AmCham Marks 35 Years in Hungary With Gala Celebration
The GE opening remarks
The American Chamber of Commerce in Hungary celebrated its 35th anniversary at a gala event at Millenáris on June 7, welcoming more than 400 guests. They included AmCham members and partners drawn from top investors and government leaders, U.S. Embassy representatives, think tanks and academia.
The anniversary gala was opened by CEO Írisz Lippai-Nagy and Zoltán Szabó, President of AmCham Hungary, who, after looking back on the journey, reminded the audience of the power of collective action. Our community is working to make Hungary “a more competitive economy and essentially a better place to live for us and the generations to follow,” he said.
The event featured two keynote addresses by Minister for EU Affairs János Bóka and U.S. Ambassador to Hungary David Pressman.
Next was a discussion by the representatives of AmCham’s anniversary partner, GE, also celebrating 35 years in Hungary. Moderator Eszter Farnady, Eastern European director of project management at GE Healthcare, was joined by Zoltán Gábor Horváth, global supply chain development leader at GE Vernova and managing director of GE Hungary Kft., Jutas Földvári, MD of GE HealthCare, Central Eastern Europe, and Steve Edwards, executive plant leader and MD of GE Aerospace, Veresegyház, Hungary to reflect on cooperation with the chamber and discuss the future of GE.
“We believe in partnerships, and AmCham has been a trusted partner in regulatory affairs, policy shaping along all these years. Together with AmCham, we also built local and regional relationships in these 35 years. To best serve our customers and to solve the biggest challenges in aviation, healthcare, and energy, three independent industry-leading global public companies – GE Vernova, GE Healthcare and GE Aerospace – were formed, and this whole transition was just completed this year. The new independent companies are committed to bringing energy to change the world, creating a world where healthcare has no limits, as well as inventing the future of flight,” GE said.
Diamond partner representatives Ákos Fehérváry, managing partner of Baker McKenzie and Ákos Janza, MD and head of enterprise transformation and global head of offices at MSCI, also shared their thoughts on their companies’ foundation and the diverse initiatives launched together at AmCham with its members.
Diversity Awards Initiated
One highlight of the program was the presentation of the new Diversity Impact Awards, launched this year as a special anniversary feature.
“The awards serve as a testament to our commitment to diversity, which has always accompanied us along our journey. We hope it continues to stay with us in our business community, as diversity not only makes companies more resilient and competitive but is also invaluable for fostering an equitable and modern society,” underlined Lippai-Nagy.
The jury of Szabó, Andrea Juhos, AmCham’s diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging working group leader, and Antónia Mészáros, executive director of UNICEF Hungary, established the shortlists for both categories earlier this year. The event guests made the final ranking of the companies through live voting at the gala.
In the first category, the Inclusive Workplace Excellence Award, GE Healthcare’s program came first, with Thermo Fisher Scientific and Deloitte securing second and third places, respectively. The jury also presented a special prize to Work Force Hungary.
In the second category, the Community Inclusion Champion Award, gala guests voted NI Hungary (now part of Emerson) as the winner, followed by Accenture in second and Eaton in third. The jury also presented a special prize to Jalsovszky Law Firm and a special recognition for diversifying education to Budapest Business University (BGE).
A live performance from the Danubia Orchestra and an aerial trio complemented the program. The orchestra played iconic songs from the past 35 years, seamlessly linked together while the acrobats delivered a spectacular show with breathtaking, gravity-defying moves. The chamber highlight was the cutting of our anniversary cake by four of our founding members, followed by another live band, Sunny Dance, setting the stage for an unforgettable night of dancing. Guests also enjoyed a delightful chocolate tasting, a cocktail bar provided by Diageo, and a selfie corner, adding to the evening’s festivities.
U.S. Ambassador David Pressman
Minister for EU Affairs János Bóka
The Inclusive Workplace Excellence Award was won by GE Healthcare
Zoltán Szabó, President of AmCham Hungary
The Community Inclusion Champion Award winner was NI Hungary
This article was first published in the Budapest Business Journal print issue of June 14, 2024.
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