One of the programs at Business Fest Debrecen was the lecture titled “Has Debrecen become the center of the country?!”, which examined the economic situation of the city and the region, as well as the impact of large-scale investments. The event took place from 9:45 to 10:25 on the ground floor at the Bényi Gallery, on the purple stage, where three experts discussed Debrecen’s current and future economic situation.
The discussion was moderated by Tamás Fábián, Strategic and Business Development Director at Ghibli Ltd.
Dr. Lajos Barcsa, Deputy Mayor of Debrecen, spoke about the city’s labor market: “Ten years ago, there were 12,000 job seekers; now there are 4,000 in Debrecen. Essentially, there is full employment. Anyone who wants to work can find a job in Debrecen.” He added: “The city’s transformation is ongoing. Capacities and development needs have to be coordinated. You cannot simply imagine what the demand will be.”
István Herdon, CEO of XANGA Ventures Fund Management Ltd., presented the situation from an investor’s perspective. He stated that Debrecen is now not only one of Hungary’s fastest-growing cities but also becoming an important logistics hub in Central Europe. He emphasized that companies choose the city because it offers a predictable economic environment, good accessibility, and growth potential. During the discussion, Tamás Fábián noted: “In China, any smaller city can offer warehouse space of several hundred thousand square meters.”
Dr. Ádám Kovács, Head of Government Relations at EVE Energy Co., Ltd., spoke about Debrecen from the perspective of Eastern multinational companies. According to him, the city is becoming the “center” of Hungary not only geographically but also economically, as energy and battery industry developments could make Debrecen a key European hub for the green transition. He added: “The latest sixth-generation battery is intended to serve BMW. It can charge enough for 300 km in 5 minutes. With Hungarian labor, the company has a successful future ahead. Decision-making at Chinese companies is extremely fast.”
