Slovakia is facing a critical brain drain challenge, with only 40% of young professionals who leave to study or work abroad returning home. Within the Equilibrium Mentoring Programme, a panel discussion was held in Bratislava on 11 February 2026 and addressed this issue from the perspective of female talent. The event was organized by the British Chamber of Commerce in the Czech Republic and the British Chamber of Commerce in the Slovak Republic.
The event was opened by H.E. Bilal Zahid, British Ambassador to Slovakia, alongside Ivona Žitná, Managing Director of the British Chamber of Commerce in the Slovak Republic, and Pavel Fara, Managing Director of the British Chamber of Commerce in the Czech Republic.
The panel, moderated by Viktória Škřivánková, Senior Project Associate at IOM, UN Migration, featured Miroslava Remenárová, President of the British Chamber of Commerce in the Slovak Republic; Iva Kleinová, Senior Advisor on Start-up Ecosystem & Talent at Bratislava, the Capital City of Slovakia; Igor Šulík, Managing Partner at Amrop Slovakia; and Miroslava Rychtárechová, Head of Country People Operation Manager at Tesco Stores SR. The discussion focused on strengthening Slovakia’s ability to attract and retain female talent.
Key takeaways included:
Reducing the gender pay gap by increasing women’s representation in senior roles.
Supporting professionals returning to the Slovak labour market from abroad.
Promoting inclusive workplace cultures and addressing bias.
Recognizing that each professional who remains abroad represents an estimated EUR 2.8 million loss in long-term economic value.