Ádám Schmidt, Former Director of Sales, Marketing & Business Development, Sixt Hungary

  • 11 Feb 2021 10:02 AM
Ádám Schmidt, Former Director of Sales, Marketing & Business Development,  Sixt Hungary
Adam is an experienced professional with a history of success in the automotive and international sports industries.

He is particularly skilled in Sales and Marketing Management, Logistics Management and IT innovations in the automotive industry.

1. Where did you grow up?

I was born and raised in Budapest. The multicultural, multilingual environment has been a part of my life since I was a child. It started at the Austro-Hungarian Kindergarten at Normafa and then continued in a bilingual primary school.

2. If you could be an expat anywhere in the world, where would you choose?

The beauty, natural wonders and tranquil atmosphere of the Caribbean have caught my eyes the most so far, especially Saint Lucia. If I worked there, I would definitely stay in tourism, perhaps I would open the first water mobility service office for Sixt 😊.

3. What would you miss most if you moved away from Hungary?

Beside my family and friends, I would miss the atmosphere of Budapest’s downtown the most: the view of the Danube and Buda; the old buildings where it’s always nice to have a walk or just sit on the terrace of a cosy bistro with a glass of fine Hungarian wine on a hot summer day.

4. Friends are in Budapest for a weekend - what must they absolutely see and do?

If you would like to experience the atmosphere I mentioned before, I suggest you take a walk in the Buda Castle District, go up to the Citadel and spend an evening in the downtown party district, for example in and around Gozsdu udvar.

Also, if you have the opportunity, travel with Metro line 1, which is one of the oldest metro lines in Europe and combine it with a walk in Városliget or a bath in the Széchenyi Bath.

5. What is your favourite food?

I like everything that is charred, mostly fresh fish, so Greek and Italian cuisine is closest to me.

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

I used to race competitively on mountain bikes and have won many domestic races. This sport is still the part of my life until the day. My other hobby is climbing, but If I don’t have the opportunity to do sports outside, I go to CrossFit training.

7. What is your favourite place in Hungary?

I visit the northern shore of Lake Balaton, Badacsony most of the time. I have been emotionally attached to this region for a long time because of its natural beauties and tranquillity.

8. What career other than yours would you love to pursue?

I would definitely be a pilot on a passenger plane. It’s a childhood dream that hasn’t come true, but I love flying to this day and I follow content related to this topic to expand my knowledge.

9. What’s a job you would definitely never want?

I can’t imagine myself being in the IT sector or the healthcare because I wouldn’t like to work with either programming or illnesses.

10. Where did you spend your last vacation?

Due to the pandemic, I didn’t want to travel far last year, but the Slovenian tour was still a fantastic experience with Portoros, Piran and a trip to Lake Bled.

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

I wanted to travel to the US in 2020, but hopefully I can make up for that this year. In this case, the destination would be Miami, Thailand, possibly Hawaii.

Plan B, if an overseas trip wouldn’t be safe due to the restrictions, I would still like to take a holiday at a beach, for example in Croatia or Sardinia.

12. What was your favourite band, film, or hobby as a teen?

At a young age, I wasn’t particularly passionate about any band or actor, but I did collect photos of license plates from different countries, most of which I took during family vacations both at home and abroad. I always had a camera at hand, so I wouldn’t miss a new item for my collection.

13. Apart of temptation what can't you resist?

I just can’t resist ice cream in any shape or flavour.  Often, there is nothing else in my freezer but ice cream. 😊

14. Red wine or white?

It depends on the season and the food, as I drink red wine in winter and white wine during summer, but only dry ones and mostly from Hungarian winemakers.

15. Book or movie?

After an exhausting day, I prefer to watch a movie or a series. I used to be a big fan of Jules Verne, I read all his books, nowadays I prefer professional and biographical books.

16. Morning person or night person?

I like to make the most of my free time and use it actively, so typically I go to bed late and get up early. I usually wake up early on weekends as well.

17. Which social issue do you feel most strongly about?

Deprived children and domestic violence are topics that touch me most as a person. Fortunately, I work for a company where social responsibility is a priority both locally and globally.

That is why I take part in all initiatives launched by Sixt Hungary, AutoWallis or the foundation of Sixt's global brand owner, the Regine Sixt Children's Support Association.

We visited Szeged most recently, where we supported the complete renovation of a playground and the purchase of modern toys.

18. Buda or Pest side?

It always depends on my mood. For me, Pest means liveliness and fun, while Buda means tranquillity and closeness to nature. I feel like I’m entering a stage in my life where the latter becomes more important.

19. Which achievement in your life are you most pleased about?

I do not consider any specific award to be the greatest professional success, but the performance we have achieved with my colleagues in these difficult times.

I am proud that we responded quickly to the difficulties posed by the pandemic and we could make decisions that have helped transform operations and retain the workforce.

As a personal success, I’m most proud of climbing Ararat under not exactly ideal conditions. When I face every day and work difficulties, I draw a lot of strength from the fact that we were able to achieve the set goal even in -20oC with a wind of 100 km/h.

20. What would you say is your personal motto? 

My motto aligns with my hobbies. It says that it is not the destination that matters, but the path leading there. And if I can choose from paths, it should be the more exciting, which may involve more risk, but it gives you more experience and adventure than a simpler, walked path.

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