The nearly 35-year-old organisation welcomed more than 330 guests to celebrate outstanding leadership achievements across Hungarian business and public life.

This year’s gala also marked a symbolic milestone with the presentation of the 100th award in the programme’s history.

Through its trademark-protected Manager of the Year Awards, the association aims to recognise leadership excellence while highlighting the broader economic and social impact of senior executives in Hungary.

Speaking at the event, association president Péter Noszek said the organisation has entered a new phase focused on renewal and development.

Building on established traditions, the association intends to strengthen professional cooperation, community building and international connections while promoting best practices and increasing the visibility of leadership achievements in Hungary.

Managing director Ibolya Gothárdi described the presentation of the 100th award as one of the evening’s defining moments.

Reflecting on more than three decades of the programme, she noted that the awards have recognised leaders whose influence extends beyond business into wider society, including internationally recognised executives, mentors and public figures.

Manager of the Year: Bosch Regional Head Recognised

The association’s top recognition, the Manager of the Year Award for 2025, was presented to Dr. István Szászi, head of Bosch Group in Hungary and the Adriatic region.

Originally starting his career in research with a focus on vehicle dynamics, Szászi has spent two decades at Bosch.

Since 2019 he has also led the company’s Budapest development centre, which has become one of the group’s strategic locations for electromobility and next-generation automotive technologies.

Lifetime Achievement Award Goes to OTP Chairman

The Lifetime Achievement Award, jointly presented with Gránit Bank, went to Dr. Sándor Csányi, chairman of OTP Bank.

Widely regarded as one of Hungary’s most influential business figures, Csányi has led OTP since 1992, transforming the former state-owned bank into a regional financial group operating across 11 countries and serving approximately 17.5 million customers. Alongside banking, he remains active across several areas of economic and sporting life.

Recognising Leadership Across Sectors

The Female Manager Special Award, presented together with Bayer Hungária, was awarded to Zsuzsanna Ortutay, chair of the management board of INA.

With more than twenty years of experience in the regional energy sector, Ortutay previously served as CEO of MOL Group Business Solutions before taking up her current leadership role at INA in 2023.

Her work has focused on strengthening cooperation between INA and MOL, while promoting sustainability and supporting women in leadership.

The Society Special Award went to Péter Horn, managing director of B. Braun Hungary.

Having spent three decades with the company, Horn now oversees the development of a nationwide dialysis network serving thousands of kidney patients across Hungary while supporting a range of healthcare and social initiatives.

Innovation was recognised through the Blue Innovation Special Award, presented to Tamás Jeránek, CEO of Siemens Hungary.

Before becoming chief executive in 2021, Jeránek led Siemens’ Digital Industries division and played an important role in advancing industrial digitalisation in Hungary. His current focus includes expanding data- and AI-driven operations.

The Young Manager of the Year Award went to Bence Buday, deputy CEO of Wallis Asset Management.

His career has included consulting work at McKinsey & Company, studies in Singapore and participation in major corporate transactions, including Vodafone’s acquisition and integration of UPC Hungary.

Sustainability, Future Leadership and Business Culture

The Environmentally Conscious Economy Award recognised Ákos Lukács, partner responsible for climate change and sustainability services at EY Hungary.

Lukács has worked at the intersection of climate policy, business and sustainability for more than two decades. He also participated in negotiations surrounding the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement and represented Hungary within the UN climate framework before taking leadership of EY’s sustainability division in 2022.

The Future Manager Award went to Dr. Gábor Honti, CEO of EHISZ Zrt., who took over leadership of the long-established paper and packaging company at the age of 22 and has since expanded both its markets and service portfolio.

Meanwhile, the Business Culture Award was presented to József Keleti, CEO of United Platforms, who introduced full pay transparency at his company in 2024 — a move still considered highly unusual in Hungary and one that has since attracted attention across the business community.

Six-Month Selection Process

Award candidates were nominated across nine categories by around 15 partner organisations, alongside the association’s leadership, nomination committee members and previous award recipients.

As in previous years, nominations remained confidential and background assessments were prepared for the jury.

Following a six-month evaluation and selection process, the association’s presidency selected the final winners through a secret ballot.

This year’s charity collection linked to the gala supported the HiSchool Foundation.

Photo: Managers of the Year

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