Michal Zahradník

Managing Director at BASF Slovensko| Plant Manager BASF Malacky | Driving Safe & Efficient Chemical Manufacturing | Transformation | Operational Excellence

Slovakia

About

I am a Managing Director and Site Manager at BASF, leading a modern polyurethane systems production plant in Malacky, Slovakia. My focus goes beyond operations — I actively drive transformation in safety culture, productivity, and compliance in a highly regulated industrial environment. With a strong foundation in chemical manufacturing, I specialize in: Operational excellence and process optimization Safety leadership and zero-incident culture Digitalization and data-driven decision making Over the years, I’ve seen that the best results come from teams that feel involved and empowered — that’s where real performance starts. I believe that modern leadership is about transparency and clarity, accountability, and the ability to translate strategy into everyday actions. 🔹 Interested in topics such as industrial transformation, leadership, and safety culture 🔹 Open to exchanging best practices across industries

Experience

  • BASF (Full-time · 17 yrs 5 mos)
    • Managing Director
      Jul 2025 - Present · 1 yr

    • Plant Manager
      Jul 2024 - Present · 2 yrs

      Leading full site operations (production, EHS, HR, finance, compliance) Achieved major safety milestone (6000+ days without incident) Launched transformation initiatives in process optimization and digitalization

    • Site Manager
      Jun 2018 - Jul 2024 · 6 yrs 2 mos