DECEMBER 2016 HUF 1710
EUR 6
C hristmas A ir HAPPY HOLIDAYS
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Whether you are in Hungary or your home country you can feel the holiday atmosphere. We wish all our international readers around the world a festive holiday season! FOR UNIQUE GIFT IDEAS, SEE OUR GIFT PAGES.
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Japan
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FOCUS
“Japan and Hungary are important partners in the international community, and we have been contributing to the resolution of regional and international issues. My mission and goal are to endeavor to further strengthen this cooperation. Needless to say, it is also important to further promote the bilateral economic relations, cultural and people-to-people exchanges, as well as to promote the recognition and understanding toward Japan,� the Japanese Ambassador to Hungary, Junichi Kosuge tells Diplomacy&Trade. -
Changing the Mindset In the past few years, a number of goals have been set at various international forums to ensure sustainable development. Diplomacy&Trade was provided an exclusive interview with a recognized expert of this field, former Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende who stresses that businesses do have their role in spreading sustainability.
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Duna Elektronika, a Dell Premier Partner, provides end to end systems sales, installation and professional support services for all Dell products. Whether your company is a Dell global partner or a local business, Duna Elektronika and Dell have the right solutions at the right price, backed up by years of experience to support your business. Duna Elektronika’s reference accounts include top industrial companies, shared service centers, financial institutions and a variety of small to medium sized businesses.
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letter from the publisher The US elections are over with a surprise result for many and the world is eager to see what changes are in the pipeline after the inauguration of the new president on January 20. Our analyst calls attention to factors like a drop in the number of Democratic Party voters, a popular demand for change and dividing lines in American society. With the Green party calling for a recount in some states and Donald Trump claiming he has won the popular vote, if you don’t count millions of illegal democratic votes, a clear path to a “United” States is still illusive. The country in focus in this December issue of Diplomacy&Trade is Japan on the occasion that Emperor Akihito’s birthday is celebrated in December. Our compilation on JapaneseHungarian relations carries an interview with Ambassador Junichi Kosuge, presents the 25-year-old Hungarian Suzuki plant as well as other Japanese car manufacturers who sell their vehicles in Hungary and are in the forefront of electromobility. We also deal with the untapped opportunities in Japanese tourism and introduce the Hungarian office of the Japanese External Trade Organization. We continue the German focus from our previous issue with special attention paid to dual education that Hungary introduced following decades-long positive examples in Germany. This is becoming ever more important in Hungary as newer and newer automotive industry investments appear in the country, generating a higher demand for professionals in this field. We look at solutions offered to this problem by higher education institutions and how GermanHungarian academic training is seen by the rector of the Andrássy University. Diplomacy&Trade was given an exclusive interview by former Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende who spoke of the role of businesses concerning climate change. In our cultural and gastronomy section, we have an exclusive interview with the Hungarian-born film star Coco König, Diplomacy&Trade has also interviewed the world famous Italian gastro critic Luigi Cremona and we have a gift corner to offer you special presents ideas for Christmas. This month’s WittyLeaks article has been authored by the Lithuanian Ambassador, Rasa Kairiené who describes historic and present-day connections between her country and Hungary. Of course, we also have the usual culinary guides, restaurant offers and Society picture compilations. We at Diplomacy & Trade thank you for your support during the past 12 years of publication and we look forward to 2017 to present to you improvements in our online and newsletter products. We also warmly welcome your participation at our “The Club” events. Let me take this opportunity to wish all our readers, contributors and partners Happy Holidays and a successful new year.
Interview with Luigi Cremona
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contents Pallasz Athéné University, a pioneer of dual page 24 education in Hungary
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ANALYSIS The day that shook America
08-09 GIFT PAGE 10-22 JAPAN FOCUS 23-27 GERMANY 28 WITTYLEAKS
Common Values Challenged and Protected
Peter Freed
29-31 BUSINESS
PUBLISHER
AND DON’T FORGET
monthly in print - daily on the web
A Five Star transport service Business lunch for sustainable goals Changing the mindset
Interview with up-and-coming actress page 35 Coco König
32-33 SOCIETY 34 CULTURE Soul Exodus Art is Magic
35 PORTRAIT Coco König
36-37 WHAT’S ON
Concerts, festivals, events and exhibitions in and out of Budapest
38-39 GASTRONOMY
Interview with Luigi Cremona ‘The One Gulyás’ Jack Daniel's celebrates 150 Years
COURTESY PICTURES, KRISZTIÁN ÉDER
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PUBLISHER: Peter Freed, EDITOR: Réka A. Francisck, COPY EDITOR: Joyce Freed PHOTO EDITOR: Dávid Harangozó SALES & MARKETING DIRECTOR: Tamás Varga, DISTRIBUTION MANAGER: Tibor Ocsenás ADMINISTRATION: Judit Ludányi ASSISTANT: Ágnes Rapaport CONTRIBUTORS: Sándor Laczkó, Tamás Magyarics, Réka A. Francisck, Rasa Kairiené, Alexandra Ruff PHOTO CONTRIBUTORS
PORTUGAL FOCUS - CO ING SOON
Diplomacy&Trade is preparing a special Focus section on Portuguese-Hungarian relations. The two countries are similar in their geographical size and their population, as well. The Focus will feature an interview with the Portuguese Ambassador to Hungary, Maria José Teixeira de Morais Pires who discusses issues of economic relations (including trade and investment) as well as political, social and cultural ties. Important Portuguese companies in Hungary, such as Hungaro DigiTel (HDT), the largest satellite data transmission service provider here and Hungarork Amorim, renowned for its cork products, appear in the section and we talk to the President of the Portuguese-Hungarian Chamber of Commerce, as well. We also investigate whether the father of the first Portuguese king was actually Hungarian.
123RF.COM, CAN STOCK PHOTO INC., SHUTTERSTOCK.COM, DREAMSTIME.COM, KRISZTIÁN ÉDER, STEFAN WARTER/AUDI AG, MÁRTON KOVÁCS/MFAT, GERGELY BOTÁR/KORMANY.HU, GAGE SKIDMORE, INFINITI, GÁBOR FÉNYES, TOYOTA, SEBASTIEN MAUROY, NISSAN, TAMÁS SZÁNTÓ, TÍMEA IZSÓ/ITPHOTO, DAIMLER AG, FIVE STARS, WWW.SANDORFEGYVERNEKY.COM, JBT, STUDIOBOW, WWW.BFL.LT, EMBASSY OF LITHUANIA, LUMAS BUDAPEST GALLERY, MARIANNA SÁRKÖZI, ÁKOS STILLER, GÁBOR KOTSCHY, ALAIN BIGUET, SIMON ANNAND, DÁVID BORSOS, KIRALYFOTOGRAFUS/WWW.KIRALY.HU, MTI PHOTOS: ZOLTÁN MÁTHÉ, ATTILA KOVÁCS, JÁNOS MARJAI, NOÉMI BRUZÁK Copyright 2004-2015 Duax Kft., all rights reserved | ISSN 1589-8075 This magazine is produced by Duax Kft. The opinions published in the magazine do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Duax Kft. COPIES ARE AVAILABLE AT SELECTED RELAY AND INMEDIO OUTLETS IN MAJOR HUNGARIAN CITIES.
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NEWSSTAND PRICE: HUF 1,710 or EUR 6 - Subscriptions are available for an annual fee of EUR 60 in Hungary, or EUR 90 to all other destinations. - SEND REQUESTS AND INQUIRIES TO DUAX KFT. - Budapest, III. Bécsi út 60. H-1034 TELEPHONE [+36-70] 320-3051 | FAX [+36-1] 350-5660 E-MAIL editor@dteurope.com | ADVERTISING adsales@dteurope.com
We welcome inquires for advertising in this issue. PLEASE CALL TAMÁS VARGA FOR FURTHER INFORMATION +36 209350250 - tvarga@budapestweek.com D E C E M B E R
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on the record UPCOMING NATIONAL DAYS 2016 December
GREEN ECONOMIC FORUM 2016 IN BUDAPEST The Green Economic Forum 2016 – with the aim of raising consciousness through the sharing of best practices – focused on the importance of the supply chain, CSR and the exchange of information as key driving factors for a successful transition to a greener economy and business growth. The event attracted more than 80 participants from all around the world and hosted the exhibition of 7 organizations and NGOs active in the fields of sustainability and green development. The EuCham president Michele Orzan emphasized the need to shift towards a circular economy and the importance of information flow among business entities. He highlighted the existence of three pillars supporting this ideology: "People, Planet, and Profit". The Ambassador of Slovenia, Ksenija Škrilec further emphasized the need to consider these three pillars by stressing on the necessity of cooperation between the public and private sectors, especially concerning education. Indeed she mentioned the significant impact it had on the successful implementation of the green path undertaken by Slovenia, which even led Ljubljana to become the European Green Capital in 2016.
2017 January 2017 February
1
Romania
National day
2
Laos
National day
2
UAE
National day
5
Thailand
National day
6
Finland
National day
12
Kenya
Independence day
13
Malta
National day
16
Kazakhstan
Independence day
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Bahrein
National day
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Qatar
National day
23
Japan
National day
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Lybia
Independence day
29
Mongolia
National day
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Cuba
National day
26
Australia
National day
6
New Zealand
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Serbia
National day
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Lithuania
National day
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Estonia
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Kuwait
National day
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Egypt
Independence day
MOODY’S UPGRADES HUNGARY’S SOVEREIGN DEBT Moody's Investors Service has upgraded Hungary's long term issuer and senior unsecured government bond ratings by one notch to Baa3 from Ba1. The outlook on the rating is stable. "The stable outlook on Hungary's Baa3 rating reflects the balanced risks to the credit rating over the coming years. Moody's expects the greater predictability in policy making seen in the last couple of years will be sustained, resulting in a more stable, growthfriendly policy environment in Hungary than in the past," the rating agency said. However, Moody’s added that "at the same time and while we expect some further improvements in the country's key fiscal and external metrics, in some areas such as the public sector debt burden, the country will continue to lag its Baa-rated peers." Portfolio.hu reminds that the last time Hungary was in investment grade at all three large credit rating agencies was in December 2012, almost four years ago. The last to downgrade country to junk grade was Fitch Ratings. At Moody's, Hungary has been in non-investment grade since November 2011.
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HUNGARIAN-SAUDI RELATIONS IN UPWARD PHASE Deputy State Secretary for Opening to the South at the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Szilveszter Bús held talks with his Saudi counterpart, Undersecretary for Bilateral Relations, Dr. Khalid bin Ibrahim al Jandan from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in his office in Budapest this November. During the meeting, the parties reviewed the current state and perspectives of bilateral relations and designated the key sectors of cooperation to be water management, agriculture, nuclear energetics and higher education. Dr. Jandan indicated that the Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 program, which aims to diversify the country’s economy, provides many opportunities for Hungarian small and medium-sized enterprises to become involved. Mr. Bús indicated that Hungary is following the processes towards renewal that are underway within the Kingdom and feels that they are also of heightened interest with regard to opportunities to expand our bilateral relations. He said it was important to continue to assist businesses from the two countries to forge new ties.
HUNGARIANS FEEL POWERLESS AGAINST CORRUPTION Many Hungarians think that the political and economic decision makers are corrupt, measures against corruption are perceived to be effortless. Only every fifth Hungarian would report, or serve as witness in courts after facing corruption. Twice as many people paid bribe in Hungary for services as in the European Union, mostly in the health care sector. These are the most important findings of the Global Corruption Barometer of Transparency International (TI) regarding Hungary. 57% of the respondents believe corruption has worsened for the last four years. More than half of the participants thought that the anti-corruption measures of the government were effortless – a result indicating a significant negative tendency compared to 2013. Third of the Hungarians think that the members of the Parliament (32%), the Prime Minister (29%) and government officials (28%) are affected by corrupt affairs. A similar picture is shared about the leaders of the business sector (27%) and the employees of the tax authority (23%). w w w . d t e u r o p e . c o m
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WORLDRENOWNED HUNGARIAN MUSICIAN PASSES AWAY The Hungarian National Philharmonic Orchestra has announced "with deep sadness" that its musical director, Zoltán Kocsis in the afternoon of November 6 "after a long illness borne with dignity" at the age of 64. He underwent heart surgery in 2012. Zoltán Kocsis founded the Budapest Festival Orchestra in 1983 together with Iván Fischer and since 1987, he performed as a conductor, as well. Iván Fischer said he heard the news with deep sadness. He added that Zoltán Kocsis was a musical giant, one of the rare geniuses with immeasurable effect on his whole generation. Born in Budapest in 1952, Kocsis began playing the piano around the age of three. The British newspaper ‘The Guardian’ stressed that he first played abroad after winning the prestigious Hungarian Radio Beethoven Competition at the age of 18 in 1970, and made his first concert tour of the United States a year later. He also performed extensively with the Berlin Philharmonic, and played with leading orchestras including the Royal Philharmonic, the Vienna Philharmonic, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra.
PUSKÁS REMEMBERED IN MADRID
It was exactly a decade ago, on November 17, 2006, that Hungarian footballer Ferenc Puskás – ‘the best-known Hungarian in the world’ – was the object of an emotional tribute that took place at Real Madrid’s stadium where he concluded his career. Puskás is one of the top forwards in the history of the game and he enjoyed a legendary career both with the Hungarian national team (83 goals in 84 matches, Olympic title and World Cup runner-up) and at Real Madrid, in which he scored 242 goals in 262 appearances. Born on April 1, 1927 in Budapest, Puskás played for Budapest Honvéd in Hungary and joined Real Madrid in the summer of 1958, aged 31, after he decided not to return to Hungary following the crushing of the 1956 uprising. His trophy-laden spell in Madrid included three European Cups, one Intercontinental Cup, five La Liga titles and a Spanish Cup. In honor of his time at the club, his bust stands within Real Madrid City. In addition, FIFA have also honored his contribution to the history of the game by naming the accolade they award for the best goal of the year as the Puskás Award.
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company briefs AUDI TO MAKE ELECTRIC MOTORS IN HUNGARY
IT SERVICES TO CREATE 360 NEW JOBS
Hubert Waltl, Audi AG’s Board Member for Production and Logistics, announced in Ingolstadt, Germany this November that Audi’s n arian lant in yőr ill e rod in otors for the luxury carmaker’s electric cars. Asked y the n arian ne s a en y hether the fa ility o ld also rod e ele tri ars he re lied itho t entionin s e ifi s that the lant does have the necessary conditions for that. s the finan ial e site ortfolio.h notes the orld s lar est en ine fa tory h rned o t ore than t o illion en ines in ore than in . ith the entran e of li o sine vehi le asse ly at the yőr lant has e o e vehi le an fa t rin and rod tion vol e has ro n ith it. ore than ars i o sine and Ca rio as ell as Co and oadster odels rolled o t of the an fa t rin lines last year a ainst in . s a res lt of hi her rod tion vol e and in reased sales reven es e eeded . illion last year . over the ase eriod. ll this e lains hy di s ana e ent are rin in ne invest ent to n ary alon ith the rod tion of ele troni otors. t o ld also e an entirely rational all if the ro de ided to f rther increase its local manufacturing capacity and started the production of e-cars too, the e site says.
ervi es n ary td. ill e reatin ne o s at its re ises in e ed e re en and s ith an invest ent of F . illion a r. n for hi h it ill re eive a s sidy of F illion fro the n arian overn ent. h s the info- o ni ations o any ill e able to provide services to even more enterprises. he n arian inister for Forei n ffairs and rade ter i rt said he regards it as a success that has de ided to in rease the a a ities of the servi e enters it has o eratin in n ary. e hi hli hted the i ortan e of s h enters in vie of the fa t that the servi e enters rrently o eratin in n ary rovide o s for a total of eo le and are frontr nners in kee in yo n o -seekers in n ary. ervi e enter investments are only slightly behind automotive industry investments again this year, he added. ana in ire tor Chris ilson stressed the i ortan e of the ed ation syste e lainin that st dents st e o e fa iliar ith the latest te hnolo ies and this is hy the o any oo erates ith several s hools and olle es and addin that oo eration ith lo al ni i alities is also i ortant. lease, see our interview with hris Wilson on page 26
MARKET AUTHORIZATION FOR NEW HUNGARIAN PHARMA PRODUCT edeon i hter n ary s leadin pharmaceutical producer has announced that it re eived a ositive o inion fro the Co ittee for edi inal rod ts for an se C of the ro ean edi ines en y re o endin that marketing authorization be granted for its iosi ilar teri aratide errosa . on a roval errosa is e e ted to e sed in the sa e indi ations as its reference product, Elli Lilly’s Forsteo, i.e. for the treatment of osteoporosis in men and in ost- eno a sal o en ith a hi h fra t re risk. According to the relevant license agreements, it is e e ted to e la n hed in eo ra hi al ro e follo in the atent e iry of the ori inal rod t. C s ositive o inion as ased on data olle ted fro analyti al re- lini al and lini al st dies related to the develo ent ro ra of the io-si ilar teri aratide hi h de onstrated io-si ilarity to lli illy s Forsteo teri aratide . he ositive C o inion for o r first io-si ilar teri aratide arks an i ortant ilestone for o r io-si ilars siness i hter C rik o s h o ented. i hter is ildin on its e ertise in develo in and an fa t rin iolo i s y rin in for ard these i ortant thera ies. io-si ilars ill in rease hoi e and a ess for atients in the hile rovidin otential cost savings to healthcare systems", he added.
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DEVELOPMENT PROJECT BY LENOVO HUNGARY AT SÁRVÁR he a hieve ents develo ent ros e ts and the n arian overn ent s s ortive e ono i oli y ere the fa tors that have reated a sta le asis on hi h do esti and forei n enter rises are ildin their s ess. hat is a ordin to inister for ational ono y ih ly ar a ho s oke this ove er at the o enin ere ony of a re ently o leted develo ent ro e t in rv r estern n ary y enovo n ary and Fle n ary. he ro e t val ed at over F . n ore than . n olsters n ary s osition as an fa t rer of infor ati s hard are and is e e ted to reate ne o s. evelo ent ro e ts in the info- o ni ation se tor are of s e ial i ortan e for o r ind strial develo ent the inister stated. nfor ati s is one of the ost innovative and fastest- ro in ind strial se tors hi h rovided o s for tho sand eo le in n ary in . e added that the inistry is orkin on a s e iali ed ind strial strate y ai ed at in reasin the ei ht of this s se tor. eas res nder onsideration are e e ted to add over the ne t three years eo le to the rrent la or for e in the se tor and so e to ross o t t and added val e. akin ri le effe ts into onsideration this ay reate alto ether - tho sand ne o s and ro th of F n to the Minister noted.
STRATEGIC AGREEMENT WITH YANFENG he n arian overn ent and the Chinese automotive industry s lier anfen Automotive Interiors entered into a partnership a ree ent. inister of Forei n ffairs and rade ter i rt hi hli hted after the si nin of the a ree ent that anfen a o any hi h ses the latest ttin -ed e te hnolo y ill hel the Hungarian automotive industry to successfully s it h to the ne ind strial era and ill f rther participate in the long-term development of Hungary. sef allyon ire tor of anfen n ary to otive nterior yste s stressed that the o any is i le entin a a or te hnolo i al develo ent at its site in a n ary. hey e e t in the ake of the si nin of the strate i a ree ent that y relyin on the ositive relations aintained ith the overn ent also to date the arties ill e a le to oo erate in even ore areas in l din ed ation. anfen is a leadin o any on the orld arket of tier-one a to otive s liers has rod tion nits aro nd the orld and rovides o s for tho sand eo le. n a they an fa t re interior arts for re i - ate ory assen er ars and e loy eo le at the n arian site here they rovide on oin trainin . hey also oo erate ith several n arian instit tions of hi her ed ation offer on-the- o a renti eshi trainin and ontin o sly in rease the er enta e of n arian s liers hi h rrently stands at .
