Long vacation only concrete plan for departing MKB chief

Tamás Erdei, who is leaving Hungary's MKB Bank in March after more almost three decades, has no concrete professional plans for the future, but he told MTI in an interview that he will not continue his career at MKB competitor OTP Bank.

"For the time being, I have just one plan: from April 1, I'm preparing for a very long vacation, because after almost 30 years as a banker, including 18 years as a CEO -- during which time there were 2-3 very difficult years, I need a rest. I want to be with my family and with my friends until September; and beyond that I have no concrete plans at the moment. One thing is certain: that I will need to be active in some kind of function in the future," Erdei said when asked about speculation that he could join OTP Bank.


Erdei told MTI he was leaving MKB now because the time was right for closure.


"We judged, together with the owner, that we had jointly taken steps necessary for stabilization. The parent bank expressed its long-term commitment with capital raises, and the expression of a new strategic direction was necessary, as with all banks, because of the crisis. I judged that this was the appropriate time because a chapter has been closed and now construction has to start anew, and it would be better for that to be the task of a new management," he said.


Erdei said his career thus far had been "wonderful", recalling the start at OTP Bank, followed by his years at MKB and his service as the chairman of the Hungarian Banking Association.


"The fact that [the Hungarian Banking Association] re-elected me several times is a kind of validation of a good job," he added.