Gergely Papp, Head of Events, Mathias Corvinus Collegium Budapest

  • 6 Jul 2022 4:58 PM
Gergely Papp, Head of Events, Mathias Corvinus Collegium Budapest
It seems that highly complex, even high-risk jobs, as well as big newsworthy events often find their way to Gergely.

Just as these examples show, be it personally coordinating President Jacques Rogge’s IOC Headquarters during the London Olympics in 2012...

Organizing the NATO Transformation Seminar for Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at the Budapest Marriott Ballroom in 2017, or...

Managing the MCC Feszt for thousands of festivalgoers in Esztergom. He's handled all those, and many more.

1. Where did you grow up?

I grew up in Eger, such a pleasant and beautiful city, but I only started to realize this recently. As a kid you have your focus elsewhere. I am everso grateful for my childhood years.

2. If you could be an expat anywhere in the world, where would you choose?

Somewhere in South America or Asia, such as Colombia or Thailand.

3. What would you miss most if you moved away from Hungary?

I have lived 3 years in London and I missed my friends & family a lot.

4. Friends are in Budapest for a weekend - what must they absolutely see and do?

Budapest is great, but I always encourage my foreign friends to 'get lost in the countryside' once they are here.

Explore Balaton-highlands, then visit a typical village from eastern Hungary, sit together with locals at a pub, and watch their team play football to experience something very local.

Also I'd say definitely visit a locally organized music festival if here during summer to get along with local and enjoy the Hungarian vibe.

5. What is your favourite food?

Indian cuisine.

6. What is your favourite sport / form of exercise?

Football for its team spirit, and swimming as it moves through my whole body.  

7. What is your favourite place in Hungary?

My hometown Eger with its human scale, nice red wines and childhood memories.

8. What career other than yours would you love to pursue?

Frontman of a famous rockband, touring the world with my family on the plane too😊

9. What’s a job you would definitely never want?

As I love the adrenalin of being around big crowds, maybe a job very isolated behind a computer all day would not fit me well.

10. Where did you spend your last vacation?

Nice, France. 

11. Where do you hope to spend your next one?

Somewhere in Hungary.

12. What was your favourite band, film, or hobby as a teen?

I loved the Dallas series. I always wanted to be like Jockey (JR Ewing). I remember at the hairdresser at the age of 8,  I asked to have my hair like his.

13. Apart of temptation what can't you resist?

My kids invitation to listen to music and dance. 

14. Red wine or white?

Red during cold days, white & rose through summer.

15. Book or movie?

Podcasts and audiobooks as I drive a lot recently.

16. Morning person or night person?

I love the quiet early morning hours for work, but love to party hard sometimes.

17. Which social issue do you feel most strongly about?

Being a father I am more and more conscious about how young kids are treated, what education they get, what joy, opportunities and challenges they experience through their years of early life.  

18. Buda or Pest side?

Pest.

19. Which achievement in your life are you most pleased about?

I am pleased about the details, the people who surround me, the so called “beautiful nothing” on the way to an achievement, not the achievements themselves.

20. What would you say is your personal motto? 

Preparation is everything.

  • How does this interview make you feel?