Gabor Széles

After graduating from university, he worked as a scientific associate at the Eötvös Loránd Geophysical Research Institute (ELGI) until 1981, then as head of the development department.

In 1981, he started his first joint venture with András Kőszegvári – Műszertechnika Pjt, originally founded for the assembly and development of geodetic instruments. From then on, he worked in the world of private entrepreneurs. From 1983, his enterprise was transformed into an economic working community (GMK), then into a small cooperative, and in 1990 into a limited liability company. The company later attracted several companies, when its activities mainly extended to industrial production and financial services, and it also had a significant real estate portfolio. – Initially, he was the president of Műszertechnika, and then from 1990, its president and CEO.

He joined Videoton in 1991; since 1991, he has managed and owned the company together with Péter Lakatos and Ottó Sinkó, the founding owners of Videoton Holding. From 1996, he also became the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Ikarus Rt.

He is the president of the National Association of Hungarian Industrialists, founded in 1990. Since 1998, he has been the co-president and then president of the National Association of Employers and Industrialists (MGYOSZ) (which united the two associations), and since 2008, he has been its honorary president.

Vice-President of the International Congress of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs since 2004. President of the Scientific Society of Organization and Management between 2003-2005, President of the Federation of Technical and Natural Science Associations (MTESZ) between 2004-2006, President of the International Federation of Industrial Centers since 1993.

In 2005, he founded the first Hungarian economic television company under the name ECHO Hungária TV Zrt., of which he is the majority owner. In 2005, he bought the company that published Magyar Hírlapot. In 2006, he created Hungary's first lifestyle channel, Vital TV.

Awards: Neumann Award (NJSZT, 1990); Eötvös Loránd Award (Council of Ministers, 1994); Entrepreneur of the Year (National Association of Entrepreneurs and Employers (VOSZ), 1998); Presidential Gold Medal (2000); Mercur Award (Hungarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, MKIK, 2005); Knight's Cross of the Order of Valor and Grand Cross of the Order of Saint Gellért (2006); Báthory Award (Transylvanian Hungarian National Council, EMNT, 2007); National Journalism Award, Gold Grade (Association of Independent Journalists (FÚSZ), 2009); Middle Cross of the Hungarian Order of Merit with the Star (Hungarian State, 2013).