VOL. 31. NUMBER 12 | JUNE 16 – JUNE 29, 2023
HUF 2,100 | EUR 5 | USD 6 | GBP 4
HUNGARY’S PRACTICAL BUSINESS BI-WEEKLY SINCE 1992 | WWW.BUDAPESTBUSINESSJOURNAL.COM
SPECIAL REPORT INSIDE THIS ISSUE
ICT
Inside Hungary’s Cuttingedge AI Research Group Szeged, a quiet riverside university town in Hungary’s southeast is home to the ELKH-SZTE Research Group. With origins in the 1960s, it is currently a platform for cutting-edge work on the application and potential of AI. 16
Cloud Tech Takes Center Stage: BT’s Vision for Innovation BT has reaffirmed its commitment to Hungary by opening its new office. In an exclusive interview, Joris van Oers, BT’s managing director, Global, sheds light on the company’s strategic focus on cloud technology and the talent available in Hungary. 17
Identifying the way Ahead
SOCIALITE
Art Collection Returns to Hungary and Goes on Sale
The remarkable story of a Hungarian couple who became fine art collectors and dealers in America is coming to light as their artworks are being auctioned in a series of singleowner online events in Budapest. 22
NEWS
May Inflation Data Offers Positive Surprise
The start of summer brought good news and bad. While sky-rocketing inflation finally seems to be slowing down visibly, industrial production broke a three-year negative record. 3
SPECIAL REPORT
FaceKom CEO Zsigmond Bodnár discusses the transformation of the company from fledgling startup to a leading player in Hungary’s remote client identification industry. 18
BUSINESS
Continental Celebrates 3 Decades of Innovation
Continental in Veszprém is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. The automotive technology company’s site is now working for global markets, developing, testing and manufacturing various sensors for vehicle safety systems, batteries and travel comfort. 9