AmCham Hungary continued its mission to be a leading driving force for shaping policies and enforcing a competitive business environment in 2024, as evidenced by its activities in the past 12 months.
As president Zoltán Szabó highlighted, a key milestone was publishing a new policy recommendation package in April that followed a refreshed and more strategic approach in presenting AmChams’ proposals to government decision-makers to improve competitiveness. The document reflected a strong business perspective, incorporating key insights from members and significant contributions from committees to address competitiveness priorities effectively.
Because Hungary was holding the rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union, several meetings took place at the ministerial and state secretarial level so that the business community’s perspectives could be included in critical discussions.
A renewed decade-long cooperation agreement with the Hungarian Investment Promotion Agency marked another significant occasion given that the partnership is instrumental in AmCham members’ implementing their investment projects, Szabó added.
The president recalled that some 80 events were organized throughout the year, with the 35th-anniversary gala being one of the highlights. The 10th Business Meets Government forum, co-hosted with Hipa, gathered nearly 200 stakeholders to discuss aspects of European competitiveness and was another impactful event.
Business forums with ministers Márton Nagy, János Bóka, and Péter Szijjártó, as well as Hipa CEO István Joó and Hungary’s Ambassador to the United States Szabolcs Takács, were also great occasions to share insights between the government and the business community. Social events such as those held on Independence Day or Thanksgiving further strengthened ties between the members. With his tenure due to expire, Szabó was greeting the audience in his capacity as AmCham president for the last time.
Marvelous Years
“It has been a marvelous four years for me in this position, and we have been through fascinating moments, and tough and challenging times,” he said. “I am proud of what we have accomplished together, and despite global challenges, we became more resilient, we have a growing membership and a very stable financial situation.”
Finances were discussed in greater detail by secretary-treasurer Ákos Burján. The year 2024 promises strong results thanks to prudent budget management. Looking ahead to 2025, he said that membership retention must remain a critical focus since a significant part of the revenues comes from membership fees, making these contributions invaluable for the chamber’s operation and success.
The assembly elected Ákos Janza, MSCI’s managing director and global head of offices, as the new AmCham president, while László Kónya, managing director of Deutsche Telekom TSI Hungary, who had also competed for the role, was elected second vice president.
Potential Turning Point
“We could be at a turning point, and I would like to work with you on taking this chamber to the next level,” Janza told members. He wants to create a digital advocacy platform that amplifies members’ voices, and he believes strengthening ties with international networks is equally needed to drive collective impact.
Since Janza had served as first vice president, that position became vacant, and Veronika Spanarova, managing director and Hungry country head for Citi, was elected to the position. In addition to the new board members-at-large who were voted in, the supervisory board chair’s position went to Mike Carlson.
The 2025 Annual Plan was presented by AmCham CEO Írisz Lippai-Nagy, who highlighted the significance of the upcoming Policy Agenda 2026-2030, which is set to continue the chamber’s advocacy efforts. Two new committees launched this year will help shape policy proposals, but Lippai-Nagy also encouraged members to present their own fresh initiatives.
On the event front, in addition to the 11th Business Meets Government Summit, policy and business forums, as well as state secretary meetings, are in the pipeline. A major digital conference is also being planned.
The AmCham Foundation is to be closed following a decision by its board of trustees. Founded initially under the AmCham umbrella in 1989, the ACF did an excellent job by focusing on charity activities and talent development, the annual assembly was told. Its most recent activities saw it reach more than 200 students with career orientation workshops and present a successful theatre show on digital awareness. Thanks to the joint efforts of volunteers, two foster homes were refurbished. The Independence Day Party provided an excellent opportunity to give back to AmCham’s donor companies through the kids’ corner activities.
The Dr. Iván Völgyes Award, named for a man often called the father of lobbying in Hungary, is presented annually to recognize individuals who contribute significantly to Hungarian-American business relations. This year, it went to Andrea Jádi Németh, managing partner of law firm bpv Jádi Németh, a long-time supporter of AmCham, who has held several leading positions in the chamber. In her speech, she praised the “unparalleled heritage Iván Völgyes has left behind.”
AmCham Hungary’s Board, 2025
President: Ákos Janza, MSCI; first vice president: Veronika Spanarova, Citi; second vice president: László Kónya, Deutsche Telekom TSI; Treasurer: Ákos Burján, PwC; Board Members-at-Large: Edit Bencsik, Tata Consultancy Services; Etelka Dobi, Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine; Attila Kövesdy, independent advisor; Gabriella Fodor, Lexmark; Dániel Mayer, Morgan Stanley Hungary Analytics; Mónika Pais, Diageo; Krisztina Ujhelyi, Medtronic; Írisz Lippai-Nagy, AmCham CEO. Supervisory Board: Mike Carlson, chair; NSM; Judit Budai, board member; Szecskay Attorneys at Law.
This article was first published in the Budapest Business Journal print issue of December 13, 2024.
