Online breakfast with BALAJCZA: Ukraine: people, culture and traditions

Friday, 22 April 2022

9 am-10 am

Ukraine is one of the largest countries in Europe, currently fighting for its independence and democracy in a conflict of a scale that no one expected in the 21st century. Since the beginning of this war, interest in Ukraine itself, as well as the Ukrainian language, has grown tremendously – since the start of the Russian invasion on February 24, the popularity of the language on the Duolingo app has increased by almost 500%.

The purpose of our meeting is to get to know Ukraine better, its culture, history, traditions, people, diversity, and to discover interesting facts about the everyday lives of Ukrainians.

At Friday’s Breakfast we are going to cover the following topics, among others.

  • Culture and Ukrainian traditions: what shouldn’t you do when baking Easter pound cake?
  • What does the letter “Y” on cars mean?
  • The education system: why does one become a master’s degree holder at the age 21?
  • Linguistic curiosities: how much does Ukrainian differ from Polish?

The meeting will be hosted by:

Kateryna Chwiszczuk – intercultural and multilingual soft skills coach (languages: Ukrainian, Polish, English, French), as well as internal coach supporting development of employees in a multinational corporation. She has over 10 years of experience working in multinational corporations with clients mainly from the French and Swiss markets in the areas of: finance, human resources and payroll, and customer service. Her passion is supporting employees and customers by providing smart solutions. She believes that challenges are also opportunities. Born in Lviv, raised in Algeria, she has lived in Poland for 13 years.

The meeting will be held in Polish.

To confirm your participation, please contact:

Timea Balajcza, spotkania@balajcza.pl
tel.: +48 601 913 446

By signing up for the webinar, you consent to receiving marketing information from BALAJCZA sp. z o.o. and the processing of personal data in accordance with the Data Protection Policy published on the website balajcza.pl

Please be informed that the participation in the “Online Breakfast with BALAJCZA” and “Online Workshops with BALAJCZA” is tantamount to consenting to the use and dissemination by the organizer, i.e. BALAJCZA sp. z o.o. (KRS 0000659805), of the image of the persons participating in the “Online Breakfast with BALAJCZA” and “Online Workshops with BALAJCZA” provided for in Article 81 of the Act of February 4, 1994 on Copyright and Related Rights.

Online breakfast with BALAJCZA: China – Yesterday and Today, part 3

Thursday, 21 April 2022

8 am-9 am

A history of over 4,000 years is not a thing of the past in the Middle Kingdom. Quite the contrary, surprisingly many elements of modern Chinese life are closely tied to its long tradition.

Join us for part 3 of our “China – Yesterday and Today” series on Thursday, April 21 at 8:00 a.m. on “Breakfast Online.”

We’ll talk about:

  • What does the flag of the PRC symbolize?
  • What is Chinese water torture?
  • Is it possible to cheat in the ‘Gaokao’ Chinese baccalaureate exam?
  • What is the game “Uncorruptible Warrior” about?
  • Who are the fabulously rich Chinese?
  • Is the mandarin era over?

The meeting will be held by Kamila Radzyńska – business coach, specialised in intercultural communication, member of SIETAR Polska, R&D Manager experienced in foreign trade, romanist, passionate about the Far East, and winner of the Knowledge about France Competition organised by PR III radio and France Inter.

The meeting will be held in Polish.

To confirm your participation, please contact:

Timea Balajcza, spotkania@balajcza.pl
tel.: +48 601 913 446

By signing up for the webinar, you consent to receiving marketing information from BALAJCZA sp. z o.o. and the processing of personal data in accordance with the Data Protection Policy published on the website balajcza.pl

Please be informed that the participation in the “Online Breakfast with BALAJCZA” and “Online Workshops with BALAJCZA” is tantamount to consenting to the use and dissemination by the organizer, i.e. BALAJCZA sp. z o.o. (KRS 0000659805), of the image of the persons participating in the “Online Breakfast with BALAJCZA” and “Online Workshops with BALAJCZA” provided for in Article 81 of the Act of February 4, 1994 on Copyright and Related Rights

On-line workshop with BALAJCZA – “Different cultural approaches to the concept of time”

Tuesday, 12 April 2022
11 am-12 pm

People’s perception of time is culturally determined. Time is incredibly important in business relations, so lack of knowledge how different cultures approach time can cause many misunderstandings. It can even lead to the breakdown of negotiation talks.

