Meet Dr Attila Kovács

Dr Kovács, who are you and what does your firm specialise in?

I’m an enthusiastic restructuring lawyer, but I also like to be involved in M&A and real estate transactions. Our offce is active in all fields of business law including tax advisory services.

When did you join GGI?

In February 2005 – so 16 years ago, and we look forward to celebrating our 20th anniversary with GGI in a few years.

How did your role as Global Chairperson of the DCRI PG affect your GGI membership?

I’ve always been a quite active member and attended as many conferences as I could. Due to the size of GGI, fifteen years ago it was much easier to know most of the members and regular participants at GGI events. As the organisation has grown, my role as a Global Chair helped me a lot to maintain a high profile and to make contact more easily with new members, too.

What has been your most memorable GGI Conference or PG meeting, and why?

Oh, there were so many, it would be very diffcult to pick just one! Actually, I have always liked the conferences by the sea, because of their very special atmosphere, for example, in Rio de Janeiro, Cannes, Cancun, Phuket, Bali, etc. And ITPG meetings also always had some special flair.

However, if should I indicate only one, then it would be of course the GGI World Conference in 2009 in Budapest, Hungary – my own country. It was a great thing to cooperate with the GGI team to prepare and organise one of the most memorable conferences ever. I’ll never forget our closing dinner – it was like our wedding, really.

You have chaired the DCRI PG for more than 13 years. What has been your funniest experience during this time?

Well, it was indeed very fun to close one of our sessions with a very fine selection of Irish beers and to enjoy the free time with participants.

. . . and your most exciting or rewarding experience during this time?

It’s been very rewarding to have the enthusiastic participation of so many GGI colleagues; it was a welcome and unexpected surprise. And of course, the positive reactions after Practice Group meetings, which resulted in a nice number of regular members over the years. I am proud, to have built up this Practice Group of professionals from zero and to shape it into a forum that enhances business and contributes to the exchange of useful knowledge and know-how.

What is your best advice for your successor (the next Global Chair of the DCRI PG)?

During PG meetings, everyone is very enthusiastic; however, after the meeting this enthusiasm can disappear and sublimate. You must divide planned follow-up activities among as many people as possible, because each one has a full and diffcult workload at home and it can be very diffcult to get and keep people active to achieve our common goal. You have to keep in touch with and motivate the PG members continuously between conferences.

What is your business credo?

Think globally, win locally. However, “think the unthinkable” is nowadays probably even more up-to-date!

In your spare time, what is your passion and why?

If I should mention my passion and not just my hobby, then vintage cars and touring with motorbikes come first, followed by movies and sports. I’m truly fascinated by engines and the smell of petrol, and even more by the feeling of freedom that a motorbike or a convertible car can offer you.

If you could change something in the world, what would that be?

I’d like to avoid any extremity in the world and to see that people are not only talking about pluralism, but also following and living it. And I also mean the minorities here, who are able to accept the opinion and values of the majorities.

What job would you be terrible at?

Singer. For sure.

Do you like old-fashioned calendars or do you save all your appointments digitally? Why?

The calendar can only be an electronic one for me. Any appointment that is not stored in my mobile phone simply does not exist. It is always at hand and helps me to organise my life and share my activities and appointments with other people.

If you could join any past or current music (artist) group, which one would you join and why?

I wouldn’t. Music is very important to me but I’m much too introverted to be a performer – I’ll continue to listen.

Could you share with us something that no one at GGI knows about you?

When I retire, I would like get involved in dog-breeding. Besides my other passions, it would be great to establish a Wolfsspitz kennel in memory of our beloved dog, Wolfi, who was very well known to many GGI members.