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Cor oration ill esta lish a orld lass Electronics an fa t rin ervi es lant to s ort its ne siness idter lan in n ary. he nit in a ykőr s y a an s o. ranked rovider is reali ed thro h an invest ent of illion reatin ne o s y . he lose ro i ity to the develo ed hi h ay infrastr t re played a significant role in the positive investment decision. Cor oration a leadin a to otive s lier has esta lished a orld ide net ork to ana e electronics parts procurement, assembling, manufacturing and logistics. It provides integrated EMS services fro -strea to do n-strea . he o any has s sidiaries in o ntries aro nd the orld in l din er any and lovakia in ro e. he ne rod tion lant ill s ly re ional ele troni s an fa t rin servi e re ire ent for sto ers. he s are- eter nit ill e e i ed ith state-of-the-art te hnolo y and ill arry o t the o ntin of ele troni o onents and the asse ly and ro essin of e i ent and o onents. he fa ility is e e ted to start o eration in . s ro e ana in ire tor o i anase e lained the de ision to invest in o r se ond ro ean lant in a ykőr s as ade ossi le y the s ort of the n arian overn ent and a ood oo eration and o it ent fro the ni i ality of a ykőr s and the n arian nvest ent ro otion en y .
photos by
JAPANESE ELECTRONICS MANUFACTURER SIIX COMES TO HUNGARY
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analysis
THE DAY THAT SHOOK AMERICA MAJOR CHANGES OF HISTORIC IMPORTANCE MIGHT BE THE CONSEQUENCE
term-limit for the legislators, of Newt Gingrich’s ’Contract with America’ in the 1990s. Hillary Clinton was Washington: a former First Lady, a senator, and a Secretary of State. The dice was loaded against her in this respect; it proved to be impossible to sell her as an agent of change.
BY TAMÁS MAGYARICS
Donald J. Trump’s victory on November 8th was one of the greatest upsets in the history of American presidential elections. In fact, Newsweek had already put Hillary Clinton on its front page with the caption ‘Madam President’. One is reminded of 1948 when a Chicago newspaper announced ”Dewey Defeats Truman.” Since the day of the election, barrels of ink have been used (figuratively speaking) trying to explain why and how the opinion polls, the mainstream media in general, and the great majority of the pundits erred. It is too early to come up with a comprehensive explanation that answers all the questions, but there are possibly a few points that are likely to survive a more thorough scrutiny in the future.
Dividing lines Race relations might have also played some role in the outcome of the presidential election. A clear majority of the white voters supported the Republican candidate, while 88% of the Afro-Americans and close to 70% of the Hispanics cast their votes for the Democrat. As an Afro-American commentator on one of the major cable networks blurted out after the election: it had been a white backlash against a black President. Surveys suggest that the majority of the whites believe that the ’system’ is rigged in favor of the (racial) minorities in the form of, for instance, the affirmative action programs, while the majority of Afro-Americans claim that it is still the whites who benefit most from the economic, political, and social developments; they speak of, for example, the growing income gap in the past few years. It is an issue that needs more in-depth research, but it is a fact that the election was, to some extent, a referendum on the achievements of the Obama Administration. Another dividing line that was widening was the opposition between urban and rural areas/ small town: the former solidly Democratic, while the latter equally solidly Republican. One possible explanation for the miscalculations of the opinion polls and the mainstream media may be that they know the urban scene more intimately than the rural one.
photo by
GAGE SKIDMORE
Reverse ’beauty contest’ In terms of sheer numbers, Donald J. Trump received about 60 million votes, roughly as many as John McCain got in 2008 and Mitt Romney in 2012. So, one might conclude that the Republican votes are pretty stable, that is, the Republican voters are more disciplined than the Democratic ones when it comes to voting. Despite the fact that Hillary Clinton won the majority of the popular votes with a slim margin, she received 5-6 million fewer votes than Barack Obama got in 2008 and 2012. This fact clearly shows that Hillary Clinton was not even popular enough within her own camp, much less with the public at large. It does not seem to be too far-fetched to say that the presidential election in this cycle was a reverse ’beauty contest’: both candidates ’enjoyed’ an unfavorable rating of around 60%, and it was only 2% of the voters who had a favorable view of both of them! Missing voters Most of these lost votes on the Democratic side were missing in the previously ’blue wall’ of the Democratic Party; in states which had been solidly behind Barack Obama in the two previous presidential elections (Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Florida). There were some 14 designated battleground states in which the two candidates were within one or two percentage points of each other (the other states are securely in the ’bag’ of either the Democrats or the Republicans because of demographic, cultural, and other factors). Donald J. Trump basically had no margin of error in these states, and few expected that he would ultimately win 11 of them, including all the elector-vote rich ones (Florida, Pennsylvania, Ohio). One of the major reasons is that the bulk of these ’blue wall’ states lie in the so-called rustbelt, and while Donald J. Trump was talking a lot about bringing jobs back, punishing companies that take the jobs abroad, renegotiating the free-trade agreements w w w . d t e u r o p e . c o m
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(which allegedly contributed the job losses in the U.S.), Hillary Clinton was speaking less about these issues which were arguably the major concerns of blue-collar white workers. The Democratic campaign strategists were overly confident that Donald J. Trump’s insensitive and offensive remarks about, among others, Hispanics and women would alienate these groups from the Republican candidate and, at the same time, would mobilize them on the Democratic side. In fact, Hillary Clinton won only 2% more of the Hispanic vote than Barack Obama in 2012, and about 45% of the women voted for Donald J. Trump – a much higher percentage than Democratic pollsters (and the mainstream media) had predicted.
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Popular demand for change The drop in the Democratic votes can also be attributed to the widespread demand for change: 80% of American voters wanted change, practically any change to the direction the country was heading. It coupled with a traditional antielite/establishment feeling. In the past couple of decades, it was only George H. W. Bush who was able to win as part of the Washington establishment: Richard Nixon, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama all ran ’against Washington’, and promised to reform (especially lately) the political gridlock in the capital. Though Donald J. Trump is also part of the financial elite, he was able to sell himself as an outsider who would ’dry up the swamp’ in Washington by, among others, realizing some of the demands, such as
Conservative majority The race for the House of Representatives was a more or less foregone conclusion: the Republicans retained a comfortable majority and lost only a few seats. On the other hand, the fate of the Senate was hanging in the balance. Finally, the Republicans were able to retain a majority there as well (with a slimmer margin). However, the 800-pound gorilla in the room is the future of the Supreme Court. Now, with a Republican President and a Republican majority in the Senate (the appointment of federal judges is one of the concurrent powers of the White House and the Senate), a conservative-minded candidate is likely to fill in the seat vacated by the death of Antonin Scalia, and President Trump is likely to be able to appoint one or two or even three new members into the Supreme Court. A strong conservative majority in this body might decide on a number of important wedge issues (such as, for instance, abortion rights) in the next couple of years, and its rulings might as well be more lasting than some of the acts and executive orders passed under a President Trump. The U.S. may as well stand on the brink of major changes of historic importance.
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www.lumas.hu
Man on Broadway Man on Broadway © Christophe Jacrot, www.lumas.hu Photography, 220x147 cm, limited edition of 75, signed, € 3.699 LUMAS Budapest Galéria, 1051 Budapest Október 6. utca 21.
www.silkafashion.com
Dream-like dresses for Silka princesses “Haute couture” literally means high dressmaking, but in the common language this term also embraces personality, highend materials, and hand-made tailoring, down to the tiniest details. Although there are no shops in Hungary to meet all the requirements of haute couture, Silka’s policy may be considered an endeavor to offer haute couture, as they tailor all their dresses in exceptional quality and unique design. Their professional team consists of experts working at the highest standards. Their designers, tailors, and dressmakers are experts of their profession. The highest quality demands the expertise and humbleness of experts of the highest standing. The Silka team is committed to make your dream-like dresses come true and compare their standards to haute couture. Wearing a Silka dress is like being Cinderella in the fairy tale: you become a princess. 1061 Budapest, Andrássy út 9.
Freshly fallen snow arouses romantic feelings. Christophe Jacrot takes advantage of this phenomenon. In his work, he shows how “bad” and stormy climates affect life in the big city. The stormier the weather in Paris, New York, or Venice, the more ambient the Frenchman’s photographs. Jacrot reveals a new universe so fascinating that no one will want to run for cover at the first hint of snow. The hectic pace slows down. The people seem isolated, pulled out of their daily rhythms. The soft, white layer gives the streets a particular atmosphere. The cold is palpable, as are the people’s longings for security, warmth and closeness. Christophe Jacrot’s pieces show emotional moments – instants that, as fleeting as they may be, will remain in our memories.
www.omorovicza.com
Omorovicza Christmas Sets Omorovicza Cosmetics’ award-winning skincare range combines Hungary’s healing thermal waters with a pioneering Hydro Mineral Transference™ delivery system to leave skin firmer, more supple and younger-looking. Lauded by beauty editors around the world from Glamour to Vogue, Omorovicza’s range includes premium skincare products for the face and body, with bespoke treatments available at some of the world’s most exclusive department stores and hotel spas – including Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, Net-a-Porter.com, St Regis, and The Four Seasons. Find the perfect gift sets for your loved ones this Christmas. There’s something for everyone, from the Moor Mud Set for those in need of a skin detox the Miracle Facial Set for dry or dull skin, the Gold Facial Set for red or sensitive skin, the Blue Diamond for mature skin and the Introductory Kit, with five hero products, is the fail-safe Christmas beauty set for when you aren’t sure of their skin type. Omorovicza Boutique & Spa, 1061 Budapest, Andrássy út 2.
www.jackdaniels.com
The Jack Daniel Distillery
https://shop.mercedes-benz.com/collection
This high-quality business bag in black leather brings extra order and clarity to the working day. The inside features a black lining with a Mercedes-Benz pattern repeat and offers plenty of space for all the essentials: a zipped compartment and two pockets for a mobile, etc., two large compartments with gold-coloured zips, a central slip pocket with a magnetic fastener and even a laptop compartment (max. 15 inches) allow you to organise the contents perfectly. While the various gold-coloured details, the embossed MercedesBenz logo and the BREE co-branding on the narrow side underline the high-quality character of the bag, the adjustable shoulder strap ensures optimum carrying comfort. - colour: black - material: leather - size: approx. 41 x 29 x 12 cm - various compartments inside and out - with adjustable shoulder strap.
Master Distiller Jeff Arnett created a distinctive taste profile for this commemorative whiskey that combines the Distillery’s whiskey-making tradition with the artistry of modern-day craftsmanship. The 150th anniversary edition contains 50% alcohol by volume and offers complex tasting notes of butterscotch and toffee upon first taste followed by a full, smooth and lingering finish with warm flavor of toasted oak. Makers created a really unique whiskey which could be a worthy gift for the lovers of special flavors for the upcoming holidays. Jack Daniel s encourages its friends to drink responsibly.
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celebrates its 150th anniversary with a limited edition whiskey
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Woman Business Handbag
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gift corner www.themacallan.com
The Macallan Single Malt Scotch Whisky
www.thefamousgrouse.com
The Famous Grouse Christmas Pack
Scotland’s favorite blended whisky was created in 1896 by Matthew Gloag, whose signature is still printed on every bottle of The Famous Grouse sold today. The tradition, the rich and full-bodied flavour, the exceptional sherry oaks in which the whisky is matured in, and the outstanding quality are the pillars that make Scotland’s favorite blended whisky famous for a reason. The brand comes out with a limited edition: for the holiday season the package will include two gift glassess.
Founded in 1824, The Macallan was one of the first distilleries in Scotland to be legally licensed. Since then, The Macallan has built a reputation as one of the world's truly great single malt whiskies. To fully appreciate The Macallan, we must understand the contributing influences of Scotland, Spain and North America, and of their respective natural raw materials, together with the methods and the craftsmanship, perfected over the generations, that combine to give such outstanding quality and distinctive character. The Macallan distillery was founded by Alexander Reid, a barley farmer and school teacher. Farmers had been making whisky on their farms in the area for centuries, distilling their surplus barley during the quieter winter months. From its founding by Alexander Reid, through the subsequent owners of The Macallan distillery in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and into the present century, The Macallan has been recognised for the quality of its product above all else. This is the foundation for the worldwide fame of The Macallan.
www.dunaelektronika.com
Redefining business-class
Dell Latitude 7370
The world’s smallest 13-inch business-class laptop with an InfinityEdge display. Featuring an aluminum or optional carbon fiber LCD back for incredible durability. When you’re at the forefront of ingenuity, you get noticed. That’s why it’s no surprise the Latitude 13 Series 7000 was honored at the CES 2016 Innovation Awards. The winning streak continues. The smallest business-class laptop in the world is incredibly thin and light so it’s easy to carry with you comfortably. Get down to business anywhere duty calls with a slender and sophisticated PC that stays cool to the touch. · · · ·
6th Generation Intel® Core™ M7 Processor Windows 10Pro 8GB Memory 128GB Solid State Drive
COURTESY PICTURES
Christofle Club Collection
A historic signature of Christofle style, the beaded motif lends its soft, refined character to this collection of functional and decorative objects. Present in the House of Christofle since 1850, beading has often been revisited in ornamental detail on silverware, or in larger sizes and quantities on pieces such as the exceptional Cardeilhac box, a classic example of the silversmith’s prowess dating to the Thirties. Today, it reappears majestically as the highlight of the Collection Club where, for the first time, it mingles with leather on trays, round boxes, pencil cases, desk organizers, paperweights and videpoches. In all, ten styles dedicated to functionality compose this strikingly modern and brilliant collection in mirror steel. At times, steel punctuated with a minimalist, solitary bead combines with calfskin (in colors such as camel, bronze, greige and taupe), in an elegant and unexpected mix of materials. At others, the bead seems to replicate infinitely across an entire surface, for example on the beaded box that is the key piece in the Collection Club. Multiplied exponentially, this pattern recalls the Thirties spirit for which the silversmith is renowned, simultaneously evoking a pure, minimalist tradition. Two pieces in silver-plated metal (both produced in a limited series of 50) complete the Collection Club: a cylindrical vase that seems encircled by a crown of silver pearls at its base, and a generous centerpiece with a silver beaded exterior and smooth interior. Offering a compelling interplay of positive and negative space, volume and flatness, curves and lines, these silver beaded pieces express the full elegance of Christofle design.
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Pavillon Christofle Budapest | 1065 Budapest, Lázár utca 14.
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Men's 2-in-1 cabriolet jacket Weatherproof and stylish. To meet the high standards of Mercedes-Benz, the focus with Schöfel Professional Wear is on top-quality materials and skilled manufacturing. The in-house team set about designing, developing and testing the products until the function and it are perfect. Lightly padded 2-in-1 cabriolet jacket in brown made from 100% coated cotton. Detachable faux fur collar. Metal badge featuring vintage Mercedes-Benz star logo on jacket and gilet.
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and understanding toward Japan. I have been putting my efforts in these areas, as well. I would be grateful if I could further develop our close bilateral friendship, which had been built through the efforts of our predecessors.”
Cooperation internationally Japanese-Hungarian diplomatic relations date back almost 150 years. The Ambassador stresses that
although, Japan and Hungary are geographically far away, “traditionally, we have a friendly relationship. Japan and the European Union (EU) share fundamental values and principles such as freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law, being deeply committed to free and open international order, and playing an important role in establishing the norms in the international community. In recent years, Hungary is increasing its presence as a D E C E M B E R
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Important partners When talking about the Embassy’s major partners to work on various issues in Hungary, the Ambassador stresses that “it goes without saying
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INTERVIEW WITH JUNICHI KOSUGE JAPANESE AMBASSADOR TO HUNGARY
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BINDING TIES WITH HUNGARY
DÁVID HARANGOZÓ
It was more than 30 years ago that Junichi Kosuge first visited Hungary. “Back then, I was a very young diplomat serving in Vienna. It was at the beginning of the 1980s when Hungary was still behind the Iron Curtain. At that time, I had the impression that the atmosphere in Hungary was already free and lively,” he recalls to Diplomacy&Trade. Now, he is back to this country as the Japanese Ambassador to Hungary, a position he has held for the last two years. Regarding the objectives, he set for himself in this job, he points out that “Japan and Hungary are important partners in the international community, and we have been contributing to the resolution of regional and international issues. My mission and goal are to endeavor to further strengthen this cooperation. Needless to say, it is also important to further promote the bilateral economic relations, cultural and people-to-people exchanges, as well as to promote the recognition
member of the EU. Japan considers Hungary as an important partner, and expects to further deepen the cooperation not only bilaterally, but also in resolving global issues including security matters.” Japan is also cooperating with Hungary in the Central and Eastern European region within the ‘V4 (Visegrád Group) + Japan’ framework to resolve the issues in regional and international affairs. In this framework, there is cooperation in a wide range of fields, such as exchange of views on the situation in Ukraine and in East Asia, cooperation in the United Nations reform, cooperation towards the early conclusion of the Japan-EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA). The implementation of economic cooperation projects by the ‘V4 + Japan’ group in the Western Balkans and the Eastern Partnership countries has also been carried out.
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BY SÁNDOR LACZKÓ
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DÁVID HARANGOZÓ
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japan focus that the Hungarian governmental agencies such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade or the Hungarian Investment Promotion Agency (HIPA), as well as foreign diplomatic corps are important partners for us. Besides that, it is essential to bind friendly ties not only with the government but also at various levels in society, such as the private sector, educational institutions, the media, or the citizens, in order to promote the public diplomacy, which is important in deepening the bilateral relationship. Fortunately, Hungarian people are friendly towards Japan, and I am grateful that the Embassy of Japan has obtained truly cooperative partners in a variety of fields and at different levels.” Besides the Embassy, the Far Eastern country is present in Budapest through the offices of the Japan External Trade Relations Organization (JETRO) and of the Japan Foundation. “It is quite encouraging for me that they serve as the hub to strengthen the bilateral or the Japan-EU relationship in the fields of economics, culture and people-to-people exchanges, respectively,” he adds.
quality Japanese agricultural products and delicious Japanese cuisine through this Agriculture and Food Exhibition.” In an earlier interview with Diplomacy&Trade, Ambassador Kosuge said he himself likes Hungarian wines and statistics confirm he is not the only Japanese person in this regard as his country is the second largest Hungarian wine importer in Asia. “Tokaj Aszú is the most well-known Hungarian wine in Japan, but there are many other tasty wines in Hungary, and nowadays, a huge variety of them have come to be known in Japan, as well. So far, I myself have visited a number of wineries such as those in Villány, Szekszárd and Etyek. Each time I visit a winery, I witness its specific features and commitment of the wine producers, and encounter yet another delicious type of wine. There are still many fine sorts of Hungarian wine which I am not familiar with, so I would like to learn more about Hungarian wine and introduce those delicious Hungarian wines to Japanese consumers,” he says.
Business ties
Tourist destinations
As far as bilateral economic relations are concerned, Ambassador Kosuge highlights that there are about 150 Japanese companies operating in Hungary, mainly in the automotive sector, creating about 31,000 local employments. In the past four years, about 15 Japanese companies have made new investments or expanded their businesses in Hungary. In October this year, an electronics manufacturer decided on an investment of about EUR 17 million to be implemented in central Hungary. Thus, direct investments from Japan has shown healthy growth in 2016. With regard to Japanese-Hungarian trade relations, they also show a healthy trend: exports from Hungary to Japan in 2015 amounted to EUR 749 million, increasing by almost 75% in the past three years, while the imports from Japan reached EUR 1,133 million, with an increase of 27% over the same period. The Ambassador finds it important to note that “although, many people have an impression that Hungary is attracting industries mainly in the automotive sector, I have heard that in recent years, the Hungarian Government is also focusing on attracting other sectors such as food, ICT, pharmaceutical or environmental industries. Since the Japanese companies are highly competitive in these areas, I believe that there is still more room for widening our bilateral economic ties in the future.”
When the Hungarian government commissioner for tourism visited Tokyo earlier this year, the necessity of a direct charter flight between the two countries was raised. Quoting the latest figures available, the Ambassador says that in 2015, about 64,000 Japanese travelers visited Hungary, which is thus ranked in fourth place in the Central and Eastern European countries after Austria, Croatia and the Czech Republic. “Hungary has a high potential for tourism business with a number of resources for tourism such as UNESCO World Heritage sites, unique culture, music and cuisine. Since they are also what Japanese tourists are interested in, I hope more of them visit Hungary to enjoy them.” He adds that although, the number of Hungarian tourists visiting Japan is still low, “we are aware that there is a growing interest in Japanese food and culture among Hungarians. As the Olympic and Paralympic Games are scheduled to be held in Tokyo in 2020, I expect that in the future, we will be able to strengthen our ties in the tourism sector, as well.”
FACTS COMPARED AREA country comparison to the world POPULATION country comparison to the world POPULATION GROWTH RATE country comparison to the world BIRTH RATE country comparison to the world LIFE EXPECTANCY AT BIRTH country comparison to the world NET MIGRATION RATE country comparison to the world GDP - PER CAPITA (PPP) country comparison to the world UNEMPLOYMENT RATE country comparison to the world TELEPHONES - MOBILE/CELLULAR country comparison to the world AIRPORTS country comparison to the world
He adds that in considering investment opportunities, Japanese companies take into consideration the possibilities in Central and Eastern European countries such as the V4 or Romania before finally determining the most appropriate place to invest. The main attractiveness of the Hungarian investment environment is the welldeveloped network of roads, the excellent and lowcost labor, secured public safety, its location in the center of Europe, and the solid institutional support from the government (and its agencies such as HIPA) to provide incentives.
