Paul Frowijn heads the Business Development Department of MCE - Management Centre Europe. His team is responsible for designing and developing corporate training solutions with MCE's clients. Paul joined MCE - Management Centre Europe in 2000 as a senior Account Executive responsible for the Top-500 clients. Paul still plays an active role in managing some of MCE's key clients.
Before joining MCE - Management Centre Europe, Paul has been working for over 15 years in commercial management positions in large international companies, including Shimano Europe, a Japanese multi-national and Pie Medical, a division of Philips N.V. Paul gained extensive experience in both a B2B as B2C enterprises in the leisure, medical equipment and transport sectors.
Paul earned a degree in information technologies, followed by a degree in Business Administration.
1. When did you arrive in Hungary and what brought you here?
I arrived in Hungary June 2005, I came to party but then decided to stay with my Hungarian girlfriend, now my wife and mother of our two great sons
2. Have you ever been an expatriate elsewhere?
I am Dutch and started my career in Germany, with a Japanese company, worked their for 3 years, worked in the Netherlands for some time and then moved to Brussels. When I decided to move to Budapest Management Centre Europe, my employer, offered me a virtual position, I know run the AMA training operation for them in EMEA.
3. What surprised you most about Hungary?
The extreme differences between the city and the country side (where I actually live)
4. Friends are in Budapest for a weekend - what must they absolutely see and do?
I lived originally in the 8 district and from there developed a city tour by foot on which I took many of my visitors, which is the best way to explore a city anyway and we always managed to do both sides of the city in 2 days and see all the highlights. All my friends and family saw the Vajdahunyad Castle as got married there (Great location for the occasion), so all newcomers have to go there.
5. What is your favourite Hungarian food?
I really appreciate the food at Paprika, near the Hero Square, and especially enjoy the steak tartar (much better than the one served in Brussels)
6. What is never missing from your refrigerator?
I am not necessarily addicted to anything special. With two little kids at home we make sure that we have lots of good stuff in there (to compensate for all the bad stuff they eat too)
6. What is your favourite Hungarian word?
Obviously egészségére; it took me quite a while to pronounce this one correct and must admit my skills have not evolved much further yet. As it?s so complicated my friends from Holland try to find dutch words to remember, so this one became ?de heggescheer dr?in?
7. What do you miss the most from home?
Nothing really. Live is good over here, climate I enjoy, nice food and we have the Balaton around the corner (and the Croatian coast a bit further), Great !
8. What career other than yours would you love to pursue?
A hot question during these times ! AMA is obviously in the training business an industry extremely affected by the global crisis. Meeting throughout the world with leading companies and their staff I am pretty much interested in the new ways of (mobile) communication and it?s ever changing services and products, quite a vibrant place to be. I could however also envision being a fulltime dad and dedicating my time entirely to my two boys probably the best job in the world.
9. What's a job you would definitely never want?
Not sure, I guess there is a lot of jobs out there which I would not necessarily apply for. If needed I would still be doing them. (eg changing a diaper)
11. Where did you spend your last vacation?
Balaton (with the kids) and Croatia (with my wife): fantastic combination
12. Where do you hope to spend your next one?
Packing for the snow right now and in the summer we?ll head for the Balaton again
13. What was your favourite band, film, or hobby as a teen?
I was pretty much occupied with sports when I was young, no alcohol, no girls till I decided to drop the dream (professional athlete). I liked Blondie a lot though (and still).
14. What can't you resist?
When I am back in Holland I always get myself the typical bad stuff from the fastfood (friture) restaurants or a great Indonesian sate. The moment I leave the country that urge is gone
15. Red wine or white?
Red but beer tops this
16. Book or movie?
Book (spending too much time in planes and thus at airports)
17. Morning person or night person?
Both (Kids make me wake up at 6am and I never make it back to bed before midnight)
18. Which social issue do you feel most strongly about?
I am not very political engaged but if you look at the situation with the Roma in the region you would wish a more balanced solution could be found. I?ve not seen (yet) how the current situation will create a win-win, which is something we are always looking for in business relationships. So something must change.
19. Buda side or Pest side?
Pest side: more lively, vibrant and because of the good memories
20. What would you say is your personal motto?
Enjoy, do the stuff you want to do (now), you?ll often have just one chance, grab it.
25.02.2010