New CEO at Continental Tobacco Corp.

On January 1, 2026, Zoltán Magyari, previously Deputy CEO, took over the management of Continental Tobacco Corporation from Csaba Füzi, who had served as CEO since June 2005. Following in the footsteps of his predecessor, the new CEO considers predictable growth and increased operational efficiency to be his primary tasks, while adapting to changes in the highly regulated tobacco market environment.

Csaba Füzi served as CEO of Continental Tobacco Corp. for more than 20 years, and from January 1, 2026, he supports the new management as an advisor for six months until his retirement. The new CEO, Zoltán Magyari, previously worked with Csaba Füzi as deputy CEO, so the change ensures continuity of operations, predictable development of the company in the medium and long term, and effective adaptation to changes in the tobacco industry, based on a clear strategy, acccording to a statement by the company.

Under Csaba Füzi's leadership, Continental Tobacco Corp. underwent significant development: the company's workforce grew from 170 to more than 900, making it one of the largest employers in Sátoraljaújhely (NE Hungary) and the surrounding area. Numerous successful investments and product developments can be attributed to the former CEO, while the company has strengthened its presence in both the domestic and international markets. The introduction and roll-out of natural tobacco-wrapped cigar production and the associated expansion technology, as well as several innovative technological developments, played an important role in this expansion.

Throughout his career, Csaba Füzi has been committed to supporting the survival of tobacco cultivation in Hungary, the company's expansion abroad and the development of its international network of contacts. As a result, Continental's products manufactured in Sátoraljaújhely are now sold in 40 countries.

Zoltán Magyari takes over the management of the company with more than 25 years of senior management experience, which he gained at multinational FMCG, food, plastics and tobacco companies prior to joining Continental. He previously held positions as plant manager and deputy plant manager at Nestlé, FrieslandCampina and Serioplast, with decision-making responsibility that also affected business performance. His professional career has been characterized by a commitment to operational excellence: he has implemented complex cost reduction and efficiency improvement projects, CapEx investments, and programs aimed at introducing LEAN and TPM systems.

He says "it is a great honor for me to take over the duties of CEO from Csaba Füzi on January 1, 2026. I greatly appreciate the results achieved under his leadership over the past two decades. I would like to continue in the direction he has set by strengthening our operations, developing a corporate culture that is competitive in the long term, and adapting to the new challenges of the regulated tobacco industry environment."

Continental Tobacco Corp. is the only Hungarian family-owned player in the tobacco industry.