How different cultures perceive time and how to cooperate effectively with people who have different approaches to this dimension? Cultural differences related to the perception of time will be the topic of our next meeting.

During the meeting you will find out:

  • What is “time”?
  • What are the tools for managing yourself in time?
  • How to prioritize activities
  • The 2-Minute Rule – what does it point to?
  • The 4Ds method – where is it worth using?
  • What is the difference between monochronic and polychronic culture?
  • What does the saying ‘time is money’ mean?
  • ASAP’ – which is when?
  • Which cultures take a flexible approach to scheduling?
  • In contrast, which cultures perceive time linearly?
  • How to work effectively with people from these cultures
  • Where are relationships more important than schedules?
  • Where does sequential versus synchronous organization of people’s activities occur?

The topic will be discussed by:

Magdalena Żymełka – coach and advisor. She has been involved in soft HR, in particular its key processes such as: onboarding, job descriptions, employee assessment, appraisal interviews for managers, goal setting, talent management, and employee engagement surveys.

She has international experiences:

14 years in the design, implementation and evaluation of global onboarding programs, product training, e‑learning programs, as well as in Talent Management projects in an international organization.

She has worked with people from the areas of: EMEA, APAC and AMER (Poland, the UK, Estonia, India, the Philippines, Hong Kong, the USA). She worked and lived in the USA and the UK.

She managed the Learning & Development team in an international company employing over 2,000 employees. Together with her team, she supported the development of employees by helping them discover their talents and develop their skills. Currently, she shares her managerial experience with managers in a training room and remotely, conducting training for business on topics such as: improving managerial skills, First Time Manager, team management, including dispersed teams, managing generations in the organization, conducting effective meetings, building effective teams, change management, the culture of management by values in the organization, the culture of feedback, effective team communication and intercultural communication.

She has completed a total of 6,000 hours of training, both in the classroom and remotely. She conducts training sessions in Polish and in English.

The meeting will be held in Polish.

To confirm your participation, please contact:

Timea Balajcza, spotkania@balajcza.pl
tel.: +48 601 913 446

  • By signing up for the webinar, you consent to receiving marketing information from BALAJCZA sp. z o.o. and the processing of personal data in accordance with the Data Protection Policy published on the website balajcza.pl
  • Please be informed that the participation in the “Online Breakfast with BALAJCZA” and “Online Workshops with BALAJCZA” is tantamount to consenting to the use and dissemination by the organizer, i.e. BALAJCZA sp. z o.o. (KRS 0000659805), of the image of the persons participating in the “Online Breakfast with BALAJCZA” and “Online Workshops with BALAJCZA” provided for in Article 81 of the Act of February 4, 1994 on Copyright and Related Rights.

Online breakfast with BALAJCZA – “Lebanon – The Middle East is even closer than you think”

Thursday, 7 April 2022
8 am-9 am

Lebanon is the land of vineyards, orange orchards, green meadows and pine forests. This is where Arab culture meets Mediterranean culture. A country full of ancient monuments, wonderful landscapes, excellent cuisine and smiling, hospitable people.  Many of us associate Lebanon only with war, while its real image turns out to be completely different from that known from the media.

Attend our Thursday Breakfast and find out:

  • why Lebanon is called the Switzerland of the Middle East,
  • what delicacies of Lebanese cuisine are the national pride of the Lebanese people,
  • why your legs hurt more than your head after a Lebanese wedding,
  • why a Lebanese bachelor wears a ring on his finger,
  • what attracts Polish pilgrimages to Lebanon.

The meeting will be hosted by:

Maria Błoch – globetrotter and recruiter for an international e-commerce company. She studied in Croatia, lived in Beirut and worked for a Lebanese-Nigerian company. Thanks to this experience she discovered all there is to know about Lebanese culture. After years of travelling, she returned to Poland and is now looking for talents on the UK, Czech and Polish markets.

The meeting will be held in Polish.

To confirm your participation, please contact:

Timea Balajcza, spotkania@balajcza.pl
tel.: +48 601 913 446

  • By signing up for the webinar, you consent to receiving marketing information from BALAJCZA sp. z o.o. and the processing of personal data in accordance with the Data Protection Policy published on the website balajcza.pl
  • Please be informed that the participation in the “Online Breakfast with BALAJCZA” and “Online Workshops with BALAJCZA” is tantamount to consenting to the use and dissemination by the organizer, i.e. BALAJCZA sp. z o.o. (KRS 0000659805), of the image of the persons participating in the “Online Breakfast with BALAJCZA” and “Online Workshops with BALAJCZA” provided for in Article 81 of the Act of February 4, 1994 on Copyright and Related Rights.

