Xpat Interview: Shmuel Levy

SHMUEL LEVY, the Chief Executive Officer of SL Group, was born in 26 January 1955 in Jerusalem, Israel. He received his MBA in Economics at the University of Jerusalem, and started his career working for a real estate agency.

Mr. Levy has remained committed to the industry ever since, and has held positions as a developer and financial manager at several real estate companies. He has been married since 1976 with three children, a son (1981) and two daughters (1980, 1983).

Mr. Levy, who speaks fluent Hebrew and English, as well as some Hungarian, Spanish, and Slovakian, derives great pleasure from everything about music and traveling.

1.When did you arrive in Hungary and what brought you here?
In 1998.

2. Have you ever been an expatriate elsewhere?
In England.

3. What surprised you most about Hungary?
The architecture of Budapest.

4. Friends are in Budapest for a weekend - what must they absolutely see and do?
Visit the National Museum and the Castle.

5. What is your favourite Hungarian food?
Paprikás csirke, gulyás.

6. What is never missing from your refrigerator?
Good wine.

7. What is your favourite Hungarian word?
Micsoda?

8. What do you miss most from home?
Sun, sea.

9. What career other than yours would you love to pursue?
Nothing.

10. What's a job you would definitely never want?
To be a banker.

11. Where did you spend your last vacation?
In Spain.

12. Where do you hope to spend your next holiday?
In Italy, Toscana.

13. What was your favourite band, film, or hobby as a teen?
Loved planes, wanted to be a pilot.

14. What can't you resist?
Laziness.

15. Red wine or white?
Red

16. Book or movie?
Both, it depends.

17. Morning person or night person?
24 hour person.

18. Dog person or cat person?
Dog.

19. Buda or Pest side?
The Danube.

20. What would you say is your personal motto?
Be what you want to be!