David Chmelař (Heureka Group): We're holding an AI that could kill us — or shoot us to the Moon
As CEO of Heureka Group, David Chmelař faces the challenge of transforming a company in an environment of fierce competition and the AI revolution.
David Chmelař co-founded an e-commerce company in Kuala Lumpur that grew from a small coupon website into a regional leader with tens of millions of users and tens of millions of dollars in investment. After eight years, he returned to Czechia, where, as CEO of Heureka Group, he now faces the challenge of transforming the company in an environment of fierce competition and a fast-approaching AI revolution.
Chmelař describes how his business in Southeast Asia came close to going under eight times. Extremely low customer purchasing power, enormous competition, and the constant need to scale taught him persistence and the ability to function under pressure. What mattered most for him was having a partner to share the toughest moments with — and learning to ask himself whether he was truly giving things his all.
The region's cultural diversity was also a major learning experience for him. He had to find ways to break through hierarchical barriers and lead multicultural teams so they'd function effectively. What worked for him was hiring people with international experience and building an environment at the company where it was okay to say “I don't know, help me out.”
After returning to Europe, he found Heureka to be a company that had long been built on profitability and long-term plans, but lacked the speed to react to new competitors. He took on responsibility for the transformation: halting certain projects, shrinking the team, and resetting priorities.
The key for him was making decisions based on data, and once those decisions were clear, not hesitating to carry them out. He admits this can look merciless, but he also sees it as the fair approach — better for people and for the company alike.
According to Chmelař, Heureka stands on the threshold of an enormous shift. AI could “kill the company, or shoot it to the Moon.” In the future, Heureka might not just be a website, but more of a database and platform that AI agents use for recommendations and order processing. Verified reviews from real customers are becoming a key asset — and could be the decisive advantage at a time when the internet is being flooded with AI-generated content.
Kultura firmy se proto mění: The company's culture is changing as a result: an emphasis on speed, the courage to take risks, and the ability to break projects down into smaller steps that can be tested quickly. “We're going to keep grinding, keep changing, and it's going to be a wild ride,” says Chmelař.
What else will you find answered in the podcast?
why working in Asia was an “honest rat race”
how employee motivation and mentality differ between Southeast Asia and Czechia
why consistency matters more than constantly dreaming up new strategies
how Heureka attracts people with the energy and courage to change things fast
which personal “truths” about success and leadership David Chmelař holds onto