On-line workshop with BALAJCZA – “Cultural Differences between Brits and Poles” …with lots of humour and reading between the lines.

Tuesday, 29 March 2022
11 am-12 pm

What is the goal of this webinar?

  • To see that even fluent English does not guarantee clear and comprehensible communication in the Anglo-Saxon world.

What will you learn during the webinar?

  • You will learn the basic communication codes of the British based on words that are understood differently in other European languages than English.
  • You will play a guessing game about the most famous people from British history and pop culture.
  • You will learn about the British people’s sense of humour, find out where their peculiar nature comes from, and finally understand them.

Who is Małgorzata Ruszkowska?

Małgosia is a certified teacher of English (TEFL) and a coach accredited by The Coaching Academy in London. She travels a lot and has lived in ten countries on four continents.

During her many years spent in the UK, she worked for British corporations, while taking her first steps in volunteering as an English teacher in Madagascar and Burma. This experience inspired her to change her profession and become an English teacher in Vietnam.

She teaches English (General and Business English) in groups at different levels at BALAJCZA Linguistic Services.

The meeting will be held in Polish.

To confirm your participation, please contact:

Timea Balajcza, spotkania@balajcza.pl
tel.: +48 601 913 446

  • By signing up for the webinar, you consent to receiving marketing information from BALAJCZA sp. z o.o. and the processing of personal data in accordance with the Data Protection Policy published on the website balajcza.pl
  • Please be informed that the participation in the “Online Breakfast with BALAJCZA” and “Online Workshops with BALAJCZA” is tantamount to consenting to the use and dissemination by the organizer, i.e. BALAJCZA sp. z o.o. (KRS 0000659805), of the image of the persons participating in the “Online Breakfast with BALAJCZA” and “Online Workshops with BALAJCZA” provided for in Article 81 of the Act of February 4, 1994 on Copyright and Related Rights.

CRIDO advised on bringing in a strategic investor for Alfa Brokers

CRIDO acted as a corporate finance and legal advisor on Alfa Brokers Sp. z o.o.’s deal with a strategic investor. Alfa Brokers is set to strengthen its position in the insurance brokerage market thanks to its new strategic partner – RENOMIA Gallagher.

Alfa Brokers has reached another milestone in growing its business, becoming a part of a global network and aiming to improve their clients’ experience of using Alfa Brokers’ services and benefiting from the most advanced solutions.

“We have agreed with RENOMIA that they will become a majority shareholder in Alfa Brokers. Both our team and our clients will benefit from our company becoming a part of a leading global player with impressive know-how and highly-valued resources, which we will apply to our 30-year experience in the Polish insurance brokerage market. This integration of our talented staff and RENOMIA Gallagher’s global penetration capacity creates a perfect platform for further developing Alfa Brokers’ services for our clients and growth in future years,” says Tomasz Chojnowski, Chairman of Alfa Brokers’ board of directors.

In the acquisition deal, CRIDO acted as a financial advisor to Alfa Brokers Sp. z o.o. and its shareholders. Transactional support on behalf of CRIDO was provided by: Artur Marszałkiewicz, Managing Partner at CRIDO leading the Corporate Finance team, Aleksandra Małolepsza, senior associate, supported by Moniką Olak, senior financial analyst.

CRIDO also acted as a legal advisor for the company and its shareholders. CRIDO Legal works were coordinated by Mateusz Baran, Partner, who was supported by Marzena Lau, senior associate, and Dominik Przywara, associate.

“Artur Marszałkiewicz with his CRIDO team were there for us during the entire process. Thanks to their competence and commitment, the process was conducted with great efficiency and the deliverables were highly satisfactory,” adds Tomasz Chojnowski, Chairman of Alfa Brokers’ Board of Directors and shareholder.

We are pleased that we were chosen to help with a transaction that is set to shake up the market and may in the future change the balance of power in the insurance brokerage business in Poland. “In this case, the client has trusted CRIDO to handle all aspects of the transaction,” says Artur Marszałkiewicz, who heads CRIDO’s Corporate Finance team.

