Who’s Behind 42 Warsaw? Introducing Malgorzata Zakrzewska, a Leader at Play
From Telecommunications to Talent Development: Meet the Force Behind 42 Warsaw. This month, we spoke with Malgorzata Zakrzewska, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer at Play and Chairwoman of the Freedom of Choice Foundation. With a career in banking, media, and telecoms and a strong belief in democratizing digital skills, Malgorzata shared how Play brought 42 to Poland, why the model stood out, and what the future holds for 42 Warsaw.
Could you please briefly introduce yourself and tell us more about your educational and professional background?
I am Malgorzata Zakrzewska. I began my professional career in the banking sector, where I worked for a few years, and after that I embarked on the exciting journey in the burgeoning telecommunications sector.
Other than that, my background is political science, media and communications. My professional journey involved a lot of learning by practice, similar to the 42 approach, where practice and personal discipline are key parts of a student’s path.
Can you tell us more about the company you work for and what you do there?
I am fortunate to work for Play — a leading convergent telecommunications
operator in Poland, where I am the Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, responsible for corporate communications, public and government affairs, institutional relations and ESG. At the same time, I am the chairwoman of the “Freedom of Choice Foundation”, set up by Play to establish and operate the 42 Warsaw campus.
How did people at Play first come across 42? What did they think was particularly interesting about it?
Play is a member of the French telecommunications group Iliad. Since the roots of 42 are from France, we were introduced to the 42 concept by our shareholder and were immediately impressed by its effectiveness and global scale.
What were the motivations behind Play’s decision to set up a 42 campus in Warsaw and to sponsor it?
As I mentioned earlier, Play is one of the leaders in the digital ecosystem in
Poland., It has reached this position by starting virtually from scratch, adopting a challenger mindset and a clear mission: to revamp the market and make telecommunications more accessible nationwide, at reasonable prices. At Play, we strongly believe in democratizing digital services, and therefore it was only natural for us to also invest in democratizing digital skills, which are pivotal to sustain the digital ecosystem, and creating more opportunities for those who master them.
In your opinion, what sets 42 apart from other coding schools?
Freedom. It is not a trap for employment at a specific company but an opportunity to develop IT and soft skills that students have the freedom to apply in any environment they choose. There are no diploma requirements for admission, it’s a program not a bootcamp, and the skills our students develop go far beyond IT thanks to the innovative peer-to-peer learning model.
What are your hopes for the future of 42 in Poland?
We are looking into expanding to other cities in Poland, so that we can reach out with the potential that 42 offers to other areas of the country.
We aim to acquire new partnerships that will be beneficial for our students. Our goal is to enable them to learn in a tuition-free model and create opportunities by connecting them with businesses, which are also potential employers.
And for the future of education?
Many say that the traditional model of education is in a certain crisis. What 42 offers in this discussion is a glimpse into how education models can evolve to adapt to the changing times and address the need for crucial skills such as adaptability, cooperation, critical thinking, problem-solving, and self-management.
A quick word to conclude our interview?
On a personal note, I am convinced that with leadership comes great
responsibility, and I believe that Play is contributing to the society by enabling education in digital competences.
