Driven by Complex Challenges

Head of
Operations

20+ years in manufacturing – from medicinal lozenges (Mars) through medical devices & electronics (Foxconn) to lift-safety technology. Since June 2026 I lead the Avire plant (Halma plc) in České Budějovice.

20+
Years Experience
80+
Team Members
60%
Capacity Increase
Vít Žďárský
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Vít Žďárský

Journey: University → Mars → Foxconn → Avire

After graduating from Prague University of Economics, I joined Mars to lead production of Lockets and Tunes medicinal lozenges for the UK market. A great career start and my first exposure to pharmaceutical-grade manufacturing.

I spent 18 years at Foxconn building new production lines: PCs, tablets, and from 2017, medical devices transferred from the US. At Medical, I built a culture of continuous improvement – positive mindset, common sense, proactivity.

Since June 2026 I lead Avire's Czech plant in České Budějovice as Head of Operations (part of Halma plc, FTSE 100). We manufacture lift-safety and communication technology that protects people in elevators worldwide – I own manufacturing, quality, supply chain, engineering and full site P&L.

Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, Quantic EMBA student, and VŠE Executive Academy graduate (ESG, Data Analytics). As an AI ambassador and IDC Manufacturing Summit 2025 panelist, I bring AI into manufacturing practice – and automate my own home along the way.

Community: Municipal assembly member in Úherčice (finance committee chair), founder of "Traditional Scything Championship", 22 years blood donor. Violin player, passionate skier, husband and father.

40%
Productivity Increase
250+
Team Scaled
60%
Capacity Growth
4
International Transfers

My Specialization

Manufacturing excellence, digital transformation and world-class compliance.

Operations Leadership

Leading cross-functional teams, site P&L ownership, strategic planning, change management and people development.

Lean Manufacturing

Implementation of 5S, Kaizen, VSM and other Lean tools for production process optimization.

Quality Management

Implementation and management of quality systems per ISO 13485/FDA and ISO 9001/14001 – from medical devices to lift-safety technology.

Digital Transformation

Implementation of digital tools, process automation and leveraging data & AI for improved decision-making.

Career Path

From Shift Leader through Production Manager to Head of Operations.

Avire (Halma plc) 2026 – Present

Head of Operations

Full site leadership of Avire's plant in České Budějovice – lift-safety and communication technology protecting people in elevators worldwide. P&L ownership, operational excellence (Kaizen, 5S, VSM), CAPEX & "factory of the future", EHS, ISO 9001/14001, sustainability (Scope 1–3).

Foxconn Czech Republic 2018 – 2026

Operations Lead for Medical Devices

Leading 80+ team (grown from 15 over 8 years). P&L responsibility, Account Manager for US customer. 60% capacity increase (2023-2025) with only 16% headcount growth. 24 months zero lost-time incidents.

Foxconn Czech Republic 2010 – 2018

Manufacturing Support Manager

Deputy Operations Manager. Medical device manufacturing transfer from USA to CZ, Turkey production startup and Lean projects delivering $6M annual savings. Transition from consumer electronics to FDA-regulated medical devices.

Foxconn Czech Republic 2008 – 2010

Production Manager

High-volume computer manufacturing (90K units monthly), 250+ operators, 24/7 operations. Lean & 5S: OEE +15%, first-pass yield from 92% to 97%.

Mars / Masterfoods 2005 – 2008

Shift Leader

Started as Safety, Environment & Systems technician, then Leadership Development Program with coaching and assessment center. Led production of Lockets and Tunes medicinal lozenges for the UK market – first pharmaceutical-grade experience.

Let's Connect

Let's discuss your manufacturing challenges and collaboration opportunities.

Email

[email protected]

Phone

+420 724 689 078

Location

Pardubice / České Budějovice, Czech Republic

LinkedIn

Professional Network

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Vít Žďárský's professional focus?

Vít Žďárský is Head of Operations at Avire (Halma plc) with 20+ years of manufacturing experience. He specializes in Operational Excellence, Lean Six Sigma, quality management (ISO 13485/FDA, ISO 9001/14001), and AI-driven digital transformation. He leads Avire's Czech plant in České Budějovice, manufacturing lift-safety technology.

What industries has Vít Žďárský worked in?

He started in medicinal lozenge manufacturing at Mars Inc. (FMCG), then spent 18 years at Foxconn Czech Republic manufacturing electronics and FDA-regulated medical devices. Since 2026 he leads operations at Avire (Halma plc) – a lift-safety technology manufacturer for the elevator industry.

How does Vít Žďárský use AI in practice?

He runs his own AI infrastructure — multi-agent systems (MAS), automated workflows, AI-assisted decision making, and monitoring. At the KONEP 2026 conference, he presented practical deployment of AI agents in real-world operations.

What is Vít Žďárský's educational background?

He graduated from the Prague University of Economics and Business (Corporate Economics and Management, with a QMS minor). Currently completing an Executive MBA at Quantic School of Business and Technology, focusing on strategy and leadership.