About
feronovak
Managing Director, Ringier SlovakiaAI Builder
I lead Slovakia's largest media company. I build with AI on my own time, not because it's my job, but because I want to know what it can actually do. That understanding shapes how we adopt AI at Ringier. Some of it worked. Some of it didn't. I write about both.
The CEO
Leading Slovakia's largest media company
As Managing Director of Ringier Slovakia, I run the country’s largest digital media group — 2.5 million monthly users, 267 million page views, and a portfolio that includes Aktuality.sk, Azet.sk, and half a dozen vertical brands.
The job is part editorial strategy, part product development, part organizational leadership. We publish journalism, run communities, and build technology — sometimes all at once.
Ringier is a Swiss media company. Slovakia is one of its key CEE markets. I’ve been leading the local operation through a period of digital transformation, audience growth, and AI adoption.
The Entrepreneur
Starting things that survive
I've started companies, scaled some, shut down others. The pattern that survived: find the problem first, then build the smallest thing that solves it. Everything else — fundraising, hiring, scaling — follows.
Most startup advice is written by people who got lucky once. I've done it enough times to know the difference between a repeatable process and survivorship bias.
The Builder
Code before companies
I wrote code professionally before I ran anything. That changes the conversation with engineering teams. I can read a pull request, argue about architecture trade-offs, and call out when something is over-engineered.
I still build things. Not because an MD needs to code, but because the fastest way to understand a technology is to ship something with it. That's how I push AI adoption at Ringier. I try it first, then bring what works to the team.
Connect
Speaking, advisory, or just a question?
I'm open to conversations about media, AI, and building products. If you have something specific, even better.