Fighter pilot and astronaut in training sharing real-world lessons in high-stakes decision-making and performance under pressure.
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Top rated!5 of 5
“Meeting Aleš at IBM TechDay in Prague was a highlight of the event. His perspective on decision-making under uncertainty was one of the most memorable moments — a powerful intersection of the corporate world and fighter pilot thinking.”
Subscription & Annuity Sales
IBM
Aleš Svoboda brings audiences into environments where decisions must be made fast, with limited information and no room for hesitation. As a fighter pilot in the Czech Air Force with more than 1,600 flight hours, he operates at the sharp end of high-performance aviation. His role as a lead pilot in the Czech F-35 integration places him at the center of one of the most complex and demanding defense projects in the nation’s history. Alongside his military career, Aleš was selected from over 22,000 applicants in the European Space Agency’s 2022 astronaut selection and is now training for space operations. His talks translate these extreme experiences into practical insights on leadership, focus, and decision-making under pressure.
Aleš Svoboda is a fighter pilot in the Czech Air Force with more than 1,600 flight hours, operating in environments where precision, speed, and clarity are essential. His career is defined by high-performance aviation, where decisions are made in seconds and the margin for error is minimal. This experience forms the foundation of his perspective on performance, leadership, and responsibility.
At the core of Aleš Svoboda’s work is decision-making in fast-moving, high-stakes environments. In the cockpit, information is often incomplete, conditions can change in an instant, and the consequences of each decision are immediate and real.
He shares how to:
His insights are grounded in real-world experience, offering audiences a clear understanding of how to operate effectively when it matters most.
Aleš plays a key role as a lead pilot in the Czech F-35 integration, the largest and most complex defense project in the country’s history. This role requires a combination of technical expertise, adaptability, and leadership in a rapidly evolving environment.
He offers a unique perspective on working at the forefront of innovation, where new systems, high expectations, and national importance converge. His experience highlights what it takes to navigate complexity, align teams, and deliver results in demanding conditions.
In 2022, Aleš Svoboda was selected from more than 22,000 applicants in the European Space Agency’s astronaut selection. He is currently an astronaut in training, expanding his expertise from aviation into space operations.
This transition represents a shift from one extreme environment to another, where preparation, discipline, and decision-making remain critical. He shares how skills developed in aviation translate into space training, and what it takes to prepare for missions beyond Earth.
Aleš Svoboda delivers engaging and thought-provoking keynotes that connect extreme experiences with everyday challenges in leadership and performance. His ability to translate complex, high-pressure scenarios into relatable lessons makes his talks relevant for a wide range of audiences.
Whether speaking to leaders, teams, or organizations facing change and uncertainty, Aleš provides practical tools and a fresh perspective on:
Booking Aleš Svoboda means bringing a speaker who has operated where decisions truly matter—and who knows how to turn those experiences into insights that audiences can apply immediately.
5 of 5
“Meeting Aleš at IBM TechDay in Prague was a highlight of the event. His perspective on decision-making under uncertainty was one of the most memorable moments — a powerful intersection of the corporate world and fighter pilot thinking.”
Subscription & Annuity Sales IBM
5 of 5
“Aleš delivered a highly inspiring keynote on decision-making under uncertainty and the role of humans in the age of technology and AI. His talk strongly reinforced the core theme of the day — how to use innovation and technology to gain a competitive edge in business.”
CEO ABRA Software
5 of 5
“Big thanks to Aleš — the feedback on his keynote was overwhelmingly positive, with strong impact across the audience.”
VP & CTO IBM
Keynote by Aleš Svoboda:
How to decide fast when information is incomplete and stakes are high.
High-stakes environments don’t allow for perfect information or unlimited time.
Drawing on the OODA loop (Observe–Orient–Decide–Act), this topic focuses on making fast, effective decisions under uncertainty, in constantly changing conditions.
The emphasis is on speed, adaptability, and maintaining clarity when the situation is fluid and incomplete.
Keynote by Aleš Svoboda:
Turning feedback, discipline, and mistakes into a performance advantage.
Performance is not an accident—it’s a system.
Fighter pilot culture is built on structured feedback, rigorous debriefing, and an uncompromising focus on human factors.
Errors are not hidden; they are dissected and turned into a competitive advantage. The plan–brief–fly–debrief cycle creates continuous improvement at both individual and team levels.
Keynote by Aleš Svoboda:
Why humans matter more in the age of AI and advanced technology.
As technology accelerates, the role of humans becomes more—not less—critical.
This topic explores how to integrate cutting-edge technology and AI into decision-making processes while keeping humans in the lead.
Technology speeds up the loop, but judgment, responsibility, and context remain human. AI supports. Humans lead.
Keynote by Aleš Svoboda:
How small failures align—and how disciplined systems prevent them.
Risk cannot be eliminated—but it can be understood and managed.
Using concepts like the Swiss cheese model and operational risk management, this topic shows how small failures align into major incidents—and how disciplined systems prevent that.
The focus is on building resilience, not relying on luck.
Keynote by Aleš Svoboda:
Building trust, avoiding groupthink, and leading under pressure.
Leadership is not a title—it’s behavior.
Trust is the foundation of any high-performing team, and it is earned through competence, consistency, and leading by example.
This topic addresses real-world leadership challenges, including groupthink and peer pressure, and shows how strong leadership shapes team dynamics and decision quality.
