leader faces moments that test their convictions. For Ales, one of those moments arrived when BAE Systems closed its Prague office after nearly three decades of his service. At 59, with new offers waiting, he could have chosen the security of another corporate role. Instead, he decided to build something of his own.
This choice reflected the values that continue to guide him today: integrity, staying true to principles even when the road is harder; independence, ensuring his company remains agile and unbiased; trust and collaboration, building strong partnerships with experts across defence, diplomacy, and politics; and a relentless commitment to excellence, applying decades of hands-on knowledge to create real impact.
When tough decisions surface, Ales turns back to these values. They keep him grounded, ensuring Amicus Verus is not only about results but about building a reputation that lasts.
Swimming Through the Mud
Looking back at the 1990s, Ales recalls one of the most testing periods of his career. Central and Eastern Europe was only beginning to define its defence priorities, and there were no established rules of procurement or planning. Conversations with political and military leaders often felt like navigating uncharted waters. On top of that, international rivals competed fiercely for influence, and negative media campaigns sometimes threatened to derail progress.
In the middle of this turbulence, a senior statesman offered him words that have never left his mind: “Doing strategic business here means jumping into a lake full of mud. You must swim through to the other side, but when you emerge, you must remain clean.”
That advice became a compass. Ales learned that resilience, transparency, and integrity mattered as much as results. Success was not only about winning contracts but about how one conducted business under pressure. It shaped his leadership philosophy into what it is today: principled, steady, and rooted in trust.
The True Score of Achievement
When asked what success means to him, Ales doesn’t immediately point to figures, contracts, or accolades. Instead, he describes it as the feeling of meaningful achievement coupled with personal fulfilment. Success, he says, is the product of sustained effort, resilience, and teamwork.
He likens it to a basketball game. Wins are built on collaboration, trust, and team spirit. Losses, though painful, teach resilience and sharpen perspective. In business, just as on the court, the scoreboard matters, but so does the way the team plays together.
Professionally, Ales measures success through both outcomes and culture. Contracts secured, value delivered, and networks expanded all matter, but so do the relationships and motivation built along the way. Personally, it is about balance, integrity, and the joy of the work itself. His guiding motto is simple but telling: “Work hard, play hard.”
Innovation Through Listening
At Amicus Verus, innovation does not come from flashy slogans or rigid structures. It comes from listening first. Every engagement begins with a deep dive into the client’s reality: their products, services, markets, and challenges. Because every country operates differently with its laws, politics, and cultural nuances, the company adapts each strategy to fit those local dynamics.
Ales encourages his team to approach each project like curious learners, blending continuous education with open collaboration. Critical thinking, cultural awareness, and adaptability are at the core. This way, innovation becomes less about inventing something new and more about crafting solutions that are practical, relevant, and transformative for the client’s goals.
Inspiring the Next Generation
Leadership, for Ales, is not only about guiding today’s projects but also about preparing tomorrow’s leaders. Defence and aerospace are complex fields, demanding not just technical expertise but also insight into geopolitics, diplomacy, local industry, and media. He pushes his team to see the bigger picture, encouraging them to connect these dots and develop strategic awareness.
While creating an environment of knowledge sharing and collaboration, he ensures that younger professionals don’t just execute tasks. They grow into thinkers and decision-makers. Through mentoring and example, he hopes to instill in them the qualities that shaped his own journey: integrity, foresight, and the ability to coordinate diverse perspectives into one clear direction.
The Hard Lessons That Last
Not every decision in leadership leads to the intended outcome. Ales learned this the hard way. There were moments when, despite careful preparation, results didn’t meet expectations. The true lesson lay in reflection. It meant acknowledging missteps, dissecting the choices that led there, and learning to approach the next challenge with sharper insight.
That experience changed how he leads today. He now makes risk analysis and multiple perspectives central to his decision-making, always encouraging his team to learn quickly, adapt, and move forward. Resilience, humility, and continuous learning are, in his view, not optional traits but essentials that keep a leader grounded in both success and failure.
Anchored by What Matters Most
When the pressure mounts or uncertainty clouds the path ahead, Ales doesn’t lose himself in the noise. Instead, he returns to the three constants in his life: family, work, and friends. These pillars give him perspective and keep him grounded, no matter how intense the situation may be.
By holding on to these core connections, he is able to step back, see the bigger picture, and remember what truly matters. This balance not only fuels resilience but also ensures that decisions are made thoughtfully, with both long-term goals and personal well-being in mind.
A Message for Aspiring Leaders
To young professionals eager to rise in legal or consulting careers, Ales offers pragmatic advice: results matter most, but balance is key. Corporate life, he explains, can pull you in many directions. The real challenge lies in delivering value to clients while also navigating the internal machinery of reports, training, and meetings.
He encourages emerging leaders to sharpen their organizational skills and learn how to prioritize effectively. Choosing environments where client work isn’t overshadowed by bureaucracy makes a difference, too. Most importantly, he says, build strong relationships and prove your worth by consistently bringing tangible results. Those are the building blocks of leadership that lasts.
Milestones That Define a Career
Among the many achievements in his professional life, two stand out for Ales as especially meaningful. Both represent historic milestones in the Czech Republic’s defence sector. One was the country’s largest-ever contract for a supersonic fighter aircraft, and the other for a tracked infantry fighting vehicle.
These were not quick wins. Each campaign took years of preparation, demanding patience, careful strategy, and complex negotiations across governments, militaries, and industry partners. His victories were not just about the contracts themselves but about the teamwork and dedication that made them possible. He credits the colleagues who worked alongside him, calling their expertise and commitment the true force behind those achievements.
The Next Chapter for Amicus Verus
As for the future of Amicus Verus, Ales’s vision is clear: growth, innovation, and meaningful partnerships. He is determined to position the company as a trusted supplier and strategic partner in high-tech sectors, investing in industries that bring lasting value both domestically and internationally.
What excites him most is not only the prospect of strong business results but also the opportunity to create partnerships that endure. By leveraging decades of expertise and an extensive international network, Amicus Verus aims to contribute to technological progress, strengthen industrial chains, and support innovation across the defence and security landscape.
