Richard Háva, Omnipol billionaire, on hard rock and garlic spread

Czech billionaire Richard Háva, owner of the arms holding Omnipol, avoided publicity for many years. He has now given the longest interview in the history of Forbes magazine and, for the first time, opened the door to his world.

Háva long kept out of the spotlight, and in his conversation with Forbes he talks about what truly fascinates him: art, architecture and music. A special place in his life belongs to “The Godfather”, a cult film he returns to again and again.

A striking detail of the portrait is the businessman’s taste in music. In the office of a successful arms entrepreneur, Nirvana and Black Sabbath are playing. According to Háva himself, art and hard rock help him stay sober-minded: they serve as a kind of protection against the vanity and envy that often come with big money.

The interview also shows the private side of the billionaire’s life. He divides his time between Geneva and the Swiss resort of St. Moritz, where expensive wine sits on the table next to a simple garlic spread. This very “ordinariness” becomes the main theme of the piece: a man who runs a large arms empire tries to stay down to earth.

For Czech business this is a rare chance to see how one of the country’s most private billionaires thinks, whose holding Omnipol plays a notable role in the defence industry.

By the Around Prague newsroom