Lajos Pesti

He began working at the National Social Security Institute (OTI). In 1948, he joined the Central Statistical Office (KSH), where he headed the Machine Data Processing Department, which processed census data, from 1949. He performed his work so successfully that the Council of Ministers entrusted the KSH with managing the country's punch card machine stock.

In 1952, he was appointed head of the Metropolitan Directorate of the Central Statistical Office. In 1961, he was tasked with organizing the computer technology institutional system of the Central Statistical Office, first as head of department, and then as deputy chairman from 1974. As a continuation of this, he was given a leading role in managing the Unified Computer System (ESZR) and then the Minicomputer System (MSZR) of the socialist countries, and later became the chief designer of the Computer Applications Council (SZAT) of the socialist countries.

He was one of the developers of the Central Computer Development Program (SZKFP) approved by the Hungarian government. His duties expanded from the 1960s to include coordinating the country's electronic data processing systems, and then (after this also meant managing the import of computers), IBM Hungary also came under his supervision.
He was the chief designer of the SZKFP Application Council and also the Hungarian chief designer of the computer technology application cooperation of the socialist countries.

He is an outstanding founder of Hungarian computing life. Together with the deputy chairman of the National Technical Development Committee (OMFB), János Sebestyén, they developed the basic structures and institutional system of Hungarian computing, and a well-thought-out network of institutions promoting the use of computers. Thus, the Information Processing Laboratory (Infelor) was established for the purpose of developing computing model applications, the Computer Training Center (Számok) for training in computing skills, and the National Computer Company (OSZV) for the import, installation, and service of computers. The country's data processing was organized around the county computer centers of the Computer Administration Organization Company (SZÜV), while the State Administration Computer Service (ÁSZSZ) was established to serve state administration tasks. The National Computer Office (OSZI) of the Central Statistical Office (KSH) performed coordinating tasks.

He is credited with establishing the Hungarian electronic media: the Statistical Publishing Company and the Computer Information Office. He published the first computer science monthly (Computer Science) and the scientific magazine (Information Electronics). He established the Video Studio in Numbers.
He is a founding member of the National Association of Hungarian Computer Engineers (NJSZT). After his retirement, he was a consultant to the Computer Application Company (Számalk) for many years.

Honors: Neumann Prize (NJSZT, 1978); Golden Cross of Merit of the Republic of Hungary (Hungarian State, 2003); Lifetime Achievement Award (NJSZT, 2011).