After graduating Jim spent his early working years at a company called ICL in the UK. It is now Fujitsu.

The company was too big for him and he wanted more exposure to the cut and thrust of smaller business so he joinedhis family business in 1994. It soon became clear that their markets for medium to high volume precision components was shifting East and to be part of that growth they needed to move the factory.

They were supplying a company in Oroshaza and had a good relationship with the team there. To cut a long story short they recruited some of those team members and set up Doherty Hungary Kft in 1998.

They now specialise in the production of armature shafts for electric motors. Their customers produce motors for ebikes, car power steering, mild hybrid motors, power tools, washing machines, robots, electric shutters, electric gates and many more and varied applications.

In 2007 the business needed closer attention so he moved to Hungary with his family. It was a difficult transition but soon became one of the best moves they made. Their three kids settled into the French Lycee and became bilingual and they enjoyed the warmth and hospitality of Hungary and explored the surrounding countries by car.

After 8 fabulous years they moved back to the UK so the kids could move on in their schooling. Since then he has spent more and more time back in Hungary and his wife and him would be happy to repeat a full time move now the kids are grown up and pursuing their own career paths.

1. When did you arrive in Hungary and what brought you here?

My family manufacturing business moved from Birmingham to Oroshaza in 1998, and in 2007 I moved to Budapest with my family – wife and 3 young children – to run it on a day to day basis. 

2. Have you ever been an expatriate elsewhere?

No.

3. What surprised you most about Hungary?

The seasonal change from one week to the next. Fences, gates and crazy dogs round all the houses in Buda. In the early years the headaches from some of the local beer and wine. Now the wine and more recently, local beers are fabulous. 

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

A hop-on, hop-off bus tour to get your bearings; visit the Terror Museum; enjoy dinner at Retek followed by a cocktail at the Gresham Palace. A spa at the Gellert; tickets to the refurbished Opera House, if you’re lucky! 

5. What is your favourite Hungarian food?

Goulash soup from the café at the Shell petrol station on the M5 south to Szeged. 

6. What is never missing from your refrigerator?

Erős Pista.  

7. What is your favourite Hungarian word?

Mozi. (And it’s a sensible amount of syllables)

8. What do you miss most from home? 

Family and friends and my motorbike.

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

Being involved in ocean clean up.

10. What's a job you would definitely never want?

Anything underground.

11. Where did you spend your last vacation?

Croatia – for a long weekend to meet up with friends who we met when we first moved to Budapest.

12. Where do you hope to spend your next holiday?

Isle of Man for the TT. 

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

Those Manner chocolate wafers from Austria that you get here and the early summer in Hungary. Dining or having a coffee outside in Budapest and watching the world go by.

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

My music taste was and still is totally eclectic. Pop, rock, Motown and classical all in the same half an hour. I spent a lot of time on the golf course – a hobby I haven’t kept up with unfortunately.

15. Red wine or white?  

Red. Especially in Da Vino’s by the Basilica trying a few out with friends.

16. Book or movie?

Book. 

17. Morning person or night person?

Morning. Annoyingly early.

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

Environmental issues and climate change.

19. Buda or Pest side?

Pest. I love the fact I can walk out of my front door and everything is there. You can spend a whole day being busy without having planned anything.

20. What would you say is your personal motto? 

Persistence and determination are omnipotent.