Xpat Interview: György Simó, CEO at T-Online Hungary

Mr. Simó, Chief Executive Officer of T-Online, Head of the Internet Services Division, was born in 1967 and graduated in 1997 from the ELTE Sociology Department. During his studies received a scholarship to the Sociology Department of the New School for Social Research (New York).

In 1991 he founded, acted as host, and later became Chairman of the Board of Trustees at Tilos Rádió. From 1996 to 1998 Vice-Chairman of AMARC-EUROPE, the European Association of Community Radio Broadcasters.

From 1999 he started as Program Director at MATÁVnet, finally becoming Senior Chief Officer of that company responsible for media, strategy and communication. From 1 November 2003 he became the CEO of Axelero Internet, and since 6 May 2005 he has been the CEO of T-Online, Deputy to Head of T-Com and Head of T-Com's Internet Services Division.

Interview

1. Where did you grow up?
My father was a local film director and so I grew up in Budapest, mostly in Óbuda and then we moved to near the Farkasréti cemetary in the 12th district. Actually that cemetary had quite a strong influence on my life as I became facinated by the past and went on to study History at University. My father put together our family tree and it shows I come from a family with an international background as reletives come from Croatia, Slovakia.

2. What Hungarian traditions bring back fond memories of your childhood?
I come from a pretty modern family, a good friend of the family raised a pig for us and every year we butchered the poor animal at a disznóvágás pig killing ceremony. Christmas was one of the most important parts of our family celebrations.

3. What would you miss most if you moved away from Hungary?
As I am a communicative guy I would most miss the Hungarian language, which gives me my power. Whilst living in the USA I felt I was unable to have relationships with the full emotional depth that I am used to. However in Hungarian I can read between the lines and can understand people's reactions better, but abroad I had just words, and I did not speak English as well then as I do now. Also I would miss the opportunity to complain with fellow Hungarians. Like most people in Hungary I have a lot of criticisms about the way we live, I also have a serious commitment to change that.

4. Friends are in Budapest for a weekend - what must they absolutely see and do?
I like friends from abroad. The most important part of this city is the Danube, which I think we often take for granted and so do not enjoy as much we could. For example there could be more activity on the water, like river taxis, and more cafes offering views of the river, like the panorama of the Danube with Gellért hill and Royal Castle from the Pest side of the Erzsébet bridge. So from a tourism point of view everything that is to do with the Duna  although as said there is no real tourist culture developed around that yet. Non-touristy things to see and do include walking the streets for the 8th District, as well as visiting the flee market at Ecseri, although of course tourists are welcome there too.

5. What is your favorite Hungarian food?
Rántott csirke sült krumplival. Deep fried chicken with French fries. When in a restaurant and I don't know what to order I usually go for something Rántott as my family always used to serve a lot of food that traditionally Hungarian way.

6. What is never missing from your kitchen?
Pasta ' whilst living in New York for a year I learned about 20 different ways to enjoy that Italian dish.

7. What is your favourite place in Hungary?
When I was 15 my parents bought an old peasant house in the Káli basin close to Balaton, and today that is the part of this country I like the most. Plus more and more I enjoy sailing on that lake. I believe over the next 10 years the Balaton area will see a major upturn in tourism of a much more sophisticated nature than that of a few decades ago - which was build around entertaining people from the former East Germany. The opportunity now is for it to become a Regional destination for sailing, bicycling etc.

8. What career other than yours would you love to pursue?
My dream job would be to be Brad Pitt.

9. What's a job you would definitely never want?
Prime Minister.

10. Where did you spend your last vacation?
Skiing in Austria, before that I went sailing in Croatia.

11. Where do you hope to spend your next one?
Sailing in Croatia, a lack of time prevents me from visiting the Caribbean again. These days for me its not the where but the how.

12. What was your favorite band, film, or hobby as a teen?
These days 'Pulp Fiction' sticks in my mind as a perfect film. I have always loved films, I used to be part of the Hungarian National Film Board so its hard to name just one film, but 'Hair' the movie comes to mind as a title that stood out when it was released during my teenage, especially given the political regime at that time. There are a couple of Hungarian films like 'Megáll az idõ' (Time Stops) by Péter Gothár, and my fathers movie about a man having a middle age crisis. I always argued with my sisters about music, for example then I said I preferred Beethoven saying Mozart was too light, even though I hardly new much about classical music. Am too young to say I really knew the Beatles, if asked I have to say I liked BoneyM, then at 16 - 17 I discovered Kontroll Csoport, an underground Hungarian band. Later on I became a regular at the alternative music club Tilos az Á. By now am over that phase, although I could easily go back to Tilos Rádió, but I do not have time. I am very familiar with moving between different subcultures, more than between different international cultures.

13. What can't you resist?
Terrible as it sounds, from a professional point of view I have to say I can't you resist working on challenges that engage me. From a personal point of view my answer to question eight gives a hint.

14. Red wine or white?
Single-malt whisky.

15. Kolbász or szalámi?
Kolbász.

16. Book or movie?
Both but movies these days due to time constraints.

17. Morning person or night person?
Night.

18. Dog person or cat person?
Absolutely dog.

19. Buda or Pest side?
I live in Buda and love Pest.

20. What would you say is your personal motto?
'If I am not me, who the hell am I?' (from Total Recall, directed by Paul Verhoeven, written by Gary Goldman, Ronald Shusett)