Guest of honor In 2017, Japan will be the guest of honor at the National Agriculture and Food Exhibition in Budapest. The Far Eastern country is also known to be the importer of various quality products from Hungary. As regards the most popular Hungarian food products in Japan, Ambassador Kosuge HUNGARY
JAPAN
93,028 sq km 110 9,897,541 (July 2015 est.) 90 -0.22% (2015 est.) 207 9.26 births/1,000 population 214 75.69 years 94 1.33 migrant(s)/1,000 population 58 $26,200 (2015 est.) 71 6,8% (2015 est.) 79 11,786,000 (2012) 78 41 (2013) 104
377,915 sq km 62 126,702,133 (July 2016 est.) 19 -0.19% (2016 est.) 214 7.8 births/1,000 population 224 85 years 3 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population 86 $38,100 (2015 est.) 43 3.4% (2015 est.) 28 158.591 million 8 175 (2013) 33
Enjoying Hungary
mentions that in addition to foie gras, Tokaj wine and honey, Mangalica pork is getting a great deal of interest in Japan recently. Similar to Japanese beef ‘Wagyu’, Mangalica pork has a melt-in-the-mouth taste because of its high-quality fat contained and is favored by Japanese people, as well. He is of the opinion that “in recent years, the number of Japanese restaurants is steadily growing in this country, especially in Budapest. I hope that Japanese food and sake will be accepted in Hungary, as well. I felt very honored to hear from H.E. Mr. Sándor Fazekas, the Minister of Agriculture of Hungary, that he would like to invite Japan as a guest of honor to the Hungarian Agriculture and Food Exhibition. There are still more delicious agricultural products in Japan, which are not yet well known in Hungary. I would be very happy if the people in Hungary could learn more about high-
Looking back at his stay in Hungary as a private individual, Ambassador Kosuge highlights that “over the past two years that I served as the Ambassador of Japan to Hungary, I have experienced the friendliness of the Hungarian people and warmth of the Hungarian society in my daily life. Moreover, I am always impressed to see that Hungarian people have a keen interest in Japan and Japan’s culture, and trying to deepen their understanding about Japan. The city of Budapest, where I have spent these two years, is truly deserved to be called the ‘Pearl of Danube’ and I love this beautiful landscape. I could also enjoy the attractive culture of local towns and cities I have visited so far.” He says he also enjoys Hungarian cuisine, such as Hungarian wine, salami and goulash soup. “I visited the city of Baja the other day, where I could taste the famous fish soup called ‘halászlé’. It was wonderful. I also love beautiful music halls, folk music, folk dances and art crafts such as potteries and porcelains,” he concludes.
Source: World Factbook
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“Where we see more opportunities in addition to the already high-performing automotive investment and food exports are food industry investments in Hungary; luring Japanese service industry companies to Hungary; pharmaceutical and medical cooperation; as well as high valueadded, high-tech industry investments,” the Deputy State Secretary highlights. As to how receptive Japanese officials and businessmen are about Hungary and how much they are informed about opportunities in bilateral relations, Petra Pana is of the view that interest towards Hungary has clearly increased recently. “It feels almost like the investment atmosphere of the ‘90s. It is basically every week that through Hungary’s Embassy in Tokyo or the National Investment Agency, we learn about new Japanese investors who are interested in investments in Hungary. The latest ‘fruit’ of this interest has been the announcement of another Japanese investment decision by SIIX Europe whose Managing Director, Koji Yanase, emphasized that Hungary had been chosen due to its central location, well developed logistics infrastructure, highly trained workforce and its committed government.”
Japanese presence in Hungary According to a recent survey by the Budapest office of JETRO, 151 Japaneseowned companies were operating in Hungary in June this year, of which 46 are manufacturing companies. Until now, investor interest in the automotive industry
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NEWS ABOUT INTERESTED JAPANESE INVESTORS RECEIVED WEEKLY was very strong. The Hungarian Statistical Office’s FATS figures examining foreign controlled companies suggest that nearly half of the total revenue and the staffing of the Japanese-owned enterprises here can be tied to vehicle manufacturing. The majority of investments in the automotive industry were carried out as greenfield investments. In the automotive industry, which is the leading sector of the Hungarian economy, Japan is the second biggest investor worldwide after Germany. The Deputy State Secretary mentions that today, in addition to the automotive industry, growing attention is paid to the food industry as well as to other high-tech and high valueadded investments. “As far as Hungary’s attractiveness is concerned, Hungary’s membership in the EU is particularly beneficial for Japanese companies because they can serve the Western European markets through their interests in Hungary. The JETRO survey showed that the main export destination countries of Japanese companies operating in Hungary are the EU Member States such as Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic and France. Outside the EU, of course, Japan is in the first place.” Competitive cost of skilled labor is also an important element in the Japanese companies’ commitment to Hungary. Other important factors include the extensive supplier network, which is especially important for manufacturing companies.
Catering to investors
companies. The main advantage of these agreements for the participating companies is the opportunity for regular consultation with the government sector. So far, seven Japanese investors (Suzuki, Bridgestone, Denso, Takata, Zoltek, Ibiden and Alpine) concluded such an agreement, and these strategic partners employ more than 11,000 people. The Deputy State Secretary believes that in connection with the investment environment, it is essential to mention the professional governmental agency, the Hungarian Investment Promotion Agency (HIPA). In 2015, 67 investment projects, supported by HIPA, ended with a positive decision. Seven Japanese companies were included among them: three in the automotive industry, one each in the chemical industry, engineering, logistics and medical device manufacturing. These seven projects represent a total of EUR 124.4 million in investment value and a workforce of 665 jobs. Of the 64 positive investment decisions concluded up to the end of October 2016, two projects were related to Japanese companies (in the food industry and the automotive industry). These two projects represent an investment value of EUR 42.24 million and a workforce of 170 jobs. HIPA is currently in talks with seven Japanese companies in different sectors such as automotive, chemicals, electronics and medical device manufacturing. If these projects materialize with the currently known parameters, a total of EUR 535.33 million in investments would create 1,863 new jobs.
Regarding the investment environment awaiting Japanese entrepreneurs in Hungary, Petra Pana says that “we would like the Japanese to consider Hungary a safe country with predictable economic policy. Hungarian universities, in addition to providing skilled workers for companies, also cooperate in high level research and development. Hungary’s infrastructure is one of the best in the region, there is a Japanese school in Budapest and we have a very active Japanese community, as well. We would like to provide a high-quality, good-value investment environment for Japanese businessmen, and we will be active accordingly in the future, too. For example, in order to solve the labor supply problem causing a new problem in some regions – apart from the transformation of education in the long run and the spread of dual education –, we have taken immediate measures in taxation and housing support to encourage mobility. We also plan to significantly reduce, employer contributions paid on wages – by 5 and 2 percentage points in 2017 and 2018, respectively. This, on one hand, will effectively reduce labor costs for employers, and, on the other, opportunity is given to the employers to raise wages, which is essential for maintaining good labor force.” The government pays special attention to large investors, to companies employing a large number (usually several thousand) of people, which culminates in strategic cooperation agreements concluded with such D E C E M B E R
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Opportunities of cooperation
BOOSTING RELATIONS WITH JAPAN
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In March this year, Dr. Petra Pana, Deputy State Secretary for Foreign Economic Affairs conducted talks in Tokyo with her Japanese partners about the possibilities of economic cooperation. “We negotiated with potential Japanese reseller companies at the opening of ‘Foodex Japan 2016’, which is the largest food exhibition in Asia. Hungary was present there with a large national stand in a central location. Then, we took part in consultations with influential Japanese food companies with a view to boosting the sale of Hungarian products in Japan. As part of a working dinner, we discussed possible strategies for the promotion of Hungarian products with the leaders of the International Economic Exchange Association MNKH (IEEA), which is the Japanese representative of the Hungarian National Trading House, and those of the Japanese Hungarian Business Council. We also held talks with the competent leaders of the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management about further possibilities in Hungarian exports to Japan and how the restrictions currently in place (e.g. concerning venison) could be lifted. The talks we conducted with senior officials at JETRO (Japan External Trade Organization) and JOI (Japan Institute for Overseas Investment) were about the further details of the already successful co-operation, covering in particular further encouragement for Japanese investment in Hungary,” she explains to Diplomacy&Trade. She adds that she also took part at a wine presentation at the Hungarian Embassy in Tokyo and attended a seminar about the major Hungarian export articles where the Hungarian delegation could exchange views not only with the representatives of food companies but those of the automotive, information technology and pharmaceutical companies, as well.
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IN SUPPORT OF BILATERAL BUSINESS JAPAN HAS ACTIVE TRADE PROMOTION OFFICE IN BUDAPEST The Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) was established by the Japanese government in 1958 as the principal organization for implementing and promoting trade between Japan and foreign countries. Headquartered in Tokyo and Osaka, JETRO has 43 local offices in Japan and 74 overseas offices in 55 countries, one of them in Hungary. Since its opening in 1991, the Budapest office has promoted exports, investment, and trade between the two countries. In the early phase of operation, Japanese wine experts were invited to Hungary and seminars were organized to make it possible for wine companies to participate in Japanese market and now to organize business matching visits for Hungarian businessmen in Japan, as well. As the General Director of the Budapest office, Masahide Honda explains to Diplomacy&Trade, nowadays, they perform three principal tasks: promoting Hungarian investment to Japan and promoting the export of Japanese goods to Hungary and supporting Japanese business activities in Hungary. He says the Hungarian Investment Promotion Agency (HIPA) is a main partner for JETRO along with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade as well as several Hungarian business organizations. “For instance, this June, we organized a seminar in cooperation with IVSZ (the ICT Association of Hungary) where we talked about the organization and practice of ICT business in Japan. Another area where JETRO helps Hungarian companies with information about Japan is that of food processing. We regularly visit Hungarian companies all over the country for promoting business and investment in Japan. Our motto: Talk to JETRO First.” As for the investment environment in Hungary, the head of the JETRO office says predictability is one of the important issues. For a new investor, subsidy support provided by the Hungarian government is also important. “Compared to other Central European countries, it is Hungary that offers this incentive the most and this is something that Japanese companies find favorable.” Of course, Hungary has other advantages that JETRO
PROMOTION OF JAPANESE EXPORT GOODS
explains to Japanese firms, such as logistics (having a central location in Europe and good infrastructure), skilled workforce, “although, the latter shows signs of shortage recently. For this reason, we call the attention to investment possibilities in Eastern and Southern Hungary where currently this is not such a big problem,” he stresses. Japan-EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) is now under negotiation between Japan and EU. According to his expectation, “this agreement makes Japan-Hungary business
relationship more tight and strong. Hungary`s support is very important for closing the negotiations earlier.” This is the third time Mr. Honda works in Hungary. First, he was here in the late 1990s, then right after the world economic crisis (leaving in 2011 after the big earthquake in Japan), while his current term began in 2015. “Altogether, I have spent here over 10 years now but it does not seem such a long time. I have not really mastered the Hungarian language but I can practice it at places like the weekend markets,” he says with a smile.
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DÁVID HARANGOZÓ
According to the General Director of JETRO’s Budapest office, “we are focusing on food and other agricultural products. We are talking about the famous Japanese alcoholic drink ‘sake’ as well as ingredients, soy sauce, etc. We are promoting not just raw materials but also processed goods. We see much more possibilities in those fields.” Mr. Honda adds that “in May this year, the Japanese Embassy and our office organized a seminar with the participation of Hungarian chefs and gastronomy specialists to introduce Japanese ingredients and we are happy to see that culinary professionals as well as ordinary people are more and more interested in Japanese foods.”
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SAFE AND SUCCESSFUL SPORTY AND ELEGANT VISION CONSTANTLY REFLECTED IN MODELS Infiniti, the luxury vehicle division of Japanese automaker Nissan, closed the previous financial year with record number of sales on the European market. As to what this success can be attributed to, the Head of Marketing, Communication and Public Relations at Infiniti Center Budapest, András Gáti explains to Diplomacy&Trade. “Globally, as well as in our country, Infiniti is increasing sales year by year. In the 2016 fiscal year, Infiniti
Safe vehicles
launched its new premium compact family vehicle, the Infiniti Q30, which comprises a wider than ever model portfolio. Thanks to the new Q30, we have increased our sales globally by 45%, while in Hungary, we recorded a 60% growth, based on figures in the first half of this year. I believe that such a large increase was made possible thanks to the new segment and Infiniti's pricing policy.”
this brand is associated with. Besides, our sporty and elegant vision is constantly reflected in our models, thus ensuring uniqueness and complete separation from the norm.”
Infiniti is a premium brand. It offers to its customers things that are unique to Infiniti. András Gáti further stresses that Infiniti is synonymous with a distinctive and unique appearance, premium materials and safety. “Year after year, model by model, we try to be the best at the NCAP crash tests. Our latest model, the Q30, also earned a 5+ star classification, and thus, became the safest car in its category. I think this well demonstrates the safety image
Seven years in Hungary
Engines for the future
Infiniti has special offers for members of the diplomatic corps. András Gáti highlights that “the prestige, represented by our brand, is important. Our customers who represent their respective countries are definitely also good 'ambassadors' of our brand. This brand is still young in Europe, so, I think, in any case, it is important to open up to each group – this is our company's strategy in Hungary.”
addition, next year, we introduce to the market the world's first production-ready variable-compression turbo engine into which our brand invested more than 20 years of development, to make it more effective. This November, we presented the new Infiniti Q30 sports coupe, in which the new 3.0 V6 twin turbo engine is available. At the Paris Motor Show, next mid-size SUV, the QX sports concept, was unveiled for a look into our future."
As regards the latest developments at Infiniti, especially technology and the 'green' elements in product development and manufacturing, he explains that Infiniti is constantly developing its products, opening new perspectives in the automotive industry. “We offer one of the best hybrid engines in the world. For our Q50 and Q70 models, we have developed the 3.5 V6 petrol engine with hybrid drive, which is thus capable, in total, of 500nm torque and 364 HP performance. In
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INFINITI
The Infiniti brand has been present in Hungary since 2009 represented by the Gablini Group. “Thanks to our results in 2015, we became the
European country with the third largest market share, and the second best in this region. If we look back to the past years, it can be said that the QX70 SUV was the most sought after model in the domestic market. The launch of the small family car opened up a new segment for us, which placed this brand in a quite different position and the consequence of this change is the success of the Q30 in Hungary. Thus, our most successful model now is the Q30 followed by the QX70 not far behind,” he points out.
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MAGYAR SUZUKI CORPORATION
SUZUKI- 25 YEARS IN ESZTERGOM in the first half of FY2016, reaching YEN 7.2 bn. Magyar Suzuki Corporation, a successful company with an impressive past, has had the lion's share of these results. A fundamental contributor to the growth was the Vitara compact crossover, made since 2015 in the Esztergom plant. Magyar Suzuki Corporation exported almost 81,000 of the model last year.
The company was established by its major shareholder, Suzuki Motor Corporation, together with other business partners, in 1991. The kick-off model, the first-generation Swift in Hungary, rolled off the production line in 1992, followed by Wagon R+ in 2000, Ignis in 2003, the second-generation Swift in 2005, SX4 in 2006, Splash in 2008, the third-generation Swift in 2010, Swift Sport in 2011, SX4 SX-CROSS in the fall of 2013, and the latest Suzuki model, the new Vitara, in the spring of 2015. All models currently manufactured in Esztergom are built with engines complying with Euro 5 environmental standards. Magyar Suzuki is Suzuki Motor Corporation’s sole manufacturing subsidiary in Continental Europe, supplying European markets with automobiles produced in Esztergom. Since its foundation and the initial green-field investment, Magyar Suzuki has gone through numerous expansions. Currently, operation takes place in five shop units (stamping, welding, painting, bumper and assembly). A series of investments have followed each other in the last 20 years, including the peak period of the factory between 2003 and 2008: at that time, in the framework of Suzuki’s ‘European Renaissance Program’, the two major objectives were to set up the European network of distributors and prepare the Hungarian subsidiary for the production of 300,000 units, and the latter objective was almost reached in 2008, with more than 280,000 vehicles produced. Through its export activities, MSC provides cars not only to European countries, but also to Japan, Russia and Ukraine, as well as the Middle East and some North African territories, such as Israel or Morocco. In addition to the 3,100 jobs at the Suzuki factory, the company provides employment opportunities for thousands of people in Hungary through its circle of suppliers and dealers. Besides automobile production for the European and domestic markets, MSC is involved in other commercial activities, such as selling imported cars, motorcycles and outboard motors. Sales of the import models (featuring cutting-edge technology) from the parent company, Suzuki Motor Corporation, are conducted by one of the greatest dealership networks in Hungary, taking care of all customer needs, making sure that everything lives up to the expectations of customers, with a wide range of offers. The Marine branch is a constant presence on the market, with an increasingly outstanding performance every year, and plays a leading role in the motorization of sailing in Hungary. Magyar Suzuki Corporation also plays a significant role in the motorcycle business in the region, providing motorcycles to ten countries (Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Romania, Bosnia, Kosovo and Montenegro) from its center in Esztergom.
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NEW MANAGING DIRECTOR AT MAGYAR SUZUKI CORPORATION
Popular models Apart from the hugely successful Vitara, the new SX4 S-CROSS, launched in 2016, is also increasingly popular in Hungary, where Suzuki hold the top position of car sales cummulated statistics in 2016, according to Executive General Manager of Magyar Suzuki Corporation, Róbert Krisztán. The period from January to October saw the registration of 8,836 new Suzukis in Hungary, giving the Esztergom car plant a market share of 11.6%. This means a record-breaking growth of 45% compared to the same period last year, while the combined Hungarian market grew only by 25%. The most popular car from Suzuki's range of models in Hungary is the Vitara, of which Hungarian customers bought 5,255 from January to October this year. The popularity of the Swift in category B is unbroken, with 1,516 cars sold on the domestic market. Of older and newer versions of the city crossover S-CROSS, 1,227 found their way to Hungarian owners. The Indianmade Baleno follows, with 428 sales in Hungary. Finally, the Celerio city car and the Jimny SUV achieved 355 and 55 domestic sales respectively. According to Magyar Suzuki Corporation, these extraordinary results were made possible not just by the excellent new models, but also by their efforts to consciously and coherently develop the brand in Hungary. The company has built a wider and better quality distribution network, too, with 74 brand dealerships covering the whole of the country. D E C E M B E R
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In September this year, Yoshinobu Abe was appointed to the position of Managing Director at Magyar Suzuki Corporation (MSC). The former MD, Naoyuki Takeuchi, has been promoted within the parent company, Suzuki Motor Corporation. Celebrating the 25th anniversary of its foundation, Magyar Suzuki Corporation will be headed by a new Managing Director, Yoshinobu Abe. Mr. Abe has been working for Suzuki Group since 1978, holding several positions at the Japanese headquarters and in international areas. He graduated from Sophia University in Tokyo with a Bachelor of International Economics degree. Yoshinobu Abe started his career in the Global Automobile Marketing Division of Suzuki Motor Corporation. The first 12 years of his career were spent in gaining professional experience in dealing with the Central and South American markets, and then the North American market, as well as projects in India and Pakistan. In 1990, Mr. Abe was put in charge of controlling the New Zealand and Australian business operations from SMC Hamamatsu headquarters; then in 1992, he eventually took over as Managing Director at Suzuki New Zealand. In 1997, he went back to Hamamatsu, to the Global Automobile Marketing Division, in charge of the North American market, and then became Sales and Marketing Director of American Suzuki. 2 years later he became Managing Director of Suzuki Canada. 4 years later, in 2004, he became General Manager heading a project at Suzuki India, and in 2010, he became the Managing Director of Suzuki Great Britain. He is currently President of Suzuki Europe, and he will remain in the position, performing that duty in parallel to his new MD position at Magyar Suzuki. He is married with children. In his spare time, he enjoys composing songs and playing various musical instruments.
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According to the new managing director, the Hungarian facility's excellent results contributed significantly to the 14.3% per annum growth of Suzuki Group's consolidated operating income in the first half of FY2016 (April 2016 to September 2016), reaching YEN 115.5 billion (close to EUR 1 bn). As far as Europe is concerned, Suzuki Group announced its 'A new model every year’ sales offensive in 2014, promising exactly that: launching a new model each year for the next five years. The group's consolidated operating income in Europe has increased by a staggering 201.9%
THREE- EAR FACTOR MODERNI ATION PRO RAM S CCESSF LL COMPLETED
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A three-year factory modernization program has been successfully concluded at Magyar Suzuki Corporation. Modernization was becoming timely for the plant, which has been in operation for 25 years, so that the Esztergom facility (northwest of Budapest) could fulfill the requirements of an increasingly diversified production and export to 128 countries without compromise, the newly appointed Managing Director of Magyar Suzuki Corporation, Yoshinobu Abe, said at his first press conference in Hungary this November.