CRIDO supports entrepreneurs, corporations and PE/VC funds in domestic and cross-border M&A transactions at every step of the way. CRIDO’s package of advisory services includes tax and financial due diligence, corporate finance and comprehensive legal support, including legal due diligence.

CRIDO’s Corporate Finance team provides comprehensive transaction advice during the M&A processes. It also supports clients in seeking financing for acquisition deals, business development and project finance type of investment undertakings. To achieve results, it leverages its cooperation ties with banks, PE funds and specialist funds.

More about CRIDO – We provide tax, legal, transaction and business support for our clients. We assist businesses in developing and implementing innovative solutions, part of which is help in obtaining financing from public and non-public sources. Our commitment and results have frequently been awarded. We rank highest in tax advisor rankings and as promoters of B+R and innovation. For more information go to: crido.pl

Online breakfast with BALAJCZA – “Valencia (Spain) – a city with fiery energy”

Thursday, 24 March 2022
8 am-9 am

Valencia is not only the third largest city in Spain, but also one of the most important ports in Europe. It is famous for its Festival of Fire (las fallas / les falles), which is on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. Each year in March, this spectacular festival attracts thousands of participants from all over the world. During our meeting, we will talk about how this event looks like from behind the scenes, and we will taste local delicacies and smell the scent of orange blossom.

Join us at out Thursday Breakfast and find out:

  • why the streets of Valencia smell of gunpowder in March
  • where paella really comes from
  • when the orange blossom blooms
  • what is “Agua de Valencia”

The meeting in Polish will be hosted by:

Anna Pawlus – a Polish woman with a “Latin heart.” Professionally, she supports international businesses and entrepreneurs as a project coordinator. At work and in her private life, she speaks 4 languages and takes great pleasure in practicing more. She has lived and worked in Colombia, Central America, the United Kingdom, Denmark and Spain. For several years now, she has called Valencia her home. In her free time she enjoys music and dancing.

The meeting will be held in Polish.

To confirm your participation, please contact:

Timea Balajcza, spotkania@balajcza.pl
tel.: +48 601 913 446

  • By signing up for the webinar, you consent to receiving marketing information from BALAJCZA sp. z o.o. and the processing of personal data in accordance with the Data Protection Policy published on the website balajcza.pl
  • Please be informed that the participation in the “Online Breakfast with BALAJCZA” and “Online Workshops with BALAJCZA” is tantamount to consenting to the use and dissemination by the organizer, i.e. BALAJCZA sp. z o.o. (KRS 0000659805), of the image of the persons participating in the “Online Breakfast with BALAJCZA” and “Online Workshops with BALAJCZA” provided for in Article 81 of the Act of February 4, 1994 on Copyright and Related Rights.

Hoogells launches real estate practice and expands team

Hoogells is once again expanding its practice in recent times – this time with the real estate & finance practice. Jakub Mosoń, previously Head of Legal Department and Group Compliance Manager at a leading international real estate development company, has been appointed its head.

“The growth of the Real Estate and Finance practice has been an indispensable element in Hoogells’ strategy alongside the Infrastructure and Public Procurement practices. It is the answer to our clients’ needs. I have known Jakub since my university days and I know that his experience from the last years spent in an international development group, including, among others, supervising M&A processes in the capital group, a number of due diligence projects for sale and acquisition of project companies or coordination of investment processes fits perfectly with our expectations. I am convinced that Jakub’s previous business experience and his managerial skills will be of great benefit to the firm’s clients who have been wanting to entrust us with their cases in this area for some time now. Welcome to the team!” – says Anna Oleksiewicz, CEO of Hoogells Law Firm.

 

Jakub Mosoń, lawyer and manager, from March 1, 2022, is a partner and head of real estate & finance at Hoogells, where he manages a team that supports clients in all aspects of real estate law and real estate finance transactions. Jakub has extensive experience in real estate legal services, office and shopping mall property management and a solid banking background. He also has a practical knowledge of compliance and corporate law. The significant experience of the law firm’s new partner is also his longstanding practice in the internal departments of banks, which allowed him to acquire the skills to solve financing issues from the perspective of the financing bank’s risk.

On-line workshop with BALAJCZA – “Effective feedback in an intercultural environment”

Tuesday, 15 March 2022
11 am-12 pm

We deal with feedback in almost every interpersonal situation. Feedback is one of the most important development tools, but not exclusively – it provides us with a sense of security, which is so essential today. Good feedback allows to build trust and strong relations. More importantly, many employees value feedback and expect it from their supervisors.

