Traditionally, leading players of the Fejér county industrial sector jointly sought answers at the event on how they can adapt to the rapidly changing economic environment.

The forum was opened by Dr. András Cser-Palkovics, Mayor of Székesfehérvár, who emphasized that the success of the city and the economy are inseparable. “Cooperation between the city and the economy strengthens both sides. Székesfehérvár can only develop if the economy remains competitive,” he said.

The opening presentations of the forum were delivered by the CEOs of the VIDEOTON Group. Ottó Sinkó drew attention to the fact that today global competition is taking place between continents, while exporting companies are increasingly challenged by the strengthening forint and an unpredictable business environment. “The current euro exchange rate is extremely unfavorable for companies,” he stressed, adding that VIDEOTON expects stable operations this year but no growth.

Co-CEO Péter Lakatos said that the current situation forces companies to adapt and to change their attitudes, which necessarily includes improving efficiency. In recent years, companies’ financial performance was supported by exchange rates; “now there is an opportunity to prove our competitiveness,” he said. He emphasized that Europe and Hungary must rely on their own resources and efficiency to succeed in global competition.

The macroeconomic outlook of the forum was presented by Dávid Németh, chief analyst at K&H Bank. In his presentation, he said that the impact of global cost shocks is expected to appear in Hungary as well, and inflation could rise above 5% by early 2027. He expects GDP growth of 1.5% this year, while in his view “the market has become overly optimistic,” and many questions remain regarding economic policy. According to the expert, if a credible path towards euro adoption emerges, the euro could be introduced in the long term at an exchange rate below 350.

At the closing roundtable discussion, leaders of key industrial companies in the region shared their experiences. Participants agreed that energy prices, exchange rate volatility, and a lack of predictability represent the biggest challenges for Hungarian industry today. However, the overall tone of the forum was cautious optimism: most companies are preparing for stable operations, while improving efficiency and competitiveness remains their most important task in the coming years.