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SAFETY ALL THE WAY.
To the end of the world or to your everyday tasks right around the corner – discover the crossover fit for all destinations. With new BOOSTERJET engines, ALLGRIP 4-wheel drive, ingenious functionality and advanced safety features. Run free with the new SX4 S-CROSS. SX4 S-CROSS range offi cial consumption fi gures in l/100km: combined from 3,8 to 6,7. Offi cial CO2 emissions from 106 g/km to 128g/km. All pictures shown are for illustration purposes only. Terms & Conditions apply, see www.suzuki.hu for details.
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japan focus EVERYONE SHOULD SEE JAPAN ONCE LARGE INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF HUNGARIAN TRAVELERS TO JAPAN
SHINKANSEN One thing that comes to everyone’s mind about Japan is the Shinkansen, the world’s fastest, so-called bullet train. It is a network of high speed train lines that connect Tokyo with most of the country's major cities on Japan's main islands of Honshu, Kyushu and Hokkaido on a total distance of 2,764.6 kms. Running at speeds of up to 320 km/h, the Shinkansen is known for punctuality (most trains depart on time to the second), comfort (relatively silent cars with spacious, always forward facing seats), safety (no fatal accidents in its history) and efficiency. The bullet train also has many advantages compared to air transport, such as downtown stations and comfortable seats, which makes it more convenient for daily travel. These are also considered by the 143 million passengers who use it annually. Purchasing the Japan Rail Pass (JRP) could be a very cost effective option for those who would like to visit more cities while staying in Japan. In Hungary, the rail pass is exclusively available from JTB Hungary.
SAKURA
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JTB
In Japan, everyone will find the culinary experience that fits his or her taste and budget – from street food to Michelin star restaurants. Japan is leading the world when it comes to fine dining. Japanese culture and mentality emphasize precision, quality and simplicity, which could be seen in cuisine, as well. The country is also blessed with a wide range of very high quality ingredients due to its location. For instance, one could find not less than 700 different species of fish at the Tsukiji market in Tokyo. It is important to know that the famous tuna auctions will not be held after the winter of 2017 – you may want to take the last opportunity to see it! Japan is a rewarding place to visit for many reasons – its food scene is definitely one of them.
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GASTRONOMY
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JTB Hungary, the Hungarian ‘arm’ of JTB Corporation, the largest travel agency in Japan and one of the largest travel agencies in the world, has about 12,000 travelers a year and an annual sales income of around HUF two billion (close to EUR 6.5 mn), most of which is realized from organizing corporate travel. JTB also owns japanspecialista.hu for trips to Japan for private individuals. JTB Hungary clients enjoy the benefit of the mother company having a secure financial background as well as the expertise on the Japanese tourism market. “So, those who travel with us can enjoy the highest quality service throughout the trip,” the General Manager of JTB Hungary, Karolina Simon, assures to Diplomacy&Trade. She joined the company in 2004 and “we built up the outgoing tourism basically from scratch,” she says, adding that “last year, we managed to increase our sales figures again, due to the increased interest in Japan and to the fact that – as a result of our work over the past decade – we have more and more returning clients.” As to what Hungarian travelers like in Japan, Karolina Simon points out that when people decide to go to Japan as tourists, it is either because they are interested in something Japanese, something that they learned about Japan here in Hungary and traveling to the Far Eastern country is just the crowning of this interest; or they are specifically interested in Japanese culture and since they have not been in Japan before, they would like to see it. “Our travelers are very much culture-oriented. Basically, no one goes there because they want to be on the seaside, bathe in the ocean or have a relaxing trip – people go there knowing that they will walk 15 hours a day in sightseeing trips because there is so much to experience: culture, world heritage, architecture, fashion, mysticism, culinary culture, Japanese sports, etc.” There is a special occasion for visiting Japan every spring and that is the sakura (the blooming of cherry blossoms). Every year, JTB Hungary sends several groups of tourists to Japan to see this natural phenomenon. “Japan is full at that time of the year. The sakura is so popular that we have to do the booking half a year in advance. I myself saw it this spring and it is really beautiful. It is definitely the ‘non plus ultra’ trip to Japan,” she adds. JTB Hungary also organizes a lot of incentive trips, not necessarily for their own clients, but for anyone who would like to organize such a trip to Japan – be it technical visit, classical incentive trip or any thematic tour for that matter. The General Manager mentions the example from two years ago when the official travel bureau of the Hungarian Olympic Committee commissioned JTB Hungary to take old Hungarian athletes to Tokyo who attended the Summer Olympic Games there 50 years before. “They were very satisfied with the implementation,” she recalls. JTB is an Official Travel Services Partner of Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games. JTB provides lodging and transport services for the many global-scale mega sports events that will be held in Japan in the months and years ahead. In summary, the General Manager stresses she is convinced – as it is confirmed by feedback from the travelers – that those taking part in these trips have the feeling that they got much more for their money than they had hoped for. “People have some sort of perception of what awaits them in Japan – and these are already very high expectations – but when they actually see and experience things, all they can say is ‘wow’. Such perfectness in providing service cannot be experienced anywhere else.”
Every year, from late March to early May, cherry blossoms – or as the Japanese call them Sakura – bloom all over the country. The Japanese culture and way of thinking have always been very close to nature. Sakura dates back almost 1,300 years and means a big deal to the nation. Surprising as it may sound, there is even a blossom forecast in the media to let people know when exactly this lovely period starts. Hanami, which means watching the beauty of the flowers, is a very popular and traditional activity amongst Japanese people. The tradition is still alive today completed with picnics and parties under the flowering trees. Thousands of people gather in parks to celebrate. Sakura is also a highly favored ’season‘ for tourists to visit the country, hence JTB is offering an exclusive 12-day Sakura tour in 2017.
japan focus KIMONO
The most traditional costume in Japan, the kimono, means a ‘thing to wear‘. Originally, it is made of the finest hand painted silk and was worn by both men and women. People used to wear different versions for different occasions, moreover, one could tell the title and marital status from specific colors and patterns of a kimono. Even though, tradition never goes out of fashion in Japan, it does not mean that it cannot be renewed. Since its breakthrough in 794, we could see many versions of the world famous kimono. Popular designers keep coming up with new ideas to make the traditional garment more wearable for the women of the 21th century. Materials vary from cotton to calico and synthetic silk to make kimonos comfortable. In addition, designers are using modern printed patterns and stylish accessories.
THE TOP ATTRACTIONS OF
JAPAN
JTB photos by WWW.SHUTTERSTOCK.COM,
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EXCLUSIVE TRIPS BY JAPANSPECIALISTA.HU TO THE LAND OF THE RISING SUN
TOKYO
KYOTO
FUJI
Located in the Canto region, next to Tokyo Bay, the capital has nearly 14 million habitants, which makes it the most populous metropolitan in the world. It comes no surprise then that Tokyo is the first and the best when it comes to a lot of things. Besides hosting the most (51) of the Fortune Global 500 companies and ranking first in the Safe Cities Index, the Michelin Guide has awarded to Tokyo by far more Michelin stars than to Paris and New York combined. The city features a wide range of local and international cuisine. Contrary to common perception, the capital offers a number of attractive green spaces in the city center. Sports lovers take notice: Tokyo will host the 2020 Summer Olympics.
Kyoto is often called the heart of traditional Japan and is identified with Japanese culture in general. The former capital is a highly popular destination; its cultural heritages are constantly visited by both Japanese and foreign tourist groups. With its about two thousand religious places, countless palaces, gardens and other historically priceless structures, it is one of the best preserved cities in the country. Kyoto also features maiko shows, tea ceremonies and a variety of cultural programs. Those fortunate enough may see a geisha or a maiko pass by.
Mt. Fuji is the highest and most famous mountain in Japan. Mt. Fuji is 3,776 meters above sea level. Its elegant conical form has frequently been depicted in many paintings and literary works since ancient times. From the mountain top, you will command an exquisite view of a field of clouds spreading endlessly into the distance under the indigo sky. In particular, the early morning scene of the sun rising from the sea of clouds is of an inexpressible beauty. The area can be visited in July and August only – JTB Hungary organizes tours in this timeframe every year.
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Selling over 10.2 million new vehicles a year, Toyota, the world’s no. 1 car manufacturer is not only the most valuable car brand in the same time, according to various studies (Millward Brown and Interbrand agrees to the fact), but also the only one who can claim to produce 3 of the world’s 10 most popular vehicles. This includes Corolla, the bestselling car in history with over 44 million units and which has finished as the world’s most popular vehicle in the last couple of years with approximately 1.3 units sold a year, Camry, which is only sold in certain markets, and RAV4, which has literally created the compact crossover SUV category when it was launched over two decades ago. Just as iconic is Toyota’s Hilux, which is the world’s favorite pickup with over 18 million units sold, and of course the legendary Prius, which revolutionized the automotive industry with Toyota’s industry first hybrid technology. Since the introduction of Prius almost 20 years ago, the car manufacturer has sold over 8.2 million Toyota and 1 million Lexus hybrids, while by 2020 it aims to make sure that 50% its yearly sales are hybrids (in case of Toyota’s premium brand, Lexus, this ratio is already above 95%). With the brand new C-HR Toyota is ready to set the scene once again: the new model remains remarkably true to the general features of the concept-cars that attracted so much public attention in Paris in 2014 and in Frankfurt in 2015. Its coupe-like lines are a testimony to the resolve of its designers to create a style that stands out
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in the Toyota range, and to establish a new direction amongst mid-sized crossovers. With the C-HR, Toyota targets a clear and singular customer profile. Predominantly driven by emotional considerations, these customers want individuality, and to be the first to try new experiences and products. Style and quality are essential considerations in any purchase they make, and the car is an extension of their personality. The Toyota C-HR’s unique character demonstrates the flexibility that the TNGA (Toyota New Global Architecture) gives to vehicle developers in the three key areas of design, powertrain and dynamics, enabling them to deliver a new and fresh take on the increasingly commoditized crossover segment.
A New Design Direction for the Crossover Segment
disguised rear door handles integrated within the C pillar and, essential to the representation of speed within the design, the powerful projection of the sweeping roofline into a large, highly aerodynamic, skeletal frame rear spoiler. To the rear, the strongly tapered cabin integrates a top-hinged tailgate giving access to the load space that can accommodate luggage for 5 people. This contrasts with the pronounced flaring of the wheel arches, which give the new crossover a wide and extremely powerful stance. Standing proud of the tapering body work, prominent rear light clusters may also be equipped with LED lamp technology to give the rear view of the C-HR an equally expressive visual signature.
The all-new Toyota C-HR introduces a distinctive styling that brings newfound dynamism and sensuality to the crossover market, combining a coupe-like upper body with the powerful underpinnings of an SUV. Featuring a diamond architectural theme with wheel arches projecting prominently at all four corners to emphasize the new crossover’s strength and rigidity, the C-HR modulated structure combines a powerful lower body and raised ground clearance with the slim and sleek cabin profile of a coupe. Viewed from any angle, the C-HR’s combination of facetted gemstone-like shapes with fluid surfaces and elegantly integrated detailing create a delicate balance of precision and sensuality. The C-HR’s coupe-like styling is further enhanced by
Sophisticated Interior Design with Outstanding Sensory Quality The warm, welcoming ambiance of an airy, expansive cabin space was created by the seamless layered architecture of the instrument panel that continues through to the door trim with a stylish ornamentation and a piano black panel. It offers a contrast between sensual surfacing and crisp lines to deliver a fresh, yet comfortable environment. The driver oriented area incorporates innovative details and intuitive, approachable high technology. All operating switchgear, and an 8” display audio touch-screen featuring a redesigned and improved HMI (Human Machine Interface) with Toyota’s Multi-Media ’16 navigation platform and enhanced connected services are slightly oriented towards the driver. A unique new two-tiered front seat design combines a slender, sporting upper section with
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TO OTA REDEFINES THE CROSSO ER SE MENT WITH THE BRAND NEW C-HR
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TOYOTA PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE
Toyota, the leading and most innovative car manufacturer in the world, known for its eco-friendly and revolutionary technologies such as hybrid, plug-in hybrid and hydrogen fuel cell powertrains sets out to change the scene once again. Designed to stand out both within the Toyota line-up and in its segment, the all-new C-HR – or Coupe High-Rider – represents the company’s determination to allow greater stylistic freedom and promote engineering creativity in order to achieve eye-catching designs and enhanced driving pleasure.
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a more strongly bolstered and supportive lower area, these differences emphasized through the use of differing tones, textures and patterns within the upholstery. Targeting class-leading sensory quality and knowing that C-HR customers will also have competitors from premium brands on their shopping list, the vehicle’s interior demonstrates painstaking attention on component quality, and the consistency of grain, texture, shape, color and illumination in every element, even the stitch groove radii of the seats. Decorative elements are finished in high quality piano black and satin silver trim, and the clear blue instrument and switchgear illumination has been carefully fine-tuned to ensure consistency of hue, even on adjacent reflective surfaces of differing colors.
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TOYOTA, SEBASTIEN MAUROY
Equipment Levels to Suit the Most Demanding Customers Reflecting the demands of its target customer, the Toyota C-HR can be equipped with a wide variety of features. As part of Toyota’s commitment to democratize advanced safety equipment, Toyota Safety Sense is standard across the range. The system includes a Pre-Collision System (including Pedestrian Recognition), Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Departure Alert with steering control, Automatic High Beam and Road Sign Assist. Top-of-the-range customers will be able to specify heated seats, a smart entry system, privacy glass, bespoke upholstery including part-leather seats, Toyota’s revolutionary S-IPA system (Simple Intelligent Park Assist), 18” alloy wheels and Bi-tone metallic paintwork. w w w . d t e u r o p e . c o m
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State of the Art Powertrains The Toyota C-HR is equipped with an enginerange that is designed to deliver exactly the fluent, engaging driving behavior that its customers are looking for. This is most powerfully expressed by the segment-unique, range-topping, full hybrid version, the intrinsic characteristics of which guarantee a smooth, jolt-free ride. Fitted with the latest-generation hybrid power plant, the C-HR generates CO2 emissions as low as 82 g/ km – a figure unrivalled within its segment – and returns combined fuel consumption of only 3.5 l/100 km. Other hybrid system components have been made lighter and smaller, and have been repositioned for optimum packaging, further contributing to the car’s low center of gravity. This new hybrid powertrain offers the response and the fluidity of a dynamic driving style that particularly suits the C-HR’s dynamic design philosophy. The C-HR is also available with a new 1.2 liter turbo engine which generates CO2 emission from 125 g/km and returns combined fuel consumption from 5.4 l/100 km. It may be mated to either a 6-speed manual gearbox or a Continuously Variable Transmission. CVT equipped versions are available with either front- or all-wheel drive.
Dynamics that Belie a Crossover With its low center of gravity and multi-link rear suspension, the new TNGA-based platform has formed an ideal starting point from which to ensure that all of the features of the chassis could be designed to obtain an immediate and natural
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response to the driver’s actions. In particular, steering has been designed to be perfectly linear which, together with the optimum limitation of rolling motion, gives the Toyota C-HR remarkable driving precision for a crossover. Limiting body movement, which generally affects tall cars in particular, also has a direct influence on comfort. Even on European often battered roads, the car remains remarkably composed and accurate, adding to the confidence and joy of driving.
Concert Hall Sound Providing the ultimate in sound reproduction in the C crossover segment, the new C-HR may be equipped with a tailor-made JBL premium audio system comprising an 8-channel, 576 Watt stereo amplifier and 9-speakers, including two newly patented acoustic JBL wave guides, known as horn tweeters. Because various elements of the interior such as the windows, sunroof and upholstery, as well as the rigidity of the body structure surrounding each speaker, can have a significant impact on system sound quality, the system is the result of particularly close collaboration between JBL and Toyota’s engineers from early in the design process. Available in combination with the navigation option, the JBL premium audio system also incorporates lossless audio encoding. Trusted by music professionals, JBL audio systems are used in major concert halls, venues and stadiums throughout the world (80% of live concerts, 70% of all recording studios and 90% of all THX-certified movie theatres).
Diplomatic Sales Program The brand new C-HR - just as all other Toyota and Lexus models - is available in the Diplomatic Sales Program of Toyota Central Europe in Hungary, which has seen and outstanding, more than 50% growth of its customer contracts throughout the year, significantly outpacing the industry. Main benefits of the program include duty-, registration tax- and VAT free invoice for the whole Toyota/Lexus model line-up and special discount for diplomat clients who can not only enjoy personalized offers, but benefit from scheduled appointments by the multilanguage sales consultants, who are keen to organize on-location sales and test drives and pick-up and return service as well.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE DIPLOMATIC SALES PROGRAM, PLEASE VISIT
www.toyota.hu/diplomaticsales and/or www.lexus.hu/diplomatic-sales
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FUTURE OF MOBILITY CONCEPT NISSAN’S ELECTRIC CARS ALREADY REDUCE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS
Nissan’s Future of Mobility concept, created in partnership with worldrenowned architects Foster + Partners and unveiled earlier this year, was designed to reimagine how cars could be powered, driven, and integrated into the urban fabric. In the future, cars will connect with the social infrastructure including road, information and electric power networks, all of which will eventually lead to reduced traffic jams, more efficient car sharing, remote vehicle operation and improved energy management. To meet the challenges facing European cities, local governments, businesses and residents need to adopt intelligent, holistic solutions. According to David Nelson, Head of Design at Foster + Partners, ”as a practice, we are committed to this kind of approach. The scale of this challenge is enormous. As it touches every aspect of human existence, it, therefore, requires simultaneous action on energy, jobs, food production, and transportation etc. The task is so complex that all studies appear as vignettes to the bigger picture. The mobility study with Nissan is one of those vignettes. Transport, linked
to energy production, storage and the physical effects on our cities, is a big piece of the equation.” Based on current growth figures, it is estimated
He adds that “in light of Nissan’s clear commitment to creating innovative mobility solutions that reduce the impact on our environment, and make life more comfortable, easier and more fun, we are pleased to present our take on the future of mobility: a 360-degree portrait of where visionary thinking, design and technology could take future vehicles and the societies in which they operate.” The vision set out in Nissan’s concept addresses issues ranging from the biggest global challenges – energy supply, urban air quality and climate change – to matters as everyday as parking, road safety and vehicle charging.
that by 2050 there will be 2.5 billion vehicles in the world, a 150% increase on the one billion on roads today. With CO2 emissions currently estimated at 600 million tons worldwide, transport and mobility will have an increasingly prominent role in shaping the future landscape in large cities. Figures from the Institute for Energy Diversification and Saving (IDAE) suggest that putting 1,000 electric vehicles on a city's streets would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 30,000kg and CO2 emissions by over 2,000 tons per year. The 33,000 pure electric Nissan LEAFs driven in Europe that are currently registered with NissanConnect EV services have already prevented the emission of 86 million kg of CO2 into the atmosphere. As Gareth Dunsmore, Director of Electric Vehicles at Nissan Europe puts it, “the future of mobility is both dependent upon our cities, and the impetus for many of the changes coming. Congestion and poor air quality are just two of the challenges that we face on the road to sustainable megacities. This concept is not distant future, and we’re seeing demand for these technologies in our cities right now. Less hostile urban environments and a better quality of life is within reach.”
NISSAN INTELLIGENT DRIVE
The cars in Nissan’s Fuel Station of the Future concept can operate autonomously – driving, parking and charging themselves without a driver. Nissan Intelligent Driving is Nissan’s vision for autonomous drive technology. The manufacturer will launch multiple vehicles with autonomous drive technology in the next four years (until 2020) in Europe, the United States, Japan and China. Intelligent Driving improves a driver’s ability to see, think and react. Human error causes 90% of all accidents – so reducing the likelihood of error through technology makes driving safer, more efficient and more fun.
No.1
MOST SOLD
ELECTRIC CAR
WORLDWIDE
WITH
INCENTIVE
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NISSAN LEAF IS NOW AVAILABLE FOR COMPANIES WITH STATE SUBSIDY AND GUARANTEED NISSAN DISCOUNT UP TO 5 CARS. While some people are just daydreaming about the future of the automotive industry, there are others who make it happen. Nissan LEAF, the world’s best selling electric car is now available from 58 000 HUF per month with not only a 1 500 000 HUF state subsidy but with an additional 600 000 HUF Nissan contribution. Join those who are already building the future and enjoy all its benefits, including the 600HUF/100km operating cost, the driving range up to 250 km and the free parking in Budapest and in most other cities as well.
