Career History

current,
2019 -

Associate professor -
University of Szeged, Faculty of Economy and Business Administration
Lecturing graduate foreign students in English and supporting the research activities of the Institute of Business Studies.

2015-2019

Chief Operating Officer – Cellum Group
Managing the business activities in Cellum Group and all subsidiaries. As Vice-CEO responsible for daily operations, technical development and supports, R&D as well as sales & marketing.

2014-2015

MD Barco Germany, VP Corporate Business Development
Managing director (“Geshefsführer”) of the legal entities in Germany based in the R&D and service center located in Karlsruhe. Operating the Merger and Acquisition activities of Barco worldwide. Responsible for divestment and investment projects of Barco and subsidiaries.

2011-2014

MD Barco India, VP Sales EMEAI
Managing director of the manufacturing site as well as service company in India having the permanent office in the factory located in Noida. Head of sales activities in the EMEAI growth region for all business units of Barco; the top-end developer and producer of professional visual solutions.

2010- 2011

Chief Executive Officer – Cellum International Ltd.
Head of the international subsidiary of the Hungarian market leader in mobile payment solutions, Cellum. The Cellum Group develops and operates Near Field Communication and mobile device based payment solutions for the EMEA countries.

2009-2010

Special Envoy of the Prime Minister of Hungary of International Economic Affairs
In charge of managing projects which require special attention of the Prime Minister of Hungary due to their size, national economic interest or national security. Among others: executive negotiator to the Russian partner of MALEV Hungarian Airlines, and to Daimler Benz, concerning its investment project in Hungary.

2010

Director of International Relations, Hungarian Development Bank
Conducts and coordinates the Bank’s projects with major international investors (from Russia, Ukraine, Spain, Germany, U.K) mainly in the heavy -, chemical -, construction- and automotive industries.

2007-2009

State Secretary for International Economic Relations of the Ministry for National Development and Economy (former Ministry of Economy and Transport) as well as Government Commissioner for International Economic Affairs
Policy making and execution of the Hungarian Republic’s foreign investment (FDI) and international trade promotion. In this respect, the State Secretary was responsible for 250 civil servants, 150 diplomats, their staff in 42 countries and 200 employees at the Hungarian Investment and Trade Development Agency (ITDH). During this period, the inflow of foreign investments to Hungary exceeded the value of HUF 1500 billion. Among others, Daimler Mercedes, Hankook Tyres, Briston, Audi, Bosch, National Instrument, EDS U.K. entered the Hungarian market or enlarged their business in Hungary. The State Secretary was the ultimate decision-maker in terms of the state aid, the location finding, and the human resources management of the project. As a diplomat, the Government Commissioner’s primary task was to reach favorable results for Hungary in the international trade and capital flow. During this period, Hungary achieved a positive trade balance for the first time since the regime change. The State Secretary was also the chief negotiator to the World Trade Organization. Mr. Garamhegyi represented the Republic of Hungary as a regular speaker at more than hundred international conferences, road shows and university lectures.

2006-2007

Deputy Minister, Ministry of Economy and Transport
The political and executive deputy of the Minister was responsible for the operation of the Ministry and the only person who was entitled to act on behalf of the Minister. The Deputy Minister was also Head of the National Emergency Unit in the field of energy, transport and economic emergency situations. In this position, Mr. Garamhegyi conducted the governmental actions during the oil and gas crises. The Ministry employs 800 civil servants and is responsible for more than 16 000 employees in different background institutions and companies, such as the National State Railway, National Motorway, National Broadcasting Authority and the air traffic control. During this period, Mr. Garamhegyi was a regular speaker in the Hungarian Parliament and in the European Council.

2004-2006

Deputy State Secretary for Foreign Economic Affairs,
Ministry of Economy and Transport

2003-2004

Head of Department, Economic Policy Department, the Prime Minister’s Office
Advising the Prime Minister in economic issues and supervising the team of analysts and policy makers.

2000-2001

Director, Hungarian Investment and Trade Development Agency (ITDH),
Southern Great Plain Regional Office (Szeged, Hungary)

1998-2003

Senior Advisor to Dalson & Dawney Business Consulting (Szeged, Hungary)

1998-1998

Airport Operation Manager, DHL-Hungary Ltd. (Budapest)

1997-1997

Senior Marketing Advisor, Henkell & Söhnlein Hungary Ltd. (Budapest)

University carrier

current,
since 2001

Associate professor, JATE University of Szeged, Hungary
Lecturing and publishing in marketing, international marketing, city marketing, project management, marketing communication, crisis communication, and social geography.
Mr. Garamhegyi has been lecturing at the University since 1994

2009

Guest lecturer, ‘Heller Farkas’ College of Advanced Studies in Finance, Corvinus University, (Budapest, Hungary)

1996-1997

Guest lecturer, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen (The Netherlands)

1996-1996

Guest lecturer, London School of Economics (London, U.K.)

Educational background

2014

Valuation Course on Amsterdam Institute of Finance

2002

MBA studies on the Technical and Business University, Budapest (without final degree)

1998

Ph.D. on Social Geography, University of Szeged, Hungary

1995

International Course in Spatial Policy, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen

1995

M.Sc. in Geography and Mathematics, JATE University of Szeged, Hungary
Honors

2009

National Merit of Honor – The Officer’s Cross - for investment promotion

2001

Outstanding Young Scientist Award of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences

Languages

English (fluent) and German, Russian

Skills

Computer skills on PC and publishers

Sport

Handball and Golf

Selected Publications

2001

Educational Innovation and the Market for Geographers in Hungary
with co-authors Dr. Gábor Mezősi and Dr. László Mucsi. In: Journal of Geography in Higher Education

2000

Clear and Present Danger … Or?
with co-author Dr. Norbert Buzás. In: Marketing and Management, year XXIV, 1st issue

1998

City center management - the urban heritage
with co-author Elke Ennen. In: Colorane, Ireland, February 1998

1998

Private and Public Partnership – Chapter 7, Textbook of the University of Groningen

Hungarian publications:

2010

Book of introduction to Place marketing
(‘Bevezetés a településmarketingbe’), Co-author: Lajos Boros – JatePress, Szeged, Hungary

2002

Article about crisis communication in area marketing
(’Válságkommunikációs jellegzetességek a helymarketingben’) In: ’Az információs társadalom marketing kihívásai’, Hungarian Marketing Association), Szeged

2002

Essay about Budapest in 2020
(’Veszíthet-e egy örök nyertes? – Budapest 2020’) In: A mi Budapestünk – Tanulmánykötet, Budapest

2000

Article about area marketing as a tool to enhance the competitiveness of municipalities
(’A területi-marketing, mint az önkormányzatok versenyképességének egy lehetséges eszköze’) Co-author Balázs Révész. In: Versenyképesség – regionális versenyképesség, Faculty of Economics, University of Szeged

2000

Ph.D. dissertation in City Marketing
(’A településmarketing, mint a területfejlesztés egy eszköze’), University of Szeged

1999

Article about designing the marketing program of micro-regions
(’Kistérségek marketing programjának készítése’) In: Verseny és Marketing, Hungarian Marketing Association, Budapest

1998

Article about marketing as part of the common literacy: education for amateurs
(’A marketing, mint az általános műveltség része; oktatás műkedvelőknek) with co-author Dr. László Czagány, in: conference catalogue, Pécs, Hungary