Hungary’s spectacular FDI trajectory, how the country has become a strong foothold for high-value investments’

Ferenc Kumin is an economist, political scientist, and international relations expert. He holds two MAs, one from the Corvinus University of Budapest, the other from Central European University, and has earned his PhD degree at the former. He started his career as a political analyst in 2002, with frequent appearances in various media. In the meantime, he started his guest lecturing activity at Századvég Political School, Corvinus University of Budapest, later at Budapest College of Communication and Business, Pázmány Péter Catholic University, and Mathias Corvinus Collegium.

In 2006, he became Head of Department at the Office of the President of the Republic, responsible for the communication and strategic planning of the former Head of State, László Sólyom. Before becoming Deputy State Secretary at the Prime Minister’s Office, responsible for international communications in 2012, he worked for two years as a senior analyst at a conservative think tank, Századvég Foundation.

In 2014, he was appointed as Consul General of Hungary in New York. After returning to Budapest in 2018, he served as Deputy State Secretary for the Development of European and North American Relations in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. From May 2020, Ferenc Kumin has been the Hungarian Ambassador to the Court of St James’s in London.

Born on 30th January, 1987 in Budapest.

Graduated from Ferenc Kölcsey High School of Budapest in 2006, subsequently he conferred his degree in the faculty of Social Studies and International Studies at Corvinus University of Budapest in 2010.

Head of the Section Responsible for Cross-Border Infrastructure Development, State Secretariat for Exterior Economic Relations at the Ministry of National Economy between 2010 and 2012. Deputy Head of the International Staff Department at the Prime Minister’s Office in 2012. Deputy State Secretary for Foreign Affairs at the Prime Minister’s Office between 2012 July and 2014 July. Deputy State Secretary for Economic Diplomacy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade between 2014 July and September.

Ministerial Commissioner for Franchophone Affairs since 2014 September. State Secretary for Economic Diplomacy between 2014 October and 2017 August. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade since 2017 August.

Is a practising Calvinist, married with four daughters. He speaks 4 languages, apart from Hungarian: English, French, German and Spanish.

Melanie has over 35 years’ experience in Finance and Banking holding senior roles in Technology, Operations, and Change Management as well as running her own business. She is passionate about education and developing the next generation of leader’s.

She spent 15 years as an Entrepreneur starting and running 2 businesses. The first in Technology followed by a Mortgage company.

She joined BlackRock in 2011 after 2 years as a Benefits Consultant at Hewitt. At BlackRock she first led a UK Pensions business before being asked to move to Hungary to setup the Blackrock Innovation Hub. In 2020 Melanie was appointed as the Global Head of Client Experience where she is responsible for delivering an outstanding client
experience to new and existing clients across all products and distribution channels.
In 2015 and 2019 Melanie was recognized as one of Brummells Top 30 Inspiring Women in the City.

She joined the Advisory Board of Women in Banking and Finance in 2017 after three years as Vice President.

In 2018 Melanie was awarded the Knight of Cross from the Order of Merit of the Hungarian Republic as an acknowledgement of the valuable contribution to the modernisation and improvement of the Hungarian economy, the financial system and the strengthening of the innovation capability of the country.

Remigijus Narauskas is a Lithuanian business executive with extensive experience in the pharmaceutical industry. As of July 2023, he serves as the Managing Director of Gedeon Richter (UK) Limited, overseeing the company's operations in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Remigijus has held multiple leadership roles within the Gedeon Richter Group. Prior to his current position, he was the General Director of Gedeon Richter in Kazakhstan.

Narauskas holds degrees in both medicine and business. He graduated from the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences with a medical degree and later earned a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) in Vienna University Executive Academy.