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NISSAN
* Nissan Finance 0% APR – The offer is valid for customer contracts concluded between 01.11.2016. and 31.12.2016. Nissan Finance is a financing offer with variable interest on HUF basis, APR 0%, minimum excess 30%, maximum term 60 months, which is subject to individual credit standing. The indicated monthly payment refers to gross purchase price HUF 6.980.000.-Ft excess HUF 3.500.000, term 60 months, subject to individual credit standing. APR was determined in accordance with the applicable legal regulations, which may be subject to modification in case of change of conditions. For details please contact your Nissan dealership. Nissan Finance is provided by UniCredit Leasing Hungary Zrt. **The costs and driving range are calculated in controlled conditions in accordance with Regulation UNECE 101. Actual amounts may vary due to many factors such as driving style, method of charging, temperatures, road condition, battery age, air-conditioning, tyres pressure, maintenance, weight load etc. Electricity consumption: 150 Wh/km, CO2 emission: 0g/km. The picture is illustration. Actual amount of the government contribution depends on the gross purchase price of the vehicle, in case of LEAF it is HUF 1.500.000. NSCEE provides additional HUF 600.000,- above the government contribution. Government contribution is available via tender application, please see the details at http://e-mobi.hu/.
w w w . d t e u r o p e . c o m 05/12/16 16:32
12/5/16 4:54 PM
germany
HUNGARY and BAVARIA: CLOSE COOPERATION A EUROPEAN SOLUTION MUST BE FOUND FOR THE MIGRATION CRISIS The Hungarian-Bavarian Joint Economic Committee held its 19th session in Budapest. The southern German province of Bavaria is responsible for one third of Hungary’s total trade volume with Germany: 36% of Hungarian exports to Germany go to Bavaria, one third of German investment in Hungary comes from there and 72% of these investments are realized within the field of the automobile industry, which represents the backbone of the Hungarian economy. After the meeting, the Bavarian Minister of European Affairs and International Relations, Beate Merk told reporters that strong and intensive economic relations have developed between Hungary and Bavaria, and Bavarian companies are targeting Hungary as a favorite investment destination where they not only manufacture, but also perform research and development. She reminded the press that the Day of German Unity was celebrated recently, with reference to which she highlighted: “people in Germany have not forgotten that the Iron Curtain first ‘collapsed’ in Hungary, a step which opened the door to German unity and a free Europe, for which we will always be grateful to the people of Hungary.” Regarding European affairs, the Bavarian Minister stressed that Europe requires much greater solidarity and continued dialogue.
“The result of the Hungarian referendum shows how far Europe is from a common solution. For us, this means that we have to continue working on a European solution.” At the same press conference, the Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó stressed that “Hungarian-Bavarian relations are developing well and Bavaria has a significant influence on the performance of the Hungarian economy.” He added that “the most important economic, trade and investment partner to Hungary is Germany, and especially Bavaria; the Hungarian government has three
Bavarian ‘strategic partners’ – Audi, Siemens and Knorr-Bremse – and these companies play an important role in the Hungarian economy both jointly and individually.” He was of the view that “the global economy has reached a technological turning point; digitalization is placing the performance of the global economy into a new dimension.” Péter Szijjártó also declared that the growth of the Hungarian economy must be moved into a new dimension, and the basis for this is provided by cooperation with Bavaria in view of the fact that Bavarian companies
RESPECT and ACCEPTANCE
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ATTILA KOVÁCS/MTI, DÁVID HARANGOZÓ
THE KONRAD ADENAUER STIFTUNG IN HUNGARY “After World War II, in the Federal Republic of Germany, political foundations were established to support democratic development through civic education and dialogue. Based on a pluralistic approach, the main objective was to create educational institutions across the democratic political spectrum. Therefore, all political parties in the German Bundestag have been given access to public funds to maintain their respective political foundation to promote democracy, rule of law, social market economy, European integration, etc.,” Frank Spengler, the Head of the Hungarian Office of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) in Budapest explains to Diplomacy&Trade. He adds that from the 1960s and ‘70s, this concept of promoting democracy and economic development spread to other countries, as well. The Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (associated with but independent of the Christian Democratic Union of Germany) now has offices in some 90 countries and has projects in 120 countries. As for the activities of the KAS office in Hungary (set up at the end of 1990), Frank Spengler says “we create platforms for discussions and exchanges of expertise; knowledge management is one of our main objectives. We maintain a good network of experts in Hungary, Germany and worldwide, who can be brought together for dialogue programs. w w w . d t e u r o p e . c o m
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The activities of the Foundation are very transparent and all information is available on our website. As we are using German taxpayers’ money, we are audited at home.” Regarding knowledge management, “we believe it is necessary that people increase the discussion on socio-economic developments, in the first place on political issues but also
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on cultural and other subjects of importance to the society. We promote the exchange of different ideas and approaches. The objective really is to bring the relevant people together for the exchange of ideas and opinions. We have realized that despite a lot of communication through the social media, very often the personal contact is
are among the frontrunners in the global industrial and technological revolution and in switching to new technology. According to the Minister, investments in Hungary on the part of Bavarian enterprises and the inclusion of Hungarian companies in their supply chains are bringing the most modern technology closer and enabling the Hungarian economy to be among the first to switch to new industrial technology. The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade claimed that the Hungarian investment and regulatory environment is also helping Bavarian investors, and reminded the press that from next year, companies that contribute to workforce mobility or who extend their research & development and innovation activities will receive additional tax benefits, while maintaining the workforce will be sufficient to receive an investment grant from the central budget for switching to modern technology. At the press conference, Péter Szijjártó and Beate Merk signed the minutes of the meeting of the Joint Economic Committee. The Eötvös József College in Baja and the Deggendorf Institute of Technology concluded a cooperation agreement on developing a post-graduate course for engineers within the field of flood and river management.
missing. We would like to create a positive atmosphere for trustful political dialogue amongst the target groups,” he points out. The Head of the Office explains that the Christian Democrats belong to the European People’s Party (EPP) where the current Hungarian governing parties, Fidesz and KDNP, are also members and thus, they are also partners of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung. “We have a close cooperation with the two parties and their institutions. However, we are also cooperating with a large variety of partner organizations which play an important role in German-Hungarian relations, like the Andrássy Gyula German Speaking University in Budapest. Basically, all partner organizations have an interest in the exchange of knowledge and dialogue with the aim to promote joint interests mainly in the European context.” It, of course, does not mean that certain concerns are not raised with Hungarian partners of the same political affiliation. As Spengler says, “Hungarians generally respect German people and based on that, we can openly discuss any question. We have never had a problem of approaching someone in such situations, quite the contrary!” He concludes by saying that “our activities are based on equal terms, on respect and acceptance and this is what we expect from our partners, as well. Our task is also to have an antenna function, to listen what is going on in the world, what are the social economic problems, what type of best practices, technology or expertise can we bring home, how international developments are likely to affect Germany in the years to come.”
23 12/2/16 6:13 PM
germany
ENGINEERING A NEW MODEL KECSKEMÉT UNIVERSITY A PIONEER OF DUAL EDUCATION IN HUNGARY
She explains that cooperation with firms for the purpose of dual education starts with a long discussion about how the model works, what are the conditions, what should the students be provided (it is now enacted in law)and how the whole cooperation is worth developing. “Based on the practical things that we have implemented – and the experience we have gained – over the past couple of years, we have a package of these terms and conditions that we offer to the potential cooperation partners. When the deal is made, the university and the given company sign a cooperation agreement, which then will serve as a basis for working together. Then, there is another contract – this time between the participating students and the given company. That contractual relationship naturally includes the student’s duties and responsibilities as well what remuneration they are entitled to receive from the company. There is, of course, also a student status legally
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Objectives
binding them to the university. These bilateral contracts govern duties and responsibilities between the three partners in dual education.” One very important element is that the student must proceed with their studies according to the curriculum and the material to be learned – as certified by successful exams – during the initially set seven semesters, that is, three and a half years. Companies wishing to participate in the dual education program must – since 2014 – be accredited by the Dual Education Council (DKT). This is basically a quality assurance system. The DKT defines the terms of dual education, stating, for instance, that the student’s contract with the company providing the practical training within this system, must not include a clause that would bind the student to that given company after studies are completed.
The quantitative target is to increase the number of students participating in dual education. The national higher education strategy prescribes that 8% of the first-year students in relevant courses be involved in dual education – a target to be achieved by 2020. “For us at the Pallasz Athéné University, it seems to be easy to surpass this proportion, so we aim even higher. Where we have a lot to do is to provide support for companies who have joined – or would like to join – this system,” she points out. For companies, education is not a trivial task – especially for the smaller firms. “We have a diverse role in helping the connection between the students and the given company or in facilitating the company’s curriculum and education program. So, we appear in a kind of a mentor role and assist in case of problems or difficulties. This may not seem a formidable task but if you are in contact with almost 60 companies and some 200 students, you can imagine the scope. We have a small but dedicated group of staff to enhance the quality of dual education. The feedback we receive is very positive – both in what we hear from people and in the grade average we see compared to the grades of those who are not in dual education. As for the reasons for the latter, we are not sure but one could be that the companies selected students with better skills or perhaps the fact that they receive a monthly stipend that more or less covers their day-today expenses and don’t need to work next to learning as many other students. Besides, those in dual education have the motivation that they take advantage of a great opportunity in their life and they don’t want to miss it. All this have a very beneficial impact on their progress,” the Rector concludes.
at the company whose managers (or HR people) understandably reserve the right to select with who they will enter into contractual relationship. The rules of the university entrance exam are set by law while the one at the firm is a classic HR job. In this latter one, the student must present language skills, engineering skills and other things that hold out the prospect of becoming a good, useful staff member at that given company. A certified mechanical engineer herself, Piroska Ailer believes the engineering profession is not sufficiently known in Hungary to the public and that is one of the factors there is a lack of students applying for engineering courses. She
Benefit for the companies As to the point for the companies to participate in the dual education system, Dr. Ailer says all the impressions and experience that students gather during the practical training is an asset with which the new graduate can immediately be integrated into the company’s structure and production procedure. Hiring a new employee with no information about the firm’s ‘inner life’ would require a longer process of integration. In addition, dual education students have the company specific knowledge and procedures (like communication skills) that others may not have while with a dual program graduate the company receives an employee who has proven his or her skills and whose personality is known to the management. In dual education, the entrance exam is also ‘dual’ – an academic exam for the university and one
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r /es floo com . 9th .hu | fb. g n i i ild diesr e Bu g Offic | info@ 3 3 2 V . 4 3 0 i út 3 1 428 8 Vác est, | F: +36 p a ud 040 8 34 B H-11 6 1 428 T: +3
DÁVID HARANGOZÓ
Cooperating partners
believes that younger students should learn about what an engineer does in a factory or plant well before they graduate from secondary school so that they could decide earlier about their higher education and develop skills that can come handy for technical courses.
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“The 2008 decision made to build a Mercedes-Benz factory in Kecskemét completely changed the life of our institution that was a college at that time. Mercedes came up with different sorts of ideas and requests: training professional personnel (‘vehicle engineer’) was just one part of this. More educators had to be hired – I myself came here then –, and new infrastructure was installed in new building, etc.,” the Rector of the Pallasz Athéné University, Dr. Piroska Ailer recalls to Diplomacy&Trade. “In 2011, we started contemplating introducing the dual education system that has a decadeslong history with positive results in Germany. It is especially true for Daimler through the Duale Hochschule Baden Württemberg (DHBW) in Stuttgart, which gave them the idea of establishing such training in Hungary, as well. Obviously, there are differences arising from the structure of the two countries’ education systems, thus, it could not be adapted to Hungary one in one but it had to be done in a way that the gist of it (the curriculum academic studies at the university and practical training at a company) would remain,” she adds. Building up the structure in Hungary took about a year and the first vehicle engineering Bachelor of Science course was launched in September 2012 with 25 of the students participating in dual education. Word about the positive experience achieved in Kecskemét reached not only other institutions and companies but also lawmakers and thus, dual education in Hungary has been governed by law since 2014. “Looking at the numbers, we began with two local firms (Mercedes-Benz and the braking systems manufacturer Knorr-Bremse) and now, we have about 60 companies we are cooperating with in dual education, and over 200 students taking part. The first vehicle engineers received their BSc diploma in February this year. Most of them, in possession of the BSc degree, began to work (usually at the company where they received their practical training) while others pursued a Master’s Degree in Budapest and elsewhere in the country and even abroad,” the Rector highlights.
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12/2/16 1:56 PM
germany
A HOME OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY E.ON MOVES INTO INNOVATIVE OFFICE BUILDING
is that plants were planted on the sixth-floor terraces to increase the amount of green space. The colorful world of modern, inspiring and friendly offices provide as much room as possible for community space where people can get together for meetings and consultations to support creativity and shared thinking. The creative rooms are designed to provide space for employee recreation and relaxation where they can put their own ideas into practice by, for example, offering yoga classes or organizing film and other community programs.
WINTER CELEBRATION
Lighting in the E.ON offices is produced by LED lamps providing a warmer color temperature, but a strong emphasis is also put on natural light, which can significantly improve the employees’ working conditions. Passive shading systems can be used to control illumination, solar exposure and heat protection within the building, which can significantly reduce energy consumption. In addition, the special multifunctional glass wall façade also contributes to the general mood of the employees and lower operating costs. Those who are driving an electric car – both our employees and our guests – can charge their vehicles at EVSE205 quick charging stations installed in the building’s underground garage. These can charge the battery of an average electric car up to 80% within 2 to 3 hours. E.ON is supporting every form of eco-friendly mobility. Accordingly, there is a storage space for 90 bicycles on the first floor, and there are dressing rooms and showers for those who bicycle to work to get as many E.ON employees as possible to choose this environmentally friendly way of going to work. Another special feature of the building’s design
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GASTRONOMIC QUARTER DOWNTOWN BUDAPEST
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TAMÁS SZÁNTÓ
The new headquarters at Váci Street 17 in Budapest offers numerous innovative solutions that f it the energy company’s activity. Three years ago, E.ON Hungária Co. Ltd. decided that when the lease on its home office expired, it would seek a solution that would better fit its needs and be more flexible, modern and sustainable as well as more cost-effective. The building, christened V17, was built in District 13 of the Hungarian capital in order to satisfy E.ON’s needs and meet the most advanced architectural and environmental standards. The V17 office complex was built by observing the principles of sustainability and environmental awareness in order to provide the employees with a more inspiring and creative environment. The building features the innovative energy solutions the company group also offers its customers. A nearly 14-kW photovoltaic system with 54 solar panels was installed on the roof of the building. These are the same high-quality premium solar panels E.ON Solar offers our customers. Thanks w w w . d t e u r o p e . c o m
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Get the Christmas Spirit in your body and mind and enjoy the season’s typical delicacies at
to this system, it has been possible to reduce the building’s network energy consumption.
Green construction and design In line with its sustainability approach, E.ON not only seeks to offer modern, green and efficient energy solutions as part of its own business; it also urges its suppliers and partners to follow suit. In this spirit, the company made sure that the contractors used recyclable materials and minimized waste during construction. This is why, for example, the demolition debris was reused for the foundation of the building. In addition, the contractors were expected to refrain from using tropical tree species that leave a particularly large carbon footprint or any other materials that put a heavy load on the environment. In order to ensure this, the contractors were expected to present a transparent life-cycle analysis for the construction materials and equipment they used.
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kempinski.com/budapest
25 12/2/16 10:14 AM
germany
SUPPORTING THE PRESENT AND THE FUTURE GLOBAL CUSTOMERS SERVED FROM HUNGARY BY IT SERVICES
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that people have gained through practical experience, through education and training means that we can do more complex tasks now as our people are much more capable in the technical field or in the management, as well. We have here some very senior managers, for instance, who support global customers. In terms of technology, we have in Hungary staff who support Deutsche Telekom’s ‘Open Telekom Cloud’, which is the latest public cloud technology. We also have opportunities for future technologies as well as traditional IT technologies like mainframe services to be handled by a large team here, delivering mainframe support to customers in Germany. Before he took over at ITSH on August 1, 2015, Christopher Wilson worked for T-Systems in Malaysia and previously in his native United Kingdom. He says he has gathered useful experiences that can come handy in Hungary, as well. “Working outside your home country and working for an international organization helps you to understand the cultures and the different strengths different countries have. In Malaysia, I found a very, very multicultural organization in terms of race, religion, etc. That was a very interesting environment to work in. That helps in Hungary to understand the subtle differences between the Hungarian and other cultures (including the British). It enables me to make decisions that are not completely
English, if you like, taking into consideration the local people I am managing. Actually, it is an aspect of the job that I really enjoy.” Information technology is a fast and constantly changing industry. Regarding the plans at IT Services Hungary to keep the positions and develop the company, the Managing Director stresses that “in the past ten years, our growth has been very dramatic – 400 people to start with to 4,500 people in 2016. A lot of the time, it was about getting people in, in-training them, educating them, getting them to understand IT business, etc. Now, we are focusing more on the higher value added services as mentioned before. We also need to focus on quality and it is important that we get the right people joining the company and the people that we already have the right skills, as well – high quality skills. We don’t want to lose these people for sure, so we have to enskill them to enable them to do bigger and better things. So, the focus is really on our staff to make sure that they have got the right skills to continue doing what they are doing but also to prepare for the future and what digitization and the Internet of Things (IoT) bring. As our mother company moves into that market, we have to be ready to support those services that people want – that is what we have to prepare our teams for,” he concludes.
TÍMEA IZSÓ/ITPHOTO
just IT Services Hungary,” he stresses. ITSH is a subsidiary of the German company T-Systems, which provides an international background. As to what that means for ITSH and its customers, Christopher Wilson believes that “what IT Systems International gives us is a structure we work in. So, we have the same structure used in any other local business units across the world (financial structure, HR structure, etc.) and that enables us to concentrate on our core business and our core assets, that is, our people. Also, that is where our business comes from: from our mother company, T-Systems. IT Services does not do local business, it does business on a global, international level. The customers we serve are not in Hungary, they are in other parts of the world. So, what T-Systems and Deutsche Telekom bring in is customers to us whom we then service.” Christopher Wilson has been at the helm of IT Services Hungary for over a year now. One of the key tasks he is charged with here is to extend the range of high added value services. He points out that “if we just reflect on the first ten years of IT Services Hungary, first, it was what we call an ‘extended workbench’ with quite low level tasks being done by people who just left university, answering the phone, answering simple IT questions, etc. As we matured over the past ten years, the knowledge
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IT Services Hungary (ITSH), the largest ICT employer in this country, celebrates the 10th anniversary of its foundation. Diplomacy&Trade asked Managing Director Christopher Wilson to summarize what services they provide. “We provide ICT support services for some of the largest global and European companies. Our customers come from diverse industries, manufacturing, oil & gas, automotive and financial, to name a few. The services we deliver range from messaging services, support for business services on iPads, iPhones or Blackberries, we support databases and business applications, we also support the IT services of Deutsche Telekom in Germany, including running DT’s service desk operations with German speaking staff from Hungary, which means that if a customer from Germany calls the company, the call will be answered by someone in Debrecen, Budapest or Pécs,” he explains. Two years ago, IT Services Hungary won the ‘Best Employer of the Year’ title in this country. Reacting to the remark that, apparently, that means that the company does not only manage to tackle the brain drain challenge but can also make it an attractive workplace, the Managing Director points out that “one reason is that we have invested – and are continuing to do so – a lot in training and educating our staff, providing them with the latest skills and knowledge in order to keep up with the demands of the customers. This large investment also means that our employees can grow their career with us at IT Services. The average age of our staff is 32 years, so, we have quite a young and dynamic workforce who also appreciate working within the structure of a large corporate organization. We also focus on what is important for younger staff members like a bit of flexibility, we have a very structured home working policy so that people can work from their home and that also enables us to find target people who live in the countryside – they can still work for a large international firm from remote locations.” ITSH’s answer to the problem that Hungary has recently started to experience, the shortage of skilled labor force, is that “what we offer people is the opportunity to work for a global organization here in Hungary and some people get the chance to travel, as well. They stay with their families here in Hungary, they have their salaries and other benefits but they can also travel within a global organization. So, we have Hungarian people who travel to Asia on project work, very frequently traveling to Germany and other parts of the world to support global projects and programs. Thus, they do not necessarily need to move away from Hungary to have global experience or have global careers. We also have people working here in Hungary who have international jobs, as well and they go out to other parts of our organization not
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12/2/16 10:15 AM
germany
PREMIUM SERVICE FOR PREMIUM CLIENTS MERCEDES-BEN
H N AR
LA NCHES DIPLOMATIC DIRECT SALES
In the first ten months of the year alone, 1,711,017 Mercedes-Benz vehicles were handed over to customers – a growth of 11.7% compared to the same period in the previous year. This puts the German manufacturer into first place in the premium segment in the world. In Hungary, Mercedes-Benz is also on top of this group of manufacturers with 2,228 vehicles sold over this ten-month, producing a growth of 33.3%. What is behind this success? According to Krisztina Ujhelyi, Diplomatic Sales Manager at Mercedes-Benz Hungária Ltd., it is mainly innovation in technology as well as design and excellence in customer service, the latter certified by an award for the third time to make Mercedes-Benz the market leader in this respect.
