Chamber of Commerce Corner, May 5, 2023

Swiss-Hungarian Chamber of Commerce (Swisscham)

Swisscham Hungary participated in the Connect Conference, where member companies spoke about the corporate culture of Swiss companies. The chamber congratulates the Blue Colibri team for organizing such a meaningful full-day conference with 800 people and thanks participants in the panel discussion from its member companies.

The Netherlands-Hungarian Chamber of Commerce (Dutcham)

Dutcham invites guests for an elegant yet casual 21st Annual Gala Dinner to celebrate the 21st year of the chamber and reaching “adulthood.” Dutcham promises a night of exceptional gastronomy and entertainment, with company tables and mixed tables of 8-10 and food representing tastes historically connected to the Netherlands.

• When: Thursday, May 11, 7 p.m. • Where: Budapest Marriott Hotel, Apaczai Csere Janos utca 4, Budapest 1052 • Cost: Member single ticket: HUF 49,900 (incl. VAT), table of 10: HUF 469,900 (incl. VAT); non-member single ticket: HUF 62,900 (incl. VAT)

Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Hungary (CCCH)

The CCCH is delighted to invite you to its upcoming 10th Canadian Bison and Salmon Dinner evening at the end of May, where it will say goodbye to spring and welcome the summer season. The event will occur at ÖbölHáz, near the Danube in South Buda. Indulge in the finest Canadian delicacies, including fresh wild salmon and bison, and enjoy an authentic Canadian culinary experience. There will also be a chance to purchase raffle tickets to win exciting prizes. The ambiance will be enhanced by live jazz music, providing the perfect accompaniment to the delicious cuisine.

• When: Wednesday, May 31, 6-11 p.m • Where: ÖbölHáz, Kopaszi-Gát 2, 1117 Budapest • Cost: Members HUF 43,900 HUF (+ VAT); non-members: HUF 56,900 (+ VAT)

German-Hungarian Chamber of Industry and Commerce (DUIHK)

The second online Journey Around the World: Women in International Business from the Global AHK Network by women@duihk with the Association of German Women Entrepreneurs (VdU) and the global AHK network took participants virtually to Iran and Saudi Arabia. Topics of the online conversation were globalization and tension with localization, women in business, and the life and commitment of the speakers at the two foreign locations. The welcome and introduction were given by Elizabeth Lehnich, co-chair of the International Commission of the VdU, and Barbara Zollmann, managing director of AHK Hungary. Afterward, Marie-Theres Thiell had a conversation with Susann Gerlach, CEO of AHK Iran, and Dalia Samra-Rohte, a delegate of AHK Saudi Arabia

30th Anniversary Gala

The DUIHK marks a special celebration this year, with the highlight being its 30th Anniversary Gala Dinner. Guests, including President of the Republic of Hungary Katalin Novák, will enjoy an evening of culture and entertainment, dancing, excellent food, and drink specialties. 

• When: Friday, June 2, 7-11 p.m. • Where: Budapest Marriott Hotel, Apaczai Csere Janos utca 4, Budapest 1052 • Cost: Member EUR 150 per person; non-member EUR 280 per person; company table of EUR 2,000.

Belgian Business Club in Hungary (BelgaBiz)

BelgaBiz will hold its general assembly at the Embassy of Belgium on May 11 to discuss issues related to the club’s operations and future direction and elect the new members of the management and supervisory boards. A reception will follow the meeting. On June 10, BelgaBiz will introduce a new concept for the business club, a Family Day to be held at Budapest Garden. It promises to be a fun-filled event for members and their families, with activities and entertainment for all ages. It will also be an opportunity to say farewell to departing Belgian Ambassador Siegfried Peinen, who has been a devoted club member as its honorary chairman. BelgaBiz is grateful to the ambassador for contributing to its success over the years.

British Chamber of Commerce in Hungary (BCCH)

The BCCH will hold its annual meeting on May 17, at which a new council and chairperson will be elected for a two-year term. The guest of honor will be Britain’s Ambassador to Hungary Paul Fox. New to this year’s annual meeting and open to non-members will be the presentation and Q&A session with Rolls-Royce’s managing director György Balázs, and the director of engineering at Jaguar-Land Rover Nevijo Mance, moderated by Randstad’s Petra Polgár. This part of the event, scheduled for 5:45 p.m., marks the start of the networking and opens up the room to non-BCCH members.

• When: Wednesday, May 17, 4-8 p.m. • Where: Kozmo Luxury Hotel, Horváth Mihály tér 17, 1082 Budapest • Cost: Free of charge for BCCH members; HUF 15,000 (incl. VAT) for non-members for the reception and networking after the annual meeting.

The American Chamber of Commerce in Hungary (AmCham)

Although a typically tricky topic to navigate, the inadvertent violation of sanctions was not something businesses in Hungary had to worry about. That changed drastically on February 24, 2022, from which point rapidly changing regulations created an increasingly complex and challenging area to navigate. The AmCham conference Sanctions and Compliance: Are you fully prepared? will present the geopolitical realities of current and potential sanctions and their effects on the global and state economies as well as practical aspects of complying with sanctions as a business, including the risks and pitfalls one must avoid. Guest speakers will be Botond Feledy, director of Tipping Point Consulting, a geopolitical risk analyst and EU Expert, and Ramsey Jurdi, an international dispute, regulatory and trade compliance lawyer at DLA Piper with substantial experience in economic sanctions.

• When: Wednesday, June 7, 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m. • Where: To be confirmed • Cost: Members HUF 34,990 HUF (+ VAT); non-members HUF 45,000 HUF (+ VAT)

The French-Hungarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCIFH)

Celebrate the 150th anniversary of the unification of Budapest together at CCIFH’s large-scale Garden Party, inspired by the last century.

• When: Friday, June 23, 4-10 p.m. • Where: Városligeti Műjégpálya és Csónakázótó (City Park Ice Rink and Boating Lake), Olof Palme Sétány 5, 1146 Budapest. • Cost: Members HUF 32,000 (+ VAT); non-members HUF 45,000 (+ VAT).

This article was first published in the Budapest Business Journal print issue of May 5, 2023.