Zoltan Hidveghy

It is a great privilege to serve as CEO of PTE Inno-Capital Ltd, the innovation and technology transfer company of the University of Pécs, which is widely regarded as one of Hungary's leading universities. The mission of the organisation is to facilitate collaboration between academic research and the business sector by supporting the commercialisation of innovation, strengthening university–industry collaborations, and fostering a vibrant, university-led innovation ecosystem. The primary focus is on the utilisation of the University's intellectual capital to contribute meaningfully to regional and national economic development, whilst concurrently promoting knowledge-based, future-oriented growth. Key Responsibilities: - Leading the strategic and day-to-day management of PTE Inno-Capital Ltd. - Supporting the commercialisation of research outputs, innovative technologies, and intellectual property developed within the University of Pécs. - Cultivating and managing partnerships with industry and institutional stakeholders at both national and international levels. - Coordinating closely with the University’s Directorate for Innovation Management and Business Relations. - Representing the company in innovation-related forums and professional networks across Europe. - Facilitating knowledge and technology transfer between academia and the private sector.

I was recruited while on a short sabbatical to take on an external Senior Consultant role, which entailed conducting a comprehensive audit of the organisation's operating procedures and processes. Now, as Director, I conceive and deliver B2B fiscal solutions via technological and regulatory products and services. I lead the integration of new technologies across all departments with the goal of total digitisation. I develop products, create strategic plans for sales growth, and lead the IT help desk's operations in providing three levels of remote support and field service. I still continually audit and streamline business processes to optimise efficiency and control operating budgets.

While serving as Director, International IT, for ALDI South, I took on this MD role for ALDI International's newly carved-out IT business. As Managing Director, I ensured the seamless operation of the IT business in six languages (English, Hungarian, German, Italian, French, and Slovenian) for more than 4,200 stores and eight headquarters locations across Europe; this comprised approximately 30,000 users in 55 regions and more than 300 services. I established specialised internal units within the new business, such as Technical Services, Service and Process Management, Transition Management, Finances/Financial Planning and Controls, Organisational Change, and Human Resources, and staffed them with top talent to promote operational success, targeted service delivery, and quality control. I supported innovation and advancement in software development, automation, infrastructure, and IT services. I also forecasted, planned, and controlled the five-year budget and hiring plan. Selected accomplishments in this role include: • I was awarded this additional leadership role to further develop this international IT organisation, which had more than 400 employees at the outset, in providing tech services and support to ALDI locations across Europe, as well as outside Europe as needed. • I initiated a programme for worldwide store software-testing services in 2021. • I introduced software development services for ServiceNow IT service management platform in 2019. • I negotiated and achieved alignment with the Hungarian Investment Promotion Agency (HIPA) to obtain a subsidy for new jobs in Pécs; in August 2022, I applied for an additional subsidy toward ALDI's fourth headquarters branch in Debrecen, creating other new jobs in the region.

In this Director role with ALDI South, I launched, expanded, and supervised the IT service team based in Hungary, which provided tech support to all European ALDI stores. My team consisted of ten to twelve direct reports as well as the staff of ALDI South's three headquarters locations: one in Budapest and two in Pécs. For better operational efficiency and oversight, I reorganised large business teams into smaller, more specific, units with individual managers in the following categories: stores, non-stores, infrastructure, security and workplace management, IT support and services (from 2020), worldwide monitoring, business services like HR, travel management, travel/credit card accounting, and customer services. I led implementation of robotic process automation (RPA), augmented reality (AR), and other cutting-edge technologies for our services. I also spearheaded unit-wide digital transformation, including short-term and long-term strategies for technology initiatives and revenue growth. Achievements in this role include the following: • I implemented a new leadership training structure based on best practices from ALDI’s Management System, and other leadership best practices. As this initiative succeeded in creating coherence across the management team, it was extended unit-wide to further unify the leadership mindset. • I negotiated with the vice-mayors of five Hungarian cities in 2017 to determine and secure the location of the second ALDI headquarters site in the country. • I reduced the attrition rate from 96% in 2014 to 45% within one year and then again to approximately 25% the following year; this figure has held steady at around 15% since 2017.

I built and ran the Hungarian IT department, managed all technology-related aspects of, and preparations for, ALDI's 2018 market entry in Hungary: software and hardware installation, localisation, and fiscalisation, including demand management, software-release management, testing, deployment, and hypercare of all IT systems. I advised the team on logistics related to the setup and placement of IT equipment in the new office space. I also designed and implemented technical emergency and crisis-management systems, ensuring business continuity, and delivered IT and security training to ALDI Hungary. Supervised a team of up to twelve team members with two managers across three business divisions: Hardware, Stores/Logistics, and Finance/Administration. My achievements in this role include: • I supervised the error-free grand openings of forty-five stores in Hungary in the first year of operations, including infrastructure implementation across these stores, the region and the headquarter. • I was selected for the project management team in charge of opening the new Hungarian headquarter, which included implementing software, hardware, and the network; purchasing office equipment and furniture; and coordinating relocation efforts. • I was chosen for the additional role of Data Protection Coordinator starting in 2015. • I led all activities related to achieving full GDPR compliance for the entire organisation.