Ileana and William Lobkowicz

3G, Non-Fungible Castle, House of Lobkowicz - FBN Czech

FBN Lombard Odier NxG Award 2023 - Intrapreneurship Category - Finalists

William and Ileana Lobkowicz come from a 700-year-old Bohemian noble family whose successive generations have played an influential role in European politics and society, especially as patrons of the arts. The family’s art collections and properties were confiscated twice, first in 1939 by the Nazis and again after 1948 by the Communists, forcing the Lobkowiczes to flee their homeland. After the Velvet Revolution of 1989, the family returned to the Czech Republic and began the restitution process to reclaim, reassemble, and restore their lost heritage, permanently opening these previously hidden treasures to the public, for the first time in history. Today,  House of Lobkowiczshares 700 years of Bohemian inspiration through five unique cultural heritage sites, offering full-service event design and hospitality management, diverse cultural tourism experiences, and the Lobkowicz Collections—one of Europe’s oldest and finest private art collections. 

William and Ileana both grew up in Prague and have been deeply involved in their family’s work their entire lives. After receiving his BA in History at Harvard University, William returned to Prague to lead House of Lobkowicz’s development and innovation initiatives, exploring digital tools to enhance cultural creation and preservation. William has been a featured speaker at the French Ministry of Culture and has appeared in international press such as Bloomberg, CNBC, and Forbes, presenting his initiatives around incorporating blockchain technology into cultural heritage practices. Ileana also returned to Prague after attending Boston College where she received her BA in Philosophy. As a writer and creative steward of stories, she is using her ancestral heritage to serve as a bridge between the past and the future. Ileana is currently focused on writing and publishing a family memoir, as well as developing her own storytelling platform which will publish vignettes about people, places, and food (for thought).