Zoltán Kovács
MD, Head of Finance
He went to a high-school for commerce in Kecskemét, ÁFEOSZ. Based on his school achievements he was admitted to the College of Finance and Accountancy in Győr without needing to pass an admission test. He obtained his first diploma in accountancy, and the second one in finance. Fornetti is his first workplace where he has worked in different financial fields from the year 2000. Since 2010 he has been one of the Executives, and as of 2015 he has also been responsible for the law and IT departments.
The greatest professional challenge for him is to come across various new directions during Fornetti’s development, thus there is no conventionalism, and one constantly has to meet new situations and requirements.
He was born on September 1st, 1978. He is married, he has a son and a daughter. His hobby is line-fishing though fish is not really among his favourite dishes.
Szilárd Kelemen
Head of Sales
He was born in 1986. Following grammar school he graduated at Szeged University at the department for Food Industry the Faculty of Economics.
After graduation he began his career in commerce as a sales person of online advertising surfaces, and in 2009 he joined the Fornetti team. Working as a sales representative for two years, and then as a salesperson he gathered vital and valuable experience in developing and expanding the franchise market. During the years between 2012 to 2014 he operated as regional manager for Budapest, and then became sales director for Fornetti Romania. He was International Franchise and Concept Division Director from 2016, and since 2023 he has been contributing to the Fornetti team as Commercial Director.
He devotes the majority of his free time to his twin sons, as well as to astronomy, music and literature.
Martin Udvarev
Interim Head of Operations
Martin Udvarev was born in Budapest, on August 17, 1973. He graduated from the Bulgarian-Hungarian high school, and then continued his studies in the financial field at Kodolani Janos, business management in Plovdiv, Bulgaria (2003-2005) and a Strategic Financial Management online course, at Metropolitan School of Business and Management UK in 2020. Before joining Fornetti Romania, he led, with much success Fornetti Bulgaria, where he was Managing Director for 17 years. Some of his highlights as Bulgarian MD, we can nominate building the franchise system from scratch, reaching 200 franchise units in 200 days, in 2006 and coordination of 4.000 m² plant construction on green field - done in 10 months in 2008. Before assuming the position of General Manager of Fornetti Bulgaria, in October 2006, he worked at the Hungarian Embassy in Sofia, for 4 years, as Financial officer and Deputy Consul. Martin is married and has a son.
Ádám Chiovini
Interim Deputy Head of Operations
Born in 1990 in Kecskemét, Ádám went to a local grammar school before completing his engineering degree at University of Szeged. In 2017 he joined the Aryzta Graduate Program and completed a year at the Irish Management Institute. In 2019 he started his university master studies in economics in the Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA) dual-degree program conducted in English and organised in cooperation by the Corvinus University of Budapest and the Maastricht School of Management. He is to acquire his diplomas in 2022.
Already while at college, Ádám joined Fornetti in 2010 starting at the baking lab and later working for 3 years at the QA department as quality controller both in the Hungarian and Romanian manufacturing plants. 2015 saw him joining the technical department as environment engineer where he worked for three and a half years supporting the technical and operating director.
As of 2018 he was promoted to the position of Operations Business Partner in which role he was supporting Fornetti Group’s Head of Operations and the operative team overseeing Group level projects and activities (Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria). He actively participated in the organisational changes, in working out performance assessment and effectivity projects, as well as the control and management of Group level capital investment projects.
Since July 2021 he has been junior Head of Technical Services. Among his key priorities are ensuring smooth production and operations processes, supporting co-working departments, as well as working towards sustainability and technical innovation.
Ádám spends his free time with his family, his son and friends. He does sports regularly, he has played basketball for 24 years, and is currently an active player in the 2nd division of National League (NB-II), in Kiskunfélegyháza.
Jenő Fekete
Supply Chain Director
Born on 29th February, 1979, he is the father of a small daughter. He is an IT-expert with a university education. He graduated from the College of Mechanical Engineering and Automation in Kecskemét. Fornetti is his first workplace, to which he applied because he knew that it was a developing and renowned company – indeed, this was the only workplace he wanted to apply for. Tracking changes represent the biggest challenge for him here. He feels that working here leaves no time for boredom at all!
He spends his little spare time with his family and riding his bike.
Kitti Kelemen-Pataki
Creative Director
She graduated from the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Szeged as a food industry entrepreneur and then completed her studies with a degree in engineering and a diploma in economics at the University of Economics. She came to Fornetti during his college internship, which proved to be a successful match. "I still find challenges, despite the 15 years I have spent with the company. During that time I have been a marketing assistant, sales and marketing office manager, creative director and since 2015 the creative director for Fornetti Group. Over the last ten years, the creative team has grown into a super team, it's inspiring to work together, everyone has some kind of superpower that allows us to create something special every time. The creative department works very much like a creative agency within the company, our main goal is to build the Fornetti Lovebrand. We provide for graphic design and execution of all brand communication, offline and online sales support materials, production of audiovisual content, complete technological, technical, furniture and store design, social media platforms and websites, PR communication, event management, CSR activity support, employer branding, and more, to name the elements of a rather diverse list of activities that fill our daily lives, and of which, fortunately, no two are ever the same.
I am a restless nature, I love to travel, and luckily my husband shares my passion. The world became round for us a few years ago when we had our adorable twin boys, who have been draining all our excess energy and making every minute of our lives happy ever since," the director says.
EMESE MUCSI
HR Director
For nearly 18 years she worked as a teacher of English and language coach in adult education, and also as a translator and interpreter before she joined Fornetti in May 2015. As Aryzta Business Partner she supported the cooperation and work of the executive management and the various departments.
Since September 2017 she is in lead of the newly established HR department. Her primary task and objective is to develop and operate standard HR processes supporting the efficient operation of Fornetti Group, which at the same time contribute to creating a sustainable, improving, variable work environment ensuring appreciation and support for the associates.
She spends her free time with her family, enjoys reading, excursions and sports.
Attila Jeszenői
IT Director
Having graduated from the College for Traffic and Transport life gifted him with the beauties of IT technology.
Following a few years working as a beginner at work places he was at the right time on the right place and soon found himself in the bakery industry and soon found that his job to work out processes as part of a bigger system as an IT engineer became his hobby even to date. As a result of constant changes and development right from the beginning he is now head of the IT team and works in the field of development and operations alike.
Márton Benke
Finance Director, Fornetti Group Controller
Born in Szolnok on 20th October, 1987, Márton graduated in finance and accountancy, specialised in controlling in his home town.
He began his working career as a controller working first in the meat and then in automotive industry. Returning to the food industry he began with Fornetti as a controller in April 2014.
He found working with an excellent team in the due diligence process prior to the acquisition of the company an exciting challenge. He sees continuous professional development in integrating in the Aryzta Group financial system and