However, for many of us, giving feedback is still a challenge.

In a multicultural environment it poses even greater challenges. In order for feedback to be used effectively, it should be provided and received in accordance with the intercultural context.

During the meeting you will learn:

  • What is feedback
  • What are the principles of providing feedback
  • What are the forms of providing feedback in different cultures – from direct to indirect communication
  • Who provides constructive feedback publicly and why
  • Why Americans like to use “sandwich feedback”
  • Why saving face is so important in Asian cultures

The meeting on effective feedback in an intercultural environment will be hosted by:

Magdalena Żymełka – coach and advisor. She has been involved in soft HR, in particular its key processes such as: onboarding, job descriptions, employee assessment, appraisal interviews for managers, goal setting, talent management, and employee engagement surveys.

She has international experiences:

14 years in the design, implementation and evaluation of global onboarding programs, product training, e‑learning programs, as well as in Talent Management projects in an international organization.

She has worked with people from the areas of: EMEA, APAC and AMER (Poland, the UK, Estonia, India, the Philippines, Hong Kong, the USA). She worked and lived in the USA and the UK.

She managed the Learning & Development team in an international company employing over 2,000 employees. Together with her team, she supported the development of employees by helping them discover their talents and develop their skills. Currently, she shares her managerial experience with managers in a training room and remotely, conducting training for business on topics such as: improving managerial skills, First Time Manager, team management, including dispersed teams, managing generations in the organization, conducting effective meetings, building effective teams, change management, the culture of management by values in the organization, the culture of feedback, effective team communication and intercultural communication.

She has completed a total of 6,000 hours of training, both in the classroom and remotely. She conducts training sessions in Polish and in English.

The meeting will be held in Polish.

To confirm your participation, please contact:

Timea Balajcza, spotkania@balajcza.pl
tel.: +48 601 913 446

  • By signing up for the webinar, you consent to receiving marketing information from BALAJCZA sp. z o.o. and the processing of personal data in accordance with the Data Protection Policy published on the website balajcza.pl
  • Please be informed that the participation in the “Online Breakfast with BALAJCZA” and “Online Workshops with BALAJCZA” is tantamount to consenting to the use and dissemination by the organizer, i.e. BALAJCZA sp. z o.o. (KRS 0000659805), of the image of the persons participating in the “Online Breakfast with BALAJCZA” and “Online Workshops with BALAJCZA” provided for in Article 81 of the Act of February 4, 1994 on Copyright and Related Rights.

Online breakfast with BALAJCZA – “China – Yesterday and Today” part 2

Thursday, 10 March 2022
8 am-9 am

“Chinese culture is very much rooted in beliefs and myths, unchanged for several thousand years. Despite the fast pace of life today and the power of new technologies, ancient customs, symbols and superstitions are still observed in the Middle Kingdom.

Join us on Thursday, March 10 at 8 a.m. for the second meeting of “China – Yesterday and Today”, part of the “Breakfast Online” series.

You will find out:

What does the flag of the PRC symbolize?

What color can improve or spoil your relationship with the Chinese?

What gifts are frowned upon in the Middle Kingdom?

On which floor of the hotel should you not put Chinese guests?

Is it appropriate to give a bouquet of red roses to a Chinese woman?

The meeting will be held by Kamila Radzyńska – business coach, specialised in intercultural communication, member of SIETAR Polska, R&D Manager experienced in foreign trade, romanist, passionate about the Far East, and winner of the Knowledge about France Competition organised by PR III radio and France Inter.

The meeting will be held in Polish.

To confirm your participation, please contact:

Timea Balajcza, spotkania@balajcza.pl tel.: +48 601 913 446

By signing up for the webinar, you consent to receiving marketing information from BALAJCZA sp. z o.o. and the processing of personal data in accordance with the Data Protection Policy published on the website www.balajcza.pl
Please be informed that the participation in the “Online Breakfast with BALAJCZA” and “Online Workshops with BALAJCZA” is tantamount to consenting to the use and dissemination by the organizer, i.e. BALAJCZA sp. z o.o. (KRS 0000659805), of the image of the persons participating in the “Online Breakfast with BALAJCZA” and “Online Workshops with BALAJCZA” provided for in Article 81 of the Act of February 4, 1994 on Copyright and Related Rights.