Celebrating Radek Hoško, now an Incoterms 2020 Trainer

Radek, from LIBERTY Ostrava, is now the fourth person in the Czech Republic to become a certified expert in International Terms of Trade

We caught up with him and learned more his achievement and what he does.

What do you do at LIBERTY Ostrava? What are you responsible for?

I am responsible for purchasing and the logistics associated with the export of finished products from our company to the customer. I deal with sea, road and rail transport to the ports where our products are loaded and cleared through customs. I also handle the logistics of importing the raw materials needed for our production from overseas to our company.

Can you elaborate on the certificate you have obtained? How does it enhance your work?

It is the ICC Incoterms 2020 Trainer certificate, which only four individuals have been awarded in the Czech Republic. I see its benefit for myself in the fact that after years of working in this area, I was finally able to sort out and thoroughly clarify what a seller/buyer expects if he agrees to a specific Incoterms delivery condition and what risks and unexpected costs he exposes himself to if he incorporates an inappropriate condition into the purchase contract. I can provide in-house advice, commercial contract consultation and ultimately training to employees who come into daily contact with Incoterms and sign commercial contracts so that they can negotiate the most favourable terms of trade for LIBERTY and be clear when signing what they are committing to and conversely what the other party to the trade is liable for.

How difficult is it to get one? What did you have to do to get it?

The certificate is challenging to obtain in the sense that you have to learn and understand everything in business English, including the context of the common practice in the business case. But first I had to negotiate with the director of the International Chamber of Commerce in Prague to nominate me for the exam. He then recommended my nomination to the International Chamber of Commerce in Paris for approval. Last but not least, I also had to pay a hefty fee with no refund in case I did not confirm the exam date on time or failed to pass the final exam.

Why did you decide to get the certificate?

After years of practice, I wanted to go in-depth and make myself clear in the future about all the terms and conditions, how they work on paper and how they work in the real world, so that I would be able to quickly and correctly advise myself and my colleagues on the most suitable delivery condition for a particular case or if someone else has already confirmed such a condition by signing it in a commercial contract, to know what my obligations are and what I should be particularly careful about in order to avoid feasibility problems, possible unnecessary extra costs, economic losses or loss of reputation as a business partner.

Radek Hoško (50)

Work: He has been working at LIBERTY Ostrava since 2019 as a Raw Material Procurement and Logistics Specialist.

Family: married, with a daughter

Hobbies: audiobooks, movies, sports, wellness, electric guitar

Favourite movie: The Godfather

Favourite food: Beefsteak, baked potatoes, grilled vegetables and red wine