From the idea to delivery
Diplomatic Direct Sales “As we are representing a premium brand, our parent company decided that we should concentrate on a premium segment of customers and set up a department in two countries of the Central European region: Austria and Hungary that focuses on sales to diplomats and people of similar status. This newly established process within MercedesBenz Hungary is a clear demonstration of the recognition of this important segment and of our intention to treat these people accordingly,” she explains to Diplomacy&Trade. This quite a new opportunity was made available for Mercedes-Benz customers in July this year. “We have implemented this new system and I am glad to say that we already have people interested in this opportunity. The news has been spreading through word of mouth among diplomats but now, information is also available on our website and we are fully prepared to serve the clients,” she adds. “We have already held introductory meetings where we can discuss the benefits, details and the personal requests. In fact, initial orders have already been placed. The first car ordered in this system has been delivered, others are being manufactured. So, I believe
this service definitely has its raison d'etre.” Daimler AG offers in this framework the possibility to invoice the customer for a net amount – free of VAT and other tax. “More precisely, as we order the vehicles from the headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany, customers will receive the invoice from Daimler AG directly,” she notes. In addition, special discounts are available for selected models depending on eligibility, which is governed by Daimler’s worldwide policy.
Vehicles for every occasion The company offers this target group of customers a wide range of products within which they can be certain to find the appropriate vehicle for every occasion – would the customer want the vehicle as a first car, or one for the spouse, for instance. Krisztina Ujhelyi is convinced that “when choosing a vehicle, those who represent their countries will seek to make a suitably prestigious impression in every situation and our vehicles will help them in this regard. We
learn from the initial feedback that diplomats are happy about this opportunity. When talking to potential clients at events such as the recent Diplomacy&Trade Business Club gathering, I noticed that the target audience welcomes this opportunity, they are glad to receive special attention and being offered tailor-made services.” She finds it important to note that the company has a manufacturing plant in Kecskemét, just an hour drive from Budapest, where some of the models are produced. In fact, this is the only plant where CLA and CLA Shooting Brake models are manufactured, while B-class cars are produced both here and in Rastatt, Germany. She highlights that “our website (http://www. mercedes-benz.hu/diplomatic-sales) lists the models we offer to diplomats: S-class, E-class, C-class, V-class and the SUVs (GLE, GLS). It is mainly the E- and C-class as well as the SUV models that we received calls about while the S-class is offered as a first car. We call attention to the highlights that are specific to each model and can be very
THOSE ENTITLED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS SPECIAL OFFER INCLUDE
photos by
DÁVID HARANGOZÓ, DAIMLER AG
INSTITUTIONS: • Governments, Embassies, Consulate General, Consulates, Missions, • full time local diplomatic mission’s international organizations, • Royal Dynasty, Ministries, and Government related Institutions PERSONS WITH SPECIAL STATUS: • Royal Dynasties, Sheikdoms and Sultanates, Head of States, • Diplomats / employees of Embassies, consulates, foreign missions, international organizations with diplomatic status, (and their family members with special status), • Employees of international organizations as EU, NATO, UN, OECD, Council of Europe without diplomatic status, • Military personnel abroad, Honorary consul without diplomatic status w w w . d t e u r o p e . c o m
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important for the individual customer.” Electromobility is also in the focus at MercedesBenz, which already has plug-in hybrid cars made available to customers. “As far as fully electric-driven vehicles are concerned, all car manufacturers are concentrating on extending the range the vehicle can travel with one charge. At Mercedes-Benz, it is the B-class that is available in fully electric versions – a family car with 200-kilometer vehicle operating range (NEDC) + 30 km with Range PLUS (option),” she adds.
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As for the process from the initial call to the delivery of the desired vehicle, the Sales Manager explains that “we are talking about new vehicles that are manufactured according to the wishes of the customer. Some people come with definite ideas while others need help, which we gladly provide. It is understandable that people are not aware of all the characteristics of our vehicles, what extras are available, etc. So, we go through all the details, the client places the order, transfers a down payment, the tailor-made vehicle is manufactured and shipped to the client – not only to Budapest, we have had requests to ship the car to the mother country of the given diplomat. Of course, in cases like that the specific regulations in force in the country of destination are taken into consideration and the car is delivered with the necessary technical specifications.” Regarding the various personal requests, they concern the kind leather for the seats, seat comfort package with reclining back seats (where diplomats can relax on longer journeys), the main ambassadorial car is fitted with a flag holder, some people want sunroof, and additional packages such as active parking assist, distronic plus, presafe plus or mirror package. “People usually come to us with an idea of what they would like to use the car for. For many of these diplomats, appearance is very important, giving them an image in representing their country, and that appearance certainly includes what car they use,” she says, adding that “since we achieved the ‘excellence in customer service’ title, we would like to carry on – and even improve – this standard as, I believe, the diplomatic segment fully deserves this treatment.” Mercedes-Benz offers very unique driver assistance systems not available in other brands. There is a special online service called ‘Mercedes Me connect’ available to all Mercedes-Benz customers. Through this application, the owner can “see” the vehicle via a smartphone: learn about the car’s position, set a limit of where and how far it can go, check the fuel level, pneumatic pressure, the number of kilometers traveled, etc. “We welcome all the feedback we receive because it helps us to make the system as professional and interesting as possible. We would like to set long term business relations and provide unique services for our customers and introduce these diplomatic sales in other countries of the region, as well – based on the experience gathered in Hungary and Austria. It is already working well in several countries. As the Diplomatic Sales Manager in Hungary, I really hope, I can contribute to the further strengthening the relations between the Embassies, Consulates, International Organizations, Government related Institutions, Missions and Mercedes Benz Hungary,” she concludes.
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witty leaks WITTY
LE A K S
IN THIS SERIES, DIPLOMATS SHARE PERSONAL ACCOUNTS OF THEIR EXPERIENCES ON “EXCURSIONS” into Hungarian culture, art, gastronomy & scenery.
COMMON VALUES CHALLENGED AND PROTECTED HISTORIC AND PRESENT-DAY CONNECTIONS
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presented their success stories, engaged in many discussions about business opportunities between the two countries and established new connections with local business leaders. The forum has been a huge success as the Lithuanian Embassy is getting an increasing amount of requests from Lithuanian companies looking for partners in Hungary. It is clear that ever closer business relationships between the two countries will continue to be one of the defining features of the bond between Lithuania and Hungary. While the present achievements of Lithuanian and Hungarian relations are pretty remarkable, only a few outside our two countries know that we have important historical links, stretching back to the Middle Ages. The most significant of those is that the Duke of Transylvania Stephen Báthory, a Hungarian, was the Grand Duke of Lithuania in late 16th century and was even the founder of Vilnius University. Almae academica et universitas Vilnensis set up on April 1, 1579 was the first, and the only, university in the Eastern Europe. To commemorate this bond, the governments of Lithuania and Hungary signed a governmental agreement, the Stephen Báthory Fund for Cooperation of Lithuanian and Hungarian Youth. The fund implemented the first joint workshop for youth policy experts in Budapest, which took place in September 2016. I sincerely hope that this and similar initiatives will become a more and more important aspect of our relationship, as the young people are the ones who will build our common future. Another important historical
at the New Public Cemetery and another one was erected in Kerepesi Cemetery in Budapest. As for culture, in 2013, it was for the first time László Bagossy directed a world famous classical play by his fellow-countryman, playwright Ferenc Molnár “Liliom” in the Lithuanian National Drama Theater. The performance, in which Lithuanian famous artists took part, attracted a wide audience and is still popular nowadays. Another well-known Hungarian director Péter Galambos, in the same Vilnius theater, has staged a love story of the three celebrities Johannes Brahms, Robert and Clara Schumann, named ‘Trio’. The Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theater in close cooperation with the Palace of Arts in Budapest staged an oratorio ‘Alexander’s Feast’ by Georg Friedrich Händel. And here I can go on and on. Another fact, which for us, Lithuanians, is very pleasant, is the Hungarian interest in Lithuanian language and our authors. For more than two decades, Lithuanian language is taught at Eötvös Loránd (ELTE) University in Budapest. I am very glad, that Hungarian students find Lithuanian, which is the most archaic among the Indo-European languages spoken today, interesting to study. However, interest in the language is not one-way – Lithuanians are interested in Hungarian language, too. Every semester, the Faculty of Philology of the Vilnius University organizes courses of Hungarian language, which our students willingly attend. Moreover, more and more books of Lithuanian authors are translated to Hungarian and vice versa – a lot of Hungarian books are published in Lithuanian. Besides, every year, dozens of Lithuanian students come to Hungary, mainly to Budapest, for studies under the Erasmus exchange program. I am very satisfied that Lithuanian universities have signed agreements of mutual cooperation with the biggest Hungarian universities, allowing both Lithuanian and Hungarian students to study abroad and find out more about our countries. I am very pleased, that Lithuania and Hungary have so much in common – more than it could be noticed at first glance. Of course, there is still room for cooperation in some areas, for example, in the area of trade and especially tourism. Luckily, I believe, the experience we gained during these 25 years is a strong building block for further improvement in our relations. With hard work and assistance to each other, Lithuania and Hungary will most definitely continue foster and strengthen this important friendship.
link between our countries is the Jagiellonian dynasty. In 2013, at the foot of the Budapest Castle Hill, a monument was unveiled for the Grand Duke of Lithuania and King of Poland Jogaila (Jagiello) and his spouse, the Queen of Poland Jadwiga who was a daughter of Louis the Great of Hungary. The work of the Lithuanian s l tor alia at lait not only all des the importance of the Jagiellonian dynasty of the Central European nations and states, but also represents the historical ties between close neighbors – Lithuania, Poland and Hungary. The Hungarian Revolution of 1956 was a very important historic moment for the whole Europe. The uprising that was brutally stopped by the Soviet army gave every other oppressed nation the hope that the fight against tyranny and for freedom was not done, yet. Lithuanians carried that hope up until 1990 when we finally were able, along with other nations, to declare our independence and re-join the community of the Free World and we cannot thank Hungarians enough for their bravery and example. In fact, in 1956, a lot of Lithuanians, who then lived inside an ‘iron curtain’, went out to the streets with slogans for freedom of Hungary and Lithuania. Some students and their professors were even dismissed from the universities because of their support of revolutionary ideas and desire of freedom. Later on, a few Lithuanian woodcarvers, honoring the victims of the Hungarian Revolution and commemorating the Hungarian freedom fighters, carved two shrines, one of which was placed near the grave of Imre Nagy D E C E M B E R
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The outgoing year marks the 25th anniversary of the reestablishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Lithuania and Hungary. During the period, our bilateral relations grew exponentially stronger, with cooperation in almost every field, should it be defense, trade, cultural ties or any other, more robust now than it has ever been before. Today, according to the geopolitical situation in the region, our common values of freedom, justice and cooperation experience challenges. In this context, nothing pleases me more than to say that Lithuanians and Hungarians stand strong at the defense of these values. Lithuania and Hungary are both members of NATO, so collaboration on defense policy has been great, but never more than in the last few tumultuous years. Hungary was guarding the airspace of the three Baltic countries for four months in the NATO Baltic Air Policing Mission a year ago. Hungarian airmen not only defended our air space, performing their training tasks but also took part in many education projects in Lithuania. The mission itself was evaluated as the most difficult and most challenging mission of the Hungarian Air Force in the last 70 years. On the other hand, Lithuanian regular citizens had an outstanding opportunity to better understand the importance of such a relationship between NATO nations. During the height of the fighting in Ukraine at the end of 2014, Hungary sent a company of soldiers, about 140 of them, which, along with Lithuanian troops, took part in joint exercises and trainings – all part of NATO`s plan to strengthen land deterrence on the Eastern fringes of the block. These examples show the unwavering commitment of our countries to uphold common values and aid in times of peace and in war if necessary. On my part, I can guarantee that Lithuania has the same unwavering commitment and will continue to strengthen the ties between the two nations. Trade and economic relations are also worth mentioning. Both imports from Hungary and exports to Hungary has been rapidly increasing in recent years. In 2015, imports amounted to EUR 199.5 million and export was EUR 138.9 million, a combined increase of 10% from 2014 and 69% from 2010. In the spring of 2016, at our Embassy’s initiative, Budapest hosted a business forum between the Baltic countries and Hungary. Lithuanian business leaders, among whom were such ‘giants’ as the well-known laser producer ‘Light Conversion’ and ‘Lithuanian Railways’,
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business
STRONG COMMITMENT TO QUALITY SERVICE FIVE STARS OFFERS COMPLEX TRANSPORT AND LOGISTICS SOLUTIONS “As a professional athlete, I had the opportunity to travel to sports competitions abroad in the early 1980s. Just like many of my fellow sportsmen, I took advantage of the situation that a lot of goods available in Western countries were in short supply in Hungary (behind the ‘Iron curtain’ in those days), and therefore, people here were willing to pay much higher price for it. That is how I managed to accumulate the capital that formed the basis of my initial investment in vehicles,” the owner and Managing Director of the travel and tourism service company Five Stars, Gábor Stiller recalls to Diplomacy&Trade the beginning of his venture. “My brother, who worked in the hotel business then, mentioned that there was demand for good quality small buses and that there was substantial shortage of this type of vehicle. So it was that in 1985, I bought a 9-seat Volkswagen minivan, with which I began to work immediately. I did all this in addition to teaching in my profession as physical education teacher and athletic trainer,” he explains.
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Indulging guests and clients It was this van that helped him enter the tourism market, focusing in particular to serving the 4 and 5 star hotels in Budapest. The demand for this service began to grow and – in that quasi ‘shortage economy’ environment –, “we were unique in how and in what quality we could serve our clients. While the state travel agency at that time, undertook to do the job in 24-48 hours, we were there to pick up the individual client or group within an hour, be it a sightseeing tour or a full-day ‘puszta’ program in the countryside. The point was indulging not only the guests, but also the hotels with the very purpose of facilitating their situation at every turn so that they would call us basically in any situation. This growing business justified an investment in more and more vehicles and staff. By 1990, almost all 4 and 5 star hotels ordered from our organization their private tourist programs and transfers for their guests,” he highlights, adding that “all this seemed a pretty compelling argument for reducing my school work to two days a week and establish the Five Stars company.” At Five stars, the emphasis is placed on the quality of service. As to how to maintain the quality for two and a half decades, the Managing Director firmly says “with strong commitment.” Another aspect he points out is “assuming choices that may reduce short term business profit: the purchase of new vehicles only – which is still unique on the domestic market – and excellent remuneration for the right employees. In the long run, this is what provides the edge of for a quality service. This forward-looking thinking, which does not focus on direct profit, helped the company through the crisis period, as well.” In reply to the question of how he would characterize the services provided by Five Stars for its clients, the Managing Director says, “perfect and complete”! He points out that “a number of companies have nice buses, however, what we offer is a complex service, available from no one else in the domestic market, and from only a few even in the region. If possible, we prepare in advance for the needs of visitors to make the trip go really smoothly. Having a color waiting board, providing an umbrella or mineral water must be basic service. In this fast-paced world, our clients cannot take care of each passenger individually but they still want the best for them. That is when we come into the picture. Thanks to our 27 years of experience, we know what the passengers arriving here really need.” This, he says, is something that cannot be learned from one day to the next – you can only do this whole-heartedly... “Each service is unique because we can tailor them to the specific requirements of the client, even a ‘traditional’ sightseeing tour can be flexibly adapted to the needs of the visitors' itinerary and program, he adds. w w w . d t e u r o p e . c o m
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stars and music ensembles. In this category, I would emphasize that we were contracted suppliers at this year's Sziget Festival. Also, a number of domestic sports clubs and sports federations are among our customers. In this category, we were the official supplier this year of two world championships that took place in Hungary.” Feedback is very important, as the company’s future developments are based on these. “Throughout the year, we have a thematic European tour for sophisticated and experienced American travelers who – according to our quality control questionnaire – evaluate the quality of our services at 98%,” he points out.
More than a family business
Five Star services and clients For a long time, it could be well distinguished who the Five Stars clients were, but these days it is not so easy. “The truth is that our service range extends from providing airport transfer for a single person to a small hotel to the complex needs of the world's largest organizations and conferences, the Managing Director stresses. As specific examples, Gábor Stiller points out that they provide transfer for staff between the airport and the hotel for basically all airlines with Budapest as destination. “We also transport the workers of many multinational companies and large domestic firms. Typically, these are companies that are working like clockwork, but are also willing to make a sacrifice for their staff’s convenience. We are very strong in the MICE sector. This year, we organized the logistics of an event attended by 1,200 people. A significant portion of our vehicle fleet serves Far Eastern and Japanese groups on their European tours throughout the year. In the corporate field, we serve whole sectors in different industries, even within a given day.” He says he could list a series of diplomatic and state organizations, like ministries as example, but “I could also mention many world
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As to what extent this company is a family business nowadays, Gábor Stiller says it can only be considered that as far as the company's ownership structure is concerned. The number of people employed by the company has now reached 100 (including 21 office/site staff, 59 full time drivers and 20 regularly employed staff), thanks partly to the fact that Five Stars services specifically require a lot of manual labor, therefore, it is natural that the management and implementation of work processes on a daily basis have grown well beyond what could be considered as the scale of family business. A significant part of the vehicle fleet is German. They are represented by two major brands: Mercedes and MAN. “Our experience is that considering their purchasing value, they are of the top category but they are also the most sophisticated and therefore most in demand for passenger vehicles. We have these to be able to provide the quality we strive for. The overall operating experience is good and they also have an established service network,” he adds. As for Five Stars’ plans if not for the next quarter-century, but for the near future, Gábor Stiller stresses that they wish to remain a dominant and stable market player on the domestic and Central European roads, provide as flexible service as possible regardless the size of the order, fully serve the clients by constantly monitoring their demands and adapting the development of the fleet to their needs.
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business The Business Council for Sustainable Development in Hungary (BCSDH) held its annual business lunch – coorganized by the Dutch Embassy – in Budapest this November within the framework of the Action 2020 program. The event was held simultaneously with the COP 22 Climate Change Conference in Marrakech. BCSDH, which represents a community of 75 member companies that contribute 30% of Hungary’s GDP, took this opportunity to announce its unique recommendations, in four points, from the business sector to help accelerate the shift towards a low-carbon economy, representing a milestone in Hungarian sustainability. The 150 guests were welcomed on behalf of GE, the host organization of the event, by the company’s President Joerg Bauer. The Ambassador to Hungary of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Gajus Scheltema also had some welcoming remarks before introducing the main speaker of the business lunch, Professor Jan Peter Balkenende, a former prime minister of the Netherlands, who spoke about the need for immediate action on climate change, and how the business sector should play a major role in this.
Role of innovation
Speeches at the business lunch were followed by a panel discussion on what resources businesses have to initiate changes to support sustainability. Mediated by BCSDH’s Mandy Fertetics, the panel included Unilever Hungary Ltd.’s Managing Director Regina Kuzmina; Master Good Ltd.’s Managing Director László Bárány, Jr.; Member of the Board at E.ON Hungária Co. Ltd., Zsolt Jamniczky; and the CEO of MagNet Hungarian Community Bank Co. Ltd., János Salamon. As Regina Kuzmina pointed out, in 2016, Unilever has been named a leader in household and personal products industry on the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, which ranks companies according economic, environmental and social performance – an achievement that makes the company satisfied but not complacent. Master Good Ltd. is listed among the exemplary farms by McDonalds, Managing Director László Bárány stressed that his company always relies on the experience accumulated by four generations. That led them to building a sustainable poultry farm that encompasses all the knowledge the world has amassed, so far. János Salamon reminded that his bank made steps towards sustainability even before the world economic crisis. However, it was the crisis that made them to consider environmental and social usefulness when providing money for financing projects. Thus, they set the rule of supporting those who accept and endorse sustainability. Many times it is problem for companies that the clients, the customers do not understand what sustainability is about. One company where the picture is more positive is the energy firm E.ON Hungária. Board member Zsolt Jamniczky explained that in Hungary, households are responsible for one third of the country’s energy consumption. It is mainly due to the fact that some 70% of the homes are not insulated as people simply cannot afford doing it. To initiate a change in this field, E.ON Hungária started its EnergyCommunities program that currently involves some 200 families that compete in saving energy with consumption measured every year. Zsolt Jamniczky believes that the best way is to follow this policy of small steps in the right direction. He emphasized that they wish to increase the number of participants in the future and he also hopes that there will be other companies following suit.
