Former Eisberg Manager Zoltán Gazsi Passes Away

Zoltán Gazsi, the founder of the 'Day of Selflessness' initiative and former managing director of Eisberg Hungary, has passed away after a long illness borne with dignity. He appeared frequently in the pages of Diplomacy&Trade over the past 12 years.

Zoltán Gazsi graduated from the University of Agricultural Sciences in Gödöllő in 1989. He first worked at the Agricultural Certification Institute, then spent 14 years in a multinational setting at Syngenta: after managing the Ócsa Experimental Station, he took on various marketing and project coordination roles covering an increasingly broad scope, spanning nearly every continent. From 2007 until mid-2025, he led the Eisberg salad processing plant in Gyál, south of Budapest.

Eisberg describes him as having made the company "a standard-bearer for sustainable, ethical, and people-centered operations over the course of nearly two decades.” He was a committed advocate of coaching-based leadership, the development of self-awareness, and psychological support for employees; as a leader, he has always strived to ensure that his colleagues enjoy what they do. His name is associated with numerous social causes, educational programs, and awards. He has become known, among other things, as an ambassador for KórházSuli [HospitalSchool], a member of the BCSDH board of directors, and a recipient of the 'Manager of the Year for Social Responsibility' award.

In recent years, alongside his family and company leadership, social responsibility and shaping the mindset of business communities and those beyond have played an increasingly important role in Zoltán Gazsi’s life. At the end of April, he realized a long-held dream by bringing together nearly 1,000 people, including representatives from dozens of civil society organizations, for the first Day of Selflessness.

As the index.hu news portal puts it, Zoltán Gazsi’s story was one of a long, tumultuous battle against cancer, which put not only him but also his family through a serious ordeal. Yet, the sense of calm and togetherness that radiated from him and his wife played a key role in helping him maintain his composure for so long. He openly embraced his illness and navigated this situation with honesty within his workplace community as well.

Last year, Zoltán Gazsi published a book, in Hungarian and English, entitled 'Human Perspective', written, as he put it, by 'a life-loving manager' – an informative life story with a lot of humor.