Interview with Ing. Petr Pavlík – the new Technical Director of Porta Invest
The second quarter of 2025 was a turning point for our company in several respects. The first was the acquisition of two apartment buildings on Žitná Street in Prague 2, which became the largest projects in the history of Porta Invest. The second was a personnel acquisition. Ing. Petr Pavlík joined us as the new Technical Director. On this occasion, we asked him a few questions.
- Petr, could you tell our readers about your professional journey? What brought you to construction?
It’s simple – I grew up in a very open, I’d say a “salon-style community environment” of family friends (families with a similar structure to mine, meaning 2–3 children of similar age with parents in different professions). This created the foundation for the question “what do I want to do in life” (my first and most essential life analysis at that scale). Here I must take the opportunity to thank my parents for everything they did for me! …And I almost forgot – the elementary school in Vrané nad Vltavou, where I grew up, was amazing, unique (you may not know this, but Prague is actually a suburb of Vrané 😊 …a wonderful village).
So I applied to construction secondary schools in Prague (and enrolled at SPŠS JG) and already in 1999, at the age of 15, I knew I wanted to be a “builder” (technician). I chose industrial school because I was fascinated by the complexity of the field – combining creativity (and a sense of aesthetics) with technical precision (exact calculation) seemed impossible, and that’s a challenge, don’t you think?
The breathtaking scope of this field… psychology (e.g. the effect of colors on people), medicine (clear links to building environment theory – my beloved wife, among other things, lectures at the 1st Faculty of Medicine of Charles University and does basic research… she publishes a lot, so we have much to discuss at home), geodesy (I worked for years in various surveying offices during my studies – an effective way to quickly get to know many buildings in-situ), geology (since buildings are founded on the ground, it’s worth understanding it), my beloved physics and mathematics (when people ask how many languages I speak, I say 1.5… the half is Czech – I always had poor marks in dictations – but the full language is mathematics, which is simply a means of describing natural and economic processes), materials engineering (you must deeply understand what buildings are made of to properly grasp building physics), logistics of human life (24h or 1-year cycles) in terms of operational and spatial design of buildings inside and out – in my view, one of the essentials of good design; architecture = taste and value (I’ll poke my architect friends here – we don’t design statues, but living environments), economics (construction is a 5D model: 3D for space, then quantities, add price = 4D, and time = 5D… for me, construction doesn’t end with “final approval”), construction machinery, technological processes, politics, public interest, construction law (better not comment further)… I could continue for hours.
Another line of thought on what brought me to construction: readers may think I’ve overlooked rules and order (education), but that’s not true – it is also part of the essence of the right (stimulating) environment, as is the ability to express thoughts clearly, from parent to child. Children and adolescents learn best by imitation (my wife and I have three children).
So, 25 years ago I “boarded the train towards construction.” Studying at the Faculty of Civil Engineering at CTU in Prague, majoring in Architecture and Construction, or Buildings and Environment, was a logical path toward my set goal.
I’d also like to mention a key person in this journey – my longtime friend and lifelong mentor, back then my homeroom teacher and lecturer in civil construction at SPŠS JG – Ak. arch. Ing. Honza Novotný (greetings, Píďa!). He helped me realize how it all works. Píďa always said: “Please, don’t just learn – study!”
- Which projects from your career do you remember most fondly, and why?
I will never forget my first project in 2009. In the mornings, I was studying under Prof. Kabele and writing my thesis under Doc. Papež at the Department of Environmental Engineering, and in the afternoons, I was designing. As a junior designer, I was responsible for all stages of project documentation, for the Box Club Žižkov of Standa Tišer. It was a full general adaptation of the basement and ground floor of an old apartment house. It was a great school, especially during implementation and site supervision – you quickly realize that “paper can handle anything,” but reality is another matter.
Over the years, I moved between different industries: optimization in a chemical plant in Kolín, working on reactor technology; refurbishing a cracking tower in Orlen Litvínov; adapting a chateau into a senior care home; converting offices into a multi-specialty eye clinic for my brother; working on Hotel AXA in Prague, a unique functionalist building; designing laboratories and EMC chambers; reconstructing the Prosek Polyclinic and the New Town Hall for Prague 7; and much more.
A major challenge came in 2019 with the reconstruction of the Slovany tram depot in Plzeň – something not attempted in decades, carried out while operations continued. It involved 13,500 m² of green roofs, reinforced concrete structures with non-metal reinforcement, stray current management, EMC shielding, fire safety for steel structures, thermal insulation requirements for tram hall gates, and extremely complex scheduling. It was a once-in-a-lifetime project – demanding, exceptional, and unforgettable.
- What motivated you to accept the position of Technical Director at Porta Invest?
A tough question. The answer has several layers, which I’ll rank by importance.
The team and environment – Porta Invest is exceptional in this respect. If I understood correctly, no colleague joined without a personal recommendation. This is an effective pre-selection process, but more importantly, values such as opportunity, loyalty, trust, responsibility, independence, consistency, diligence, and reward all take on their true meaning here. That is rare. The office environment is very pleasant and functional, and the central Prague location is practical for me.
Opportunity – I simply assessed that Porta Invest offers interesting opportunities (challenges) where I can apply my experience, knowledge, and skills, while also developing further.
- In your view, what is the role of a Technical Director in a modern development company?
Marek, as you know, I am an advocate of agile project management. In such a significant and responsible role, I must reserve time for my own further development and apply it to the company’s growth. Topics must be measurable and assessable, and I believe I know how to use the right tools for this – such as setting up processes, competencies, and methodological guidance. In my opinion, this has two main layers: leading subordinates and advising superiors.
I have a clear idea of “my” team. I follow a simple rule: “Don’t ask of others what you wouldn’t like yourself, and apply the same standards to others as you do to yourself.” Communication is crucial – it must be clear, concise, understandable, and consistent. There are no stupid questions, only stupid answers.
As for my superiors, my (so far short) experience at Porta Invest is unique – when a problem arises, both partners (my superiors) say: “If you did what you could and it still failed, then it is my failure – either I overloaded you, set up processes incorrectly, or both.” That was one of the decisive factors that tipped the scales for me in favor of joining Porta Invest as Technical Director.
This was the first part of our interview with Ing. Petr Pavlík, the new Technical Director of Porta Invest. Soon, you can look forward to the second part, where you’ll learn more about Petr’s visions for Porta Invest, his plans for the construction team, and also a glimpse into his private life.