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BUSINESSES FOR SUSTAINABILITY BUSINESS LUNCH BY BCSDH IN BUDAPEST has just announced its business recommendations for introducing carbon pricing at the COP 22 Climate Change Conference. At the same time, its national partner organization also put forward recommendations for the business sector to support the transition towards a low-carbon
economy. The four points in the recommendation identify the ways in which Hungarian companies can effectively contribute to global processes. BCSDH President Attila Chikán Jr. was of the view that “it is very important for us at BCSDH to cooperate with those business leaders that are
familiar with sustainability and who are aware of the importance of climate protection. Through the Action 2020 program we have worked with more than 150 experts over the past years who represent the business, civil and scientific sectors, and this collaboration has resulted in the recommendations announced today. It’s my conviction that, in the long run, you can only survive as an economic player if you have an entrepreneurial spirit, you are innovative and you are sustainable. However, if these components are harmonized, you can obtain a significant competitive advantage.”
Action 2020 One of the tools for achieving this goal is BCSDH’s Action 2020 Hungary program which explores and inspires business solutions that go beyond ‘business as usual’, and which, as good practices, can be disseminated to a broader range of business actors. More than 50 companies have already joined the program, BCSDH says in a statement. In 2016, Climate Change is the main focal area of the Action 2020 Hungary program. With the involvement of CEOs, more than 50 civil, scientific and business experts formulated their recommendations on climate change. They have identified business solutions for both the business sector and the stakeholders who are affected, the promotion and implementation of which will positively impact climate change. D E C E M B E R
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SUSTAINABILIT S ALL STEPS IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION
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Irén Márta, Managing Director of BCSDH, stated that one company alone cannot change the world, so there is a need for new alliances and cooperation within value chains. BCSDH, the national partner organization of World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), represents one such corporate alliance. WBCSD
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business
CHANGING THE MINDSET BUSINESSES HAVE THEIR ROLE IN SPREADING SUSTAINABILITY In the previous issue of Diplomacy&Trade, France’s chief climate negotiator, Paul Watkinson pointed out that the energy climate framework is being developed in Europe a year after the signing of the Paris agreement. This November, Diplomacy&Trade spoke to Professor Jan Peter Balkenende, a former Prime Minister of the Netherlands, what kind of role the private sector can – and should – have in this process. “I think that the world has really changed in many people’s minds. When I was a student, most things were governmentoriented. Nowadays, times are different. Of course, governments have their own role to play but – at the same time – it is really important that the business sector is also involved,” he pointed out. “Last year, we had a debate and discussion on the sustainable development goals of the United Nations in September and then the COP 21 meeting (the climate summit) in November and on both occasions, there was a lot of attention of the role of businesses. So, people now are well aware that you need the business effort. As UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said, you never reach those goals without the private sector. This also proves that you need the business sector, you need their creativity,” he added.
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DÁVID HARANGOZÓ
Role of innovation Chief negotiator Paul Watkinson had also emphasized the role of innovation in low carbon solutions or resilience to deal with adaption to climate change. Professor Balkenende, who was the main speaker at a recent business lunch organized in Budapest by the Business Council for Sustainable Development in Hungary (BCSDH), highlighted that “in the Netherlands, I am the chairman of the Dutch Sustainable Growth Coalition, which is about integrating sustainability into the business model. Companies like Unilever, KLM, AkzoNobel and others discuss what sustainability means for their core activities. For instance, when AkzoNobel is producing coatings, they make ones that keep out partly the heat of the sun and as a result, airconditioning systems need to operate less, leading to lower energy consumption. Special coatings make it possible to clean the ships faster and, again, with less energy consumption. Another example is Heineken that arranges local sourcing in Africa so that by 2020, 60% of the grains used to make beer must be bought from local sources, meaning less transport, less environmental pressure on one hand and more economic opportunities for the local farmers on the other. So, nowadays, businesses are asking themselves what they can do regarding climate change. That gives me hope for the future in this respect.” w w w . d t e u r o p e . c o m
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Sustainability pays Traditional thinking suggests that caring for the environment costs money. However, the professor is of the view that “today, it is evident that sustainability and doing business can be combined. It depends on your thinking and your strategy. In a research project, Robert Eccles of the Harvard Business School compared 180 businesses in the United States between 1993 and 2010: 90 what he considered ‘high sustainability’ companies and 90 ‘low sustainability’ ones. The outcome was that ‘high sustainability’ companies performed better on the return on investment, in the stock market and in reputation than those in the other group. So, I’m convinced that you can make good business out of it but it depends on your creativity, willingness to get out of your comfort zone, that is, you must have the right mindset and you will be the winner in the long run.”
Responsibility about our planet Regarding whether governments should force/ convince private businesses to do more for the environment or they themselves realize the necessity, the Professor said “sometimes, it helps that governments act – for instance, when you take the issue of pollution by cars. Government measures in the United States simply leave no chance for the production and sale of cars over a certain pollution level. Tax measures could also be a good incentive
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to change the mindset of the companies, themselves. You must have the willingness of asking yourself the question ‘what is our responsibility in tackling the big issues of today and tomorrow?’ Those CEOs who have this willingness to reflect on the future of this planet can really make a change: they will be inspirational within their own company and also for others. You must also have the willingness of reporting about the results and nowadays more and more firms issue reports not only their financial results but also their societal performance that includes their sustainability efforts and achievements. Such reporting helps a dialogue on this important issue with their stakeholders as well as clients, with other companies, NGOs, etc.”
Changing the mindset He believes it is not only the CEOs in a company that need to do a lot for calling people’s attention but also the CFOs, the board members and other officials who need to inspire people, talk about the developments, engage young people within the organization. However, it is not only the work of businesspeople but also of schools, universities, education. “Even in primary schools, teachers are starting to talk about what is happening to our planet. So, we really need each other – it is not only the matter of governments and businesses, it is also about the media and the education of the people across the society. If we do this, that can really lead to a change of mindset,” he concluded.
SUSTAINABILITY AND BUSINESS
Last summer at a conference in The Hague, Professor Balkenende argued that businesses need to focus on creating shared value for society by integrating sustainability in their business model. Now, he believes that more and more companies are convinced that this is the way forward. “In my country, if you don’t have a good sustainability policy, you will have difficulties because people, the media and other businesses don’t accept this. So, there, you can already see big change and – as a result – a lot of Dutch companies are high on the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, which is the indication that things are going in the right direction – especially considering the fact that 60% of SMEs and 90%(!) of family businesses are involved in sustainability practices. According to my experience, things are changing in the right direction in Hungary and Asia, too. Let me just mention GE, our host today, which is a great multinational company that has chosen a sustainable approach.” During his term as Prime Minister, Jan Peter Balkenende also had initiatives to combat climate change. “We started an organization called ‘CSR Netherlands’ in 2005. The fact that so many SMEs are involved in sustainability programs is due to that organization. Also, we initiated a transparency benchmark in which companies are invited to be transparent about their sustainability practices. I can see that our companies are higher and higher on that list, so, that has turned out to be a good one, as well. In 2007, we made an agreement with the bigger companies on good practices, especially regarding energy. Then, we were involved in the negotiations that led to the climate summit in Copenhagen. The outcome was not the best but it was not our fault. We also tried to increase the awareness of the whole sustainability issue in my country. That was the reason why I introduced former US Vice President Al Gore and his film ‘An inconvenient truth’ in a cinema in Amsterdam. I am happy that in my country, people are convinced that we have to do things in other way.”
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society Diplomacy&Trade held its France themed 'The Club' event at the Hotel Nemzeti in Budapest. The patron of the event was the French Ambassador to Hungary, Éric Fournier. Following an introduction by publisher Peter Freed, speakers included Ambassador Fournier; the General Manager of the hotel, Tímea Balzer; the head of the 1st European Bilateral Department at the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Zsolt Bóta; and a Board Member of the French-Hungarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Stéphane Atthar.
DIPLOMACY&TRADE 'THE CLUB' FRANCE
Diplomatic Fair 2016
Korean Film Festival
48 countries were represented at the traditional charity fair organized by Diplomatic Spouses Budapest (DSB) in the Hotel InterContinetal. Embassies, foreign nationals living in Hungary and tourism offices offered special food, drinks, folk art objects, jewelry, etc. for sale. Proceeds of the fair went to charities, the Heartbeat Foundation to support 200 mentally and physically challenged children and the Light of My Eyes Foundation to improve the quality of life of terminally ill children.
November was for the 9th time that the Korean Cultural Center brought the most successful Korean films to Budapest and a few cities around the country. This year’s slogan of the film festival, opened by the Korean ambassador to Hungary, Yim Geunhyeong, was ‘Get involved!’.
King’s Day of Belgium On the occasion of King’s Day in her country, the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium to Hungary, Marie-France André held a reception at her residence for fellow diplomats, friends, government officials and other invitees.
In order to celebrate his country’s Independence Day (that refers to the Albanian Declaration of Independence on November 28, 1912, coinciding with the day in which Scanderbeg raised the Albanian flag in the then capital Kruje on that day in 1443), the Albanian Ambassador to Hungary, Arian Spasse welcomed guests for a reception at the Museum of Military History in the Buda Castle.
New Ambassadors This November, five new ambassadors accredited to Hungary presented their credentials to Hungarian President János Áder (starting from the upper left corner and pictured counter-clockwise): Thomas Selby Pillay from the Seychelles, Massimo Rustico from Italy, Jerzy Snopek from Poland, Karima Kabbaj from Morocco and Yosef Amrani from Israel.
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Algeria National Day On the 62nd anniversary of his country’s National Day (commemorating the country’s declaration of independence), a reception was given in the Budapest Marriott Hotel by the Ambassador of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria to Hungary, Abdelkader Dehendi.
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Albania National Day
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HARANGOZÓ, JÁNOS MARJAI/MTI, NOÉMI BRUZÁK/MTI, COURTESY PICTURES
The Ambassador of Kingdom of Norway, Olav Berstad hosted a welcoming reception for new Embassy staff at the Residence of the Ambassador just outside the Buda Castle.
DÁVID HARANGOZÓ
Norwegian Welcoming Reception
society JTB PARTNER PARTY
ITALIAN COOKING COURSE IN HUNGARY
DÁVID HARANGOZÓ
In the framework of the First Italian Gastronomy Week in Hungary for caterers, wine and foodstuff importers, a cooking course was organized with the participation of Michelin Star chef Marco Stabile. Also taking part at the event, opened by the new Italian ambassador to Hungary, Massimo Rustico, was the renowned Italian food critic and eno-gastronomic expert, Luigi Cremona.
photos by WWW.SANDORFEGYVERNEKY.COM,
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HARANGOZÓ, JÁNOS MARJAI/MTI, NOÉMI BRUZÁK/MTI, COURTESY PICTURES
JTB Hungary, the specialist of individual and corporate travels to Japan from Hungary, held its annual partner party at the Sushi Sei Japanese restaurant this November. The party was well attended by the representatives of Japanese companies present in Hungary and the international partners of the company.
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culture
TAKLER WINE ESTATE CELEBRATES 20 YEARS
THE TAKLER FAMILY ESTABLISHED THEIR WINERY IN THE SZEKSZÁRD WINE REGION IN 1996. DURING THE PAST TWO DECADES, TAKLER WINE ESTATE HAS BECOME ONE OF THE MOST WELL-KNOWN WINE BRANDS IN HUNGARY DUE TO ITS GREAT AND RICH RED WINES SUCH AS REGNUM AND PRIMARIUS.
Soul Exodus
HUNGARIAN MUSICAL DOCUMENTARY FILM 93 minutes
CINEMATOGRAPHY FILM EDITING SOUND MUSIC CAST
PRODUCER PREMIERS COUNTRYWIDE DISTRIBUTED BY
Csaba Bereczki Tibor Nemes Réka Lemhényi Tamás Zányi The Brothers Nazaroff Michael Alpert, Dan Kahn, Psoy Korolenko, Bob Cohen, Jake Shulman-Ment Pál Sándor December 15 Mozinet
Five klezmer musicians, four American and one Russian, seek out their roots and the origins of their music. The protagonists of the story - Michael Alpert, Dan Kahn, Psoy Korolenko, Bob Cohen and Jake ShulmanMent – call themselves ‘The Brothers Nazaroff’ after the legendary Klezmer musician and storyteller Prince Nazaroff who they believe lived during the early 20th century in the Russian Empire. They start a “reverse exodus” and travel on ship from the West to the East, from Montreal and New York back to Europe, to Paris, Berlin, Budapest, and further to Nagyvárad and Moldavia searching for the origins of Klezmer music as well as for answers about identity, emigration, brotherhood, and faith. It is a deeply emotional story told through Klezmer music. “Soul Exodus is a road-movie, pulsing on the rythm of Klezmer music. It is a trip into our own souls. To find our own identity, both on a personal and social level, is of key importance, especially in today’s world. My goal with this film was to be able to speak about these issues with an open, natural and free spirit, sincerely, without taboos and entertain at the same time. – says director Csaba Bereczki.
In 1996, Ferenc Takler founded his winery with a single plot of almost one hectare at a great location, south of Szekszárd, in the Decsi vineyard, which still remains the center of the estate. The first Kadarka, Kékfrankos (Blaufränkisch) Bikavér (Bull’s Blood) and Cabernet Franc wines were made in the cellar of their veranda-farmhouse, built in 1927. The next considerable milestone was the moment of the first plantations in 2000. To date, the grape of the top Merlot wine of the winery still comes from these plots, i.e. from the Görögszó, Strázsa-hegy and Felső-Cinka vineyards. Creation of the emblematic top wines of the winery can also be dated to this period. Regnum is a Szekszárd-style classical Bordeaux blend, dominated by Merlot and Cabernet Franc,
to the quality of the wines. Beside the classic services, the complex offers a wellness unit as well as several venues for conferences and other events. Ferenc Takler, who was named ‘Winemaker of the Year in 2004’, has been working together with his two sons from the very beginning. Today, Ferenc Takler Jr. is the chief winemaker, being responsible for the whole range of processing and maturing tasks, while András Takler manages the company’s commercial and marketing activities. Today the family runs a complex estate with its own product portfolio. They agree that the future challenge of the winery is to continue this work at the highest level, with more focus even on the smallest details and features.
ART is MAGIC
LUMAS Gallery just opened the 'Art is Magic' exhibition with extraordinary new works from the portfolio. Stunning new photographic works, legendary artists and newcomers...the gallery’s team of curators did it again. The new selection is informative, imaginative, inspiring and illuminating - a visual shock for all ages! A multitude of photographic techniques are brought to light: from infrared to lenticular - photography is no longer about being framed or flat, but the photograph as object itself.
while Primarius, the top Merlot wine of the winery, is made only in the excellent vintages. It is not widely known in Hungary, that in 2005, legendary wine blogger Alder Yarrow scored 9.5 points out of 10 to the Proprietors Reserve Cabernet Franc 2003 – which brought the wine to the top New York restaurants at a fairly high price. This success in the export market has significantly contributed to the further development of the winery. Renovation and enlargement of the farmhouse in Sárköz started in the 2000s, which covered renewal of the processing unit and the maturing cellar, and ended by opening the Takler Mansion (Takler Kúria) last year. The Mansion provides an elegant wine tasting venue suited
COURTESY PICTURES, LUMAS BUDAPEST GALLERY
WRITER & DIRECTOR
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Fjallkonan, (mountain woman) © Kate Shaw, www.lumas.hu 90x180 cm, limited edition of 150, signed, EUR 1.599 LUMAS Budapest Galéria 1051 Budapest Október 6. utca 21. 2 0 1 6
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INTERVIEW WITH
COCO KÖNIG
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MARIANNA SÁRKÖZI, KRISZTIÁN ÉDER
Known for The Carer, Die Räuber and Assassin's Creed, up-andcoming Coco König is happiest when performing. The young actress’ career rose quickly in the past few years, and there’s no sign she will slow down in the future. During an interview, she discusses with Diplomacy&Trade how she manages to balance student life with acting, how it feels to travel weekly back and forth between New York and Vienna, and shares her thoughts on her new motion picture ‘The Carer’ that premiered in Hungarian cinemas on October28.
The More I Can Work, the Better
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portrait DIPLOMACY&TRADE: It’s been a busy 2016 for you, and it seems you cope perfectly with rehearsals, acting on stage and in movies while studying history and political science at NYU. Do you not sleep at all? COCO KÖNIG: During the summer my life got really crazy indeed, with rehearsing 15 hours a day – I did sleep, but quit everything else, you know, normal things such as checking my e-mails… As of September though, it is not unbearable at all. In fact, I enjoy being constantly involved in different projects. I guess it helps that I’m young and I regenerate quickly. DIPLOMACY&TRADE: You’re now 20 years-old. When did you first come up with the idea of acting? COCO KÖNIG: My relationship with theater started at a young age. One of the first plays I recall seeing is Nóra (A Doll's House) by Henrik Ibsen – I must have been 5 at the time. My mother realized that I was more interested in classical plays rather than children productions from an early age on. The theatre fascinated me right from the start. The theatre, and everything that comes with it is magical: the costumes and the make-up, the ever-changing scenery, even the smell. I also realized I love acting. I wanted to be a part of the world where people transform completely to the most different characters and then they change back again. DIPLOMACY&TRADE: Robert Shaw once wrote: “In these days of political, personal and economic disintegration, music is not a luxury, it's a necessity; not simply because it is therapeutic, nor because it is the universal language, but because it is the persistent focus of our intelligence, aspiration and goodwill.” You would say the same for theatre, right? COCO KÖNIG: That’s right: it's a necessity for me. I love acting on stage and also love watching others perform. I would watch the same play over and over again – for instance, at the Burgtheatre in Vienna, which is my dearest theatre, I’ve seen Tolstoy’s War and Peace 6 times. The theatre’s artistic director Matthias Hartmann was awarded with a special Johann Nestroy Prize for his open rehearsals of this piece. It is unbelievable that I had the opportunity to step on the same stage and play in Moliere’s Tartuffe. DIPLOMACY&TRADE: And as we speak, you are faking your own death night after night, on European stages. COCO KÖNIG: As Amalia in German playwright Friedrich Schiller’s play ‘Die Rauber’ (The Robbers) which premiered at the Salzburg Festival in late summer 2016. This is a touching love story that provided me the first chance to die on stage, and cry a lot. During rehearsals I was a mess. The play itself is very unique, because it is partly a theatre and partly a cinema production. We act in front of the audience plus 11 cameras as it is broadcasting live on national TV. It’s nice that the audience gets to see the stage and the screen above too, to see different angles of the same scene, and it’s also good for us, actors, to have it recorded.” DIPLOMACY&TRADE: You had also been playing with the Berliner Ensemble, in Germany. I’m curious: what is your mother language? COCO KÖNIG: My mom is Hungarian and my father is Austrian. I speak both languages plus English and French, but I have to say I’m most confident in German. DIPLOMACY&TRADE: In The Carer, the British-Hungarian comedy drama that currently screens countrywide in Hungary, you play a role of a Hungarian immigrant. Do you speak Hungarian in the film? COCO KÖNIG: I do. And, at one stage, I have to yell “Hungarian! I’m Hungarian!!!” when leading actor Brian Cox who plays Sir Michael Gifford calls me a “Romanian bitch.” The fact that I’m half-Hungarian helped at the casting. The film’s director János Edelényi saw a Hungarian-language article on me, illustrated with a photo by Hungarian photographer Kati Baricz. I was playing in Berlin at the time, and János came to see me on stage first. In fact, he couldn’t check me anywhere else, because I’ve never played in a movie before. I had worries at the start of the filming, but the crew was so nice, encouraging and inciting, and also, I felt I could relate very well to the role of Dorottya. DIPLOMACY&TRADE: For personal reasons, you mean? COCO KÖNIG: Oh yes. In the film, Dorottya wants nothing more than to make it on the English stage, she has a burning passion for acting – like I do. Also, she grew close to the old, iconic actor whom she takes care of, and who’s forced into retirement by Parkinson’s disease. He becomes Dorottya’s mentor. In real life, my own mentor, Swiss theatre director Luc Bondy was battling death for three years. I spent as much time with him as I could. He died last November. To me, The Carer is a tornado of emotions. DIPLOMACY&TRADE: I know that this year you are assigned with an agent. What are your plans for the near future? COCO KÖNIG: There are several projects coming up in the next months that will involve film and theatre. The more I can work, the better. The best case scenario would be to continue my studies while being able to do projects on stage and for film. I don’t mind if school would take me a year longer to finish. But I don’t want to drop out. I love student life and I love New York, especially Manhattan, where I live. I remember when I first went to Times Square, I literally had difficulties breathing, everything is so different than in Europe. Downtown SoHo in Manhattan, though – that part of the city has a certain European touch to it, and I feel comfortable there. DIPLOMACY&TRADE: What is your dream job? COCO KÖNIG: Working with Woody Allen, Wes Anderson and Alejandro G. Iñárritu.”
