Jiří Hrabák, the long-time director of Impuls radio station, has left the leadership of this most-listened-to private station in the Czech Republic after 27 years. He announced his decision in the Epicentrum program of the Blesk daily, stating that he left the position at his own request on April 30. The new CEO is Michal Hanák, who also heads the Mafra media group, the parent company of the station's operator, Londa.
Hrabák, who celebrated his 65th birthday this year, justified his resignation by age and a desire for more personal freedom. Although he is stepping down from operational management, he remains a manager of Londa and retains part of his agenda. However, he has already delegated most executive powers to his successors and plans a complete retirement in the future.
“I am old and some things no longer serve me as they used to – my eyes are cloudy, my head is bowing,” Hrabák stated, referencing a fairy tale paraphrase for his departure.
Jiří Hrabák is one of the most prominent figures in the Czech radio scene. He began his career in 1983 at Czechoslovak Radio, then worked in the management of Evropa 2 radio and was instrumental in the establishment of Frekvence 1 news. He led Impuls radio continuously since its founding in 1999. Under his leadership, the station has established itself as a market leader among commercial radios, currently tuning in an average of 640,000 listeners daily.
In addition to his work at Impuls, Hrabák remains, for now, the chairman of the Association of Private Broadcasting Operators (APSV), where he has represented the interests of commercial broadcasters since 2019. However, he hinted that changes might occur in this role as well, particularly in connection with the upcoming Digimedia 2026 industry conference. Impuls Radio is part of the Mafra media group, owned by financiers Pavel Tykač and Karel Pražák.