In 1999, Záboji was co-founder of European Telco Exchange, IPO in 2005. In early 2000 he was invited to manage Bosch Telecom, KKR’s first European acquisition as CEO. The company was turned around in a remarkable short period, renamed Tenovis; and later sold to Avaya. In 2004, Záboji was lead investor in acquiring European Mobile Telephone Services in Germany, whose parent company was listed at the Zurich stock exchange.

Záboji had a long and distinguished career with Siemens in USA und Germany. In the early `90s, he was Managing Director von GPT Communications in London.

Peter was, for many years Professor of Entrepreneurship and Entrepreneur-in-Residence at INSEAD, the Business School for the World; later at George Soros’ CEU Business School in Budapest. He is author of the book CHANGE! (Published in 2002);
A frequent speaker at Private Equity and Entrepreneurship Conferences.

Záboji lived from 1956 on in Germany, France, the United States of America and the United Kingdom. As of recently, he moved to Budapest, to raise his three children in the CEE region.

1. Where did you grow up?
Munich, Bavaria

2. If you could be an expat anywhere in the world, where would you choose?
Having mastered New York, London and the South of France, Budapest!

3. What would you miss most if you moved away from Hungary?
The lively expat community

4. Friends are in Budapest for a weekend - what must they absolutely see and do?
Museum of Fine Arts and a concert with the Budapest Festival Orchestra at MÜPA!

5. What is your favourite food?
Good Italian

6. What is your favourite sport / form of exercise?
Tennis and Skiing

7. What is your favourite place in Hungary?
Budapest

8. What career other than yours would you love to pursue?
I Don’t want to change

9. What’s a job you would definitely never want?
Work is hard if you’re paid to do it, and it’s pleasure if you pay to be allowed to do it

10. Where did you spend your last vacation?
Croatia

11. Where do you hope to spend your next one?
Montenegro

12. What was your favourite band, film, or hobby as a teen?
Jimi Hendrix, Au bout de souffle

13. What can’t you resist?
A good glass of wine

14. Red wine or white?
Burgundy during the day, a Bordeaux in the evening

15. Book or movie?
Book, anytime

16. Morning person or night person?
A night person in my youth, now an early bird

17. Which social issue do you feel most strongly about?
Giving children access to proper education

18. Buda or Pest side?
Buda, with occasional excursion to the other side of the river

19. Which achievement in your life are you most pleased about?
The work of my foundation: European Entrepreneurship Foundation

20. What would you say is your personal motto?
We only learn from failures!