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CHRISTMAS CONCERT
DECEMBER 26 AT LISZT ACADEMY The Budapest Festival Orchestra is putting short but extremely popular works under their audience’s Christmas tree. Gábor Takács-Nagy has chosen works from a century’s worth of music: The early version of Beethoven’s Fidelio was still entitled Leonore when the composer wrote four distinct overtures to the composition while reworking the score. The most important elements of the opera’s plot appear in the third Leonore Overture, this will be performed during the concert. The resounding success of the Norwegian play Peer Gynt can be attributed as much to Ibsen’s genius as to Grieg’s music. The suite, compiled from the flashiest parts of the stage music, quickly found its way into concert halls. Tchaikovsky composed the Variations on a Rococo Theme for cello and orchestra in 1876, for the cellist Wilhelm Fitzenhagen. The piece, which consists of seven variations, has become a fundamental part of the cello repertoire. Saint-Saëns’ biblically themed opera and is perhaps the most often played of the romantic operas. Symphony orchestras also love performing the oriental colors of the famous ballet scene, the bacchanale. Paul Dukas’ most famous work is an orchestral Scherzo based on a ballad by Goethe, which employs orchestral means to tell the story of the literary work. Ravel originally composed Ma mere l’Oye for piano four hands, but orchestrated it in 1912 for the ballet stage. The ballet music has been one of the most popular pieces of his oeuvre ever since. Impressions of a journey in four movements. Mendelssohn’s symphony recalls his experiences, moods and flavors of his stay in Scotland. The hymnal end to the symphony’s last movement is a perfect concert finale. www.bfz.hu
SPIRIT OF HUNGARICUM
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DECEMBER 23 AND 27 AT MÜPA BUDAPEST The name of Ivan Vsevolozhsky, the one-time general director of the Imperial Theaters in Saint Petersburg and a fan of Tchaikovsky, is linked to the commissioning and staging of the composer's operas The Queen of Spades, Iolanta and The Enchantress, as well as the ballet The Sleeping Beauty. After this highly successful series of productions, the theater director wanted to stage a ballet that would surpass all before it in grandeur and spectacle. The choice fell upon E. T. A. Hoffmann's deservedly popular Christmas story, with choreography by the famed Marius Petipa and a significantly reworked plot. Naturally, he again commissioned Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky to compose the score for The Nutcracker, which would be his final ballet and last work for the stage. Premièring on December 18, 1892, the work contains many musical numbers which rank among the Russian composer's most beautiful music; deservedly enjoying huge popularity, the work continues to be performed around the world, particularly during Christmas. Today, the Christmas performance of The Nutcracker remains an indispensable fixture of the Hungarian National Philharmonic's concert season, as does the tradition whereby the work is presented not as a ballet, but in a dazzling production with the collaboration of the Budapest Puppet Theatre. Once again in 2016, the audience has the chance to enjoy the creatures of the Land of Sweets and the home of councilor Stahlbaum brought to life with the special magic of live musical accompaniment. The encounter with the counselor, Fritz, Marie, Drosselmeyer, the Nutcracker Prince and the Mouse King once again promises a memorable experience for the whole family. www.mupa.hu 2 0 1 6
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TCHAIKOVSKY: THE NUTCRACKER
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DECEMBER 12 AT BUDAPEST KONGRESSZUSI KÖZPONT 1123 BUDA E T, AGELL UTCA Piaf! The Show is on tour with more than 100 concerts selling out practically all over the world. Inspired by the internationally successful awardwinning movie 'La Vie en Rose’, Piaf! The Show tells the amazing story of the life and career of Edith Piaf through all of her hit songs and the amazing voice of Anne Carrere. The audience is taken on a journey through the streets of Montmartre and Olympia Hall during 1950’s PARIS. Never before seen photos and images of Edith Piaf, as well as the English translation of the lyrics to Edith’s storytelling melodies, will be shared through a unique audiovisual. www.piaf-theshow.hu
ÁKOS STILLER, GÁBOR KOTSCHY, ALAIN BIGUET, COURTESY PICTURE
PIAF! THE SHOW
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THRU DECEMBER AT GERBEAUD HOUSE A series of programs entitled ‘The Spirit of Hungaricum” invites visitors to Gerbeaud House during the Christmas Fair at Vörösmarty tér, which was chosen the most beautiful Christmas Fair in Europe. Designed to attract both Hungarians and foreigners, the program is jointly organized by the Estrade Theater, the Icon Production Society, the Herendi Porcelain Manufactory and Gerbeaud House, in order to introduce the creative philosophy behind Hungaricums. Accompanied by a number of daily cultural activities, such as concerts and family programs, a china exhibition with hundreds of Herend Porcelain artifacts will be on display every day between 10.00 AM and10.00 PM. This exhibit presents a unique collection called ‘Best of Herend’ that the public has never seen before. It includes rarities such as perfect porcelain replicas of the Holy Crown of Hungary and a statue of St. Stephen, the first king of Hungary. Kossuth-prize winner Imre Schrammel’s one-meter-tall porcelain statues from his Carnival series are also on display, as well as two highly innovative china pieces - a dragon and a prancing horse that are covered in platinum and look like as if they are made of metal. Visitors may learn about platinum ornaments and traditional Herend patterns such as the Apponyi, Victoria and Vienna Rose during a number of presentations held on a regular basis at Gerbaud House. For a complete experience, music and dance performances will be staged at the Hungaricum Podium every night between 6.00 PM and 10.00 PM. The colorful repertoire includes jazz by Béla Szakcsi Lakatos Béla, Mihály Borbély, Mihály Dresch and Miklós Lukács Miklós, in addition to opera pieces and classical music concerts.
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GLORIA GAYNOR CONCERT
DECEMBER 29 AT PAPP LÁSZLÓ BUDAPEST SPORTARÉNA In 1979, “I Will Survive” climbed to the top of Billboard’s Pop Charts and claimed the Nr. 1 position on two different occasions. Little did Gloria Gaynor know, the song would grow into the banner for social survival which is still relevant after three decades of international airplay. The song itself has survived and has been re-recorded over 200 times by accomplished artists such as Gladys Knight, Chantay Moore, Diana Ross and Cake. In 1975, Gloria made history when Billboard gave birth to the ‘Disco Action Charts.’ Gaynor’s version of ‘Never Can Say Good-Bye’ became the first dance song to reach Nr. 1 status in dance music, in 1980, ‘I Will Survive’ won the Grammy for Best Disco Song and, in 1984, Gloria recorded ‘I Am What I Am’, which reached the Top 10 on Billboard’s Dance Disco Hits. Now, more than 30 years later, Gloria continues to set the standard. She made a splash on Broadway in the longest running musical revue, ‘Smokey Joe’s Café’, and on national TV, as a guest star on such popular programs as ‘That ‘70’s Show’, ‘Ally McBeal’, ‘The Wayans Brothers’ Show’, ‘Don’t Forget The Lyrics’, and more, introducing her to a whole new generation of fans. Gloria has touched audiences in more than 80 countries with her electrifying performances. On September 19, 2005 Gloria, along with her hit song ‘I Will Survive’ were inducted into the Dance Music Hall of Fame during a ceremony that took place in New York City. ‘I Will Survive’, has been featured on the soundtrack of more than a half dozen major motion picture releases, and VH-1 honored Ms. Gaynor with the number one spot during their countdown of the Top 100 Dance Records of All Time. www.budapestarena.hu
BOLSHOI - VERDI & PUCCINI OPERA GALA
DECEMBER 12 AT THE ERKEL THEATRE Moscow's Bolshoi Theatre is both one of the most famous opera houses in the world and Russia's premier musical theater, and its soloists will be coming to Hungary in December. Opera singers Elena Zelenskaya, Svetlana Shilova, Andrei Grigoriev, Roman Muravitsky, Olga Obramova and Alexei Nekluyudov will be delighting the Erkel Theatre audience with works by Verdi and Puccini in an opera gala featuring excerpts from the most popular Italian operas: Tosca, La traviata, La bohème, Rigoletto and Aida, with music supplied by the Monarchy Symphonic Orchestra under the baton of Kossuth Prize-winning conductor Ádám Medveczky. www.jegy.hu
13TH SANTA RUN
ÁKOS STILLER, GÁBOR KOTSCHY, ALAIN BIGUET, COURTESY PICTURE
SIMON ANNAND, COURTESY PICTURES
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DECEMBER 11 This annual community jog does not draw the crowds that the major marathons do, however it is a lot more spectacular, especially when it comes to the outfits of the joggers: sneakers, Santa hats, Speedos and bikinis only. The craze began in Boston, USA, in 2000, in an effort to raise money for charity. Since then, similar events have been held around the globe, including Budapest. This year, participants will gather at Gozsdu Yard, downtown, and make their way to Városliget (City Park) where they will crown their efforts by collectively jumping in the hot baths at Széchenyi Spa. The funds raised this year will support the Team Heart Foundation. www.mikulaskocogas.hu
PETER BROOK: BATTLEFIELD
DECEMBER 14-16, AT TRAFÓ "...a dazzling piece of theatre that makes us contemplate the endless cycle of human destruction but induces a sense of resignation rather than rousing us to action." (MICHAEL BILLINGTON, THE GUARDIAN) Three decades ago, Peter Brook’s production of the Mahabharata helped to redefine theater. It not only made the ancient Sanskrit text available to a global audience but also proved a piece of epic theater could be created out of the elementary ingredients of earth, fire and water. Now Brook and his long-time collaborator, Marie-Hélène Estienne, have returned to the same source and fashioned a remarkable 65-minute piece that is clearly intended as a parable for our times. Using four actors and a musician, Brook and Estienne evoke the apocalyptic aftermath of a great war between rival members of the same family. Yudhishthira, the king of the Pandavas, confronts the fact that, with millions lying dead on the battlefield, victory feels like a defeat. www.trafo.hu
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gastronomy According to Cremona, Italian gastronomy is ‘Trumped’. “Most Italian foodies already refer to American President-elect Donald Trump as a scourge, who, simply because of his victory over Hillary Clinton, prevented an Italian chef to make it to the White House as head chef. (Rumors had it that Walter Potenza was on Clinton’s short list of candidates.) Cremona, a highly respected food writer in Italy, arrived to Budapest on the invitation of the Italian Institute for Foreign Trade (ICE) in November. The very tall and very thin gastrojournalist, who is famous for his refined palate and also for being able to judge from one single bite (that is the so-called Portion Cremona), says his critical reviews do not tend to ‘make or break’ people. “I do not criticize sharply, but always report on the food I taste, directly to the chef or management. Knowing that no one is infallible, I would tell my impressions, with great respect. We are humans, after all,” he says, adding that with unimaginable amount of dishes tasted during his career, he has developed his own way of testing where all his senses are involved. “Complex, as it is, when dining, I need to evaluate not only on the dish I’m presented, but the chef behind it, the knowledge and attitude of the waiters and the whole environment. I always keep in mind where I am, what type of restaurant I entered, and if that type is in harmony with the food served, the equipment and methods presumably used in the kitchen, the kitchenware on my table, I’m satisfied,” says Cremona, who thinks even the distance between the tables say a lot on the philosophy of the restaurant. “Paying attention on even the slightest details, which my wife Florenza documents by making photos, most of the time I foresee the dish before it gets to the table, and 90 times out of 100 before sampling I already know what flavors I will meet. Of course I like being surprised, in the good sense, unexpectedly,” he adds. He notes that Avant-garde cuisine amazes him, and molecular gastronomy, with hopes that those chefs who create spherical ravioli, porchetta ice cream and ‘pig’s ear lollipop’, can cook a good pasta arrabiata too, and do not lack the basics of cooking. To Cremona, harmony and balance are very important factors, whatever he tastes and sees.
In an exclusive interview, Diplomacy&Trade asked Italian gastronomy expert and journalist Luigi Cremona on his opinion on molecular gastronomy, the chef contest he heads and if he can really judge from one single bite.
FOOD IS NOT ONLY A NUTRITION - IT IS CULTURE INTERVIEW WITH LUIGI CREMONA
As a new promotional initiative of the Italian Government to highlight Italian quality cuisine, a whole week was dedicated to Italian gastronomy in November, worldwide. No less than 105 countries lined up to organize up to 1300 events covering a wide spectrum of cuisine-themed activities. The events ranged from conferences, seminars, debates on the culinary Italian tradition, meetings with chefs and master classes to promotional events with local Italian restaurants, trade fairs, cooking shows and classes, tastings and themed dinners. In Hungary, the First Italian Cuisine in the World Week was organized by the Italian Institute for Foreign Trade (I.C.E) on November 21-27. As a highlight of the event series, on November 24 a roundtable-discussion and cooking show was held, with the motto ’Eating Healthy & Italian,’ presenting Michelin star chef Marco Stabile and gastronomic journalist Luigi Cremona, along with a number of Italian and Hungarian celebrities, chefs and restaurant owners.
BUDAPEST BISZTRÓ SERVES THE REAL THING
present the perfect version of them. “With many years of experience, I reached a point in my career when instead of following gastro trends I decided to focus on the harmony of tastes above all. Here, traditional and characteristic dishes such as gulyás and lecsó look and taste just as they should: like in your grandma’s kitchen. We are committed to the use of the finest ingredients available, preferably from Hungarian sources,” says Gyula, adding that bread, pasta and hamburger buns are all made in their own bakery. From the current menu he suggests tasting the ‘autumn-winter take’ on the all-time favorite Budapest
‘The One Gulyás’ Budapest Bisztró, located in the heart of the city in the vicinity of the Parliament, overlooking Szabadság Square, is known for its legendary gulyás soup. When it comes to Hungarian top gastronomy the restaurant is a perfect choice for both native and foreign gastro-enthusiasts. Instead of renewing recipes Chef Gyula Molnár is committed to preserve original tastes and
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steak: a 30 days dry aged rump steak served with potato gratin, garlic green beans and red wine flavored apple puree which he describes as a real champion. The chef notes that Budapest Bisztró offers a wide breakfast selection in the morning, with beautiful homemade cakes and pastries. “Our 3-course business lunch menu is also very popular. Evenings often include live music, creating a classic piano bar atmosphere. Guests may also dine in our fantastic, state-ofthe-art wine cellar for a unique experience.” 1054 Budapest, Vécsey utca 3. Tel.: +36 1 783 0788 www.budapest-bistro.hu
HARANGOZÓ, DÁVID BORSOS, KIRALYFOTOGRAFUS/WWWW.KIRALY.HU
FIRST ITALIAN CUISINE IN THE WORLD WEEK
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The food critic who is originally a trained mechanical engineer – a profession he carried out for many years up until he found out his passion of tasting and writing about it grew big ger than a usual hobby, has built up an image that, according to many, unquestionably resembles of Anton Ego, the food critic in the Disney movie ‘Ratatouille’. He says he has no connection to the film’s director Brian Bird, and he believes the idea was born in Italy – but he does not mind the comparison. He enjoys his job, and travels 800 thousand kilometers annually to visit as many restaurants (some 400) as he can. He mentions that from Budapest, he will soon fly to Milan, to conduct his signature chef contest’s Northern round, that will, for the twelfth time in 2017, culminate in finding the best up-and-coming (no more than 30-year-old) chef in Italy. “I’m looking for young spirit,” he says, adding, that in a chef, he looks for enthusiasm, recognizable character, freshness, and a desire for life-time learning. “I like competitions, those are the base of development.” Before saying goodbye, Cremona asks for suggestions of friendly places he must visit while in Budapest, and promises he will, sometime, figure out if Hungary is highly-centralized as France, in the terms of cuisine, or it resembles more of Italy, where every region is incomparably different.
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gastronomy JACK DANIEL’S CELEBRATES 150 YEARS INTERVIEW WITH JEFF ARNETT Jack Danel’s celebrates its 150th anniversary this year, which is a real milestone in the history of the brand. On this occasion, Jack Daniel’s surprises fans around the world with special treats, events and games. Moreover, a Jack Daniel’s 150 Pop Up Bar opened its gates in Budapest at Szervita Square, to bring a piece of Lynchburg to Hungary. Jeff Arnett, the 7th Master Distiller of the Jack Daniel Distillery since 2008, told Diplomacy&Trade about the world-wide barrel hunt game, whiskey drinking habits and the limited edition Jack Daniel’s. When not in Lynchburg, Jeff travels the world as an ambassador for Jack Daniel’s, sharing the brand’s stories with all he meets. DIPLOMACY&TRADE: Jack Daniel’s celebrates its 150th anniversary this year. For this event, the company started a unique, worldwide campaign called the barrel hunt. Tell us, how did this idea come about? JEFF ARNETT: Our friends across the world are always welcome to visit us at the Jack Daniel Distillery but we know this isn’t possible for everyone. To celebrate our special anniversary, we challenged ourselves to find a way to take a taste of our Distillery to the world and that’s where the idea of a whiskey barrel scavenger hunt was born. Whiskey barrels connect our past with our present. They are more than a container for whiskey, they are an ingredient. That’s why we’ve always insisted on making our own. The Jack Daniel’s Barrel Hunt ran in over 50 countries and created great moments of celebration that will last much longer than our anniversary year.
prizes determined by the local team in each country. Finally, the actual barrel found by the winner was an authentic Jack Daniel’s barrel customized for the barrel hunt and also a prize. DIPLOMACY&TRADE: In the US, drinking whiskey is a great tradition. How do the European customs of consumption differ from the „native” US customs? JEFF ARNETT: Whiskey cocktails have always been more of a US tradition, while adding a drop of water and consuming whiskey neat has been more of a Scotch /European form of whiskey consumption. DIPLOMACY&TRADE: For this special occasion the Jack Daniel’s company brought a 150th anniversary whiskey to the market. What is new about the limited edition? JEFF ARNETT: Since we are the only major distillery to make our own barrels, we saw the
JEFF ARNETT: Two things come to mind. First, I think he'd be proud that we've stayed in the Cave Spring Hollow in Lynchburg, Tennessee and continue to make every drop of Jack Daniel's whiskey using this special spring water, and second, I think he'd be proud that we have continued to charcoal mellow every drop of Tennessee Whiskey that bears his name.
DIPLOMACY&TRADE: And now, the everlasting question, with or without ice? How did Jack himself drink his whiskey? And how do you prefer it? JEFF ARNETT: The good thing about Jack Daniel's is that it is not overly sensitive to temperature changes. You can cool our whiskey down or heat it up and the flavor tends to hold in either direction. I personally prefer our Jack Daniel's Single Barrel whiskey on ice. From an old newspaper story, we found on Jack Daniel's personal drinking preference, at the end of the work day, he'd take a fresh bottle of whiskey, pour two fingers worth into a glass, and then add a half lump of sugar and tanzy, a medicinal herb that was never quite as popular as mint, and created a "tanzy julep" to drink. DIPLOMACY&TRADE: If Jack Daniel visited the distillery in Lynchburg today, in 2016, what would he be mostCityTaxi_Hirdetes.ai proud of? 1 2015.01.20. 8:26:22
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DIPLOMACY&TRADE: In every country there were different prizes to be found in the barrels. How did you decide which prizes should go to the winners in each country? JEFF ARNETT: Inside every barrel was an original Jack Daniel’s bar kit filled with essential items to make your favorite Jack Daniel’s cocktails. The bar kits were handmade with the same white oak and barrelheads used to make a barrel. Additionally, each barrel contained other very special and unique
anniversary as an opportunity to replicate the barrel charring process of 1866 when everything would have been done by hand. Back in those days, it would have taken longer to heat the barrel to the point of charring, so you naturally created more toasted sugars than charred sugars. By lengthening the time in our toasting process and shortening the time in our charring process, we were able to bring out more of the barrel's complex sweet notes while avoiding any bitterness or aftertaste from charring.
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Mercedes-Benz. For those who represent. Discover our new tax-free Mercedes-Benz diplomatic offers. Diplomats definitely know how important it is to make a good impression. That is why Mercedes-Benz created special deals for those who represent entire countries. Learn more about our new tax-free offers and choose the Mercedes-Benz that suits your demands the most. www.mercedes-benz.hu/diplomatic-sales
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