This year, the number of companies in Czechia owned by Belarusians and Russians has declined the most. In contrast, the number of companies owned by individuals from Hungary and Slovakia has been growing rapidly. This is according to an analysis by the consulting company Dun & Bradstreet, which provides company information.
The number of Russian owners of Czech companies has decreased by nearly 12% year-on-year, with the current number standing at 9,463. The number of companies owned by Belarusians saw an even greater percentage decline, down 12.7% to 914 companies. “Over the past three years, we have observed a significant decrease in the number of companies owned by Russians. The highest number of companies (14,646) was owned by Russians in 2021,” said Kateřina Klossová, Sales Director at Dun & Bradstreet.
In contrast, the number of companies owned by Hungarians has grown the fastest: compared to last year, their numbers increased by 115, a 4.64% rise. The number of companies with Slovak owners also increased—by 495 compared to the same period last year, a 3.25% increase. “Since last spring, Slovaks have added 495 Czech companies to their portfolios, which is the second-largest growth in the last five years,” explained Kateřina Klossová. She added that expansion into the Czech market is a logical step for the eastern neighbors. Important factors include the shared history of the two countries, almost zero language barrier, and geographical proximity.
Slovaks remain the most frequent foreign owners of Czech companies, controlling 15,746 companies. Ukrainians hold the second position with 12,803 companies, while Russians are still in third place, despite the significant decrease.
