Four Re-Elected, Two New Members on HBLF Board

The Hungarian Business Leaders Forum (HBLF) held its general meeting to elect new officers at a time when the responsibility of business leaders extends beyond economic performance: trust, ethical conduct, and value-based decision-making have become fundamental prerequisites for competitiveness, according to a HBLF statement.

The business leaders’ community, which looks back on more than three decades of history and has over 100 members, re-elected Andrea Istenes Solti as president and confirmed the terms of four board members – András Bácsfalvi, Teodóra Bodó and Beáta Juvancz, and elected two new members to the board: Gabriella Heiszler and Ágnes Kovács. In the coming term, the HBLF will continue to place diversity, responsible corporate governance and value-based leadership at the center of its work.

One of the key objectives for the coming period is for the HBLF to further strengthen programs that generate genuine social and business impact. These include the International X Mentor Program, the Board-Level Program launched to support balanced boards and responsible corporate governance, the Financial Summit conference series – now in its 20th year – and support for the Romaster Foundation. These initiatives operate in different fields but share the same set of values: they create a platform where talent, responsibility, and opportunity come together.

HBLF President Andrea Istenes Solti stated that it is a great honor for her that the HBLF membership has placed its trust in her to continue serving as president. “To me, the HBLF is a values-based leadership community that champions responsible corporate governance, values-based leadership, and diversity – all of which are essential foundations for a successful business environment. I see the strength of this organization, which will celebrate its 35th anniversary next year, in the fact that, building on long-term partnerships, we have always responded to relevant economic and social issues with pioneering initiatives and programs. We will continue to uphold this approach and commitment in the future, in line with the HBLF’s mission: ‘The future belongs to everyone’.”

András Bácsfalvi, partner at Ernst & Young Consulting and board member responsible for the ethics working group, emphasized that “I believe that the HBLF is not merely a business community, but a compass and a standard-setting force for domestic corporate leadership; therefore, I am committed to further strengthening the strategic development of an ethical, responsible, and sustainable business culture in Hungary.”

As Teodóra Bodó, Director of Communications and Governmental Relations for Hungary and the Adriatic Region and a member of the executive board responsible for communication, put it, “I believe that a community of responsible companies can have a positive impact on economic and social processes, and the Hungarian Business Leaders Forum plays an indispensable role in this. The HBLF shapes responsible business thinking and strengthens value-based dialogue in Hungary. “I am convinced that we, as business leaders, have not only an economic responsibility but also a very serious social responsibility: what kind of future are we building together for the next generations?”

Gabriella Heiszler, Managing Director of SPAR Hungary. and board member responsible for the EU Diversity Charter, added that “I am delighted to join the HBLF; the mentoring program and the equal opportunity charter are of particular importance to me.”

The HBLF’s goal is to create leadership dialogues and programs that address issues relevant to Hungarian business life, such as the Financial Summit and the CEO Forum. The organization’s operations thus combine corporate leadership responsibility, social impact, and support for future generations.

One of the community’s key strengths is that it brings together members from diverse industries, organizational backgrounds, and leadership experiences. This diversity ensures that the HBLF not only responds to change but also actively shapes responsible business thinking, the statement says.