Karel Janeček

Karel Janeček
PhD; MBA
Born (1973-07-26) July 26, 1973
Plzeň, Czechoslovakia
Nationality Czech
Alma mater Univerzita Karlova v Praze, Prague, Czech Republic; Bradley University, Peoria, Illinois, USA, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
Occupation mathematician; entrepreneur
Organization Karel Janeček Foundation; Democracy 2.1
Known for anti-corruption campaign; philanthropy
Website http://www.kareljanecek.com

Karel Janeček (born 26 July 1973 at Plzeň, Czechoslovakia) is a Czech mathematician, entrepreneur, anti-corruption campaigner and philanthropist.

Education

Janeček graduated from the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics of Charles University in Prague in the field of Probability and Mathematical Statistics.[1] He is an MBA in Finance graduate of Bradley University, Peoria, Illinois, USA, and a Ph.D. graduate in the field of Mathematical Finance of Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.[1]

Academia

Janeček publishes research articles in scientific journals in the area of applied stochastic calculus.[1]

Business

From 1998 to 2000, Janeček worked as a mathematical analyst for the hedge fund Market Research, Ltd. and from 2004 to 2005, served as Researcher in the Austrian Academy of Sciences.[1] On the basis of his experience, he started the firm RSJ Algorithmic Trading, that has subsequently emerged as one of the world’s biggest financial derivatives traders of its kind.[2]

Anti-corruption campaign

According to media reports, by 2013, the Czech government was "buffeted" by a series of corruption scandals that have threatened to bring it down.[3] After Václav Klaus, then president of the republic, in his last days in office, granted amnesty to a number of people accused of corruption, Janeček financed the publishing of online videos and newspaper advertisements urging Czechs to sign a petition calling Klaus to account.[3] The signatures were published on a website called "High Treason” in Czech.[3] The movement convinced 28 Senators to back a proposal in the Senate for the Constitutional Court of the Czech Republic to undertake high treason proceedings against Klaus.[4]

Klaus, who was eventually not charged by the Supreme Court, had previously stated he did not regret the amnesty, and on an official visit to Slovakia dismissed the move as “political games.”[3]

Political reform

Janeček proposed an alternative system Democracy 2.1[5] for general elections, ostensibly in order to circumvent "governmental corruption." Under his proposal, the number of regions in the country would increase from 14 to 81, while voters would have four votes at their disposal, as well as one "minus" vote, which would allow them to note which candidate they do not want.[6] The proposed system has been criticized as "incomprehensible to the public" and "far too complicated."[6]

Sponsorship

The Karel Janeček Benevolent Fund for Support of Science and Research was established in 2010 (renamed as Neuron Fund for Support of Science in 2013)a non-profit organisation, which promotes the idea of benefactors supporting the science and research in the Czech Republic.[7] Neuron has supported a number of scientists and their projects through grants worth over 13 million Czech crowns.[7][8]

Gambling

Janeček, in the 1990s, and after playing the game in various casinos in the United States and elsewhere, created a simulation software for advantage play in Blackjack, which he marketed under the brand "Statistical Blackjack Analyzer."[9] The sim program has been praised by many gambling researchers.[10][11] He has consulted casino operations, such as the creation of the Blackjack Switch game, which, before it became operational, was tested by Janeček-created software.[12][13]

Janeček, along with Dr Brett Harris and others, contributed to the development of what has become known as "optimal betting theory", and the discovery that it is possible to calculate a true count for unbalanced counting systems in casino Blackjack.[14] Janeček recommends treating the handling of advantage play "as just another investment".[15] He has regularly contributed articles in gambling-research websites, such as Stanford Wong's BJ21.com.[16]

Personal life

In 2015, Janeček married for the second time.[17] His wife is Tunisian Mariem Mhadhbi, a structural engineer who studied at L'École des Mines.[18] Janeček has two daughters from his first marriage.[17]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Executive Profile, Bloomberg Businessweek
  2. ↑ "Businessman and anti-corruption pioneer Karel Janeček: Whistle-blowing is a brave thing to do", Radio Prague, 28 March 2011
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Foes Want Czech Leader Prosecuted Over Amnesty", by Dan Bilefsky, The New York Times, 27 February 2013
  4. ↑ "Karel Janecek, milliardaire et croisé anticorruption", by Martin Plichta, Le Monde, 1 March 2013 (in French)
  5. ↑ About D21
  6. 1 2 "Billionaire Mystifies Public as He Tries to Fight Corruption with Math", Prague Wandering, 6 December 2013
  7. 1 2 Neuron Fund for Support of Science
  8. ↑ Approximately $ 600,000
  9. ↑ SBA website
  10. ↑ E.g. Don Schlesinger: "[Janeček]'sStatistical Blackjack Analyzer software was the original, all-purpose simulator, and it has come to be known as the standard against which all other such products are measured."
  11. ↑ SBA sample reviews
  12. ↑ "Blackjack Switch - interview with Geoff Hall", Professional Poker
  13. ↑ See Blackjack Switch at the Wizard of Odds website for the game's analysis
  14. ↑ "The truth about unbalanced counts" by Dr Brett Harris, Blackjack Insider
  15. ↑ "Fluctuations - A Personal Perspective" by MathProf, bj21.com,
  16. ↑ "Certainty Equivalent Analysis" by Karel Janeček, bj21.com
  17. 1 2 "Billionaire Janeček Remarries Tunisian Mathematician", Idnes Revue, 14 May 2015 (in Czech)
  18. ↑ Mariem Mhadhbi profile on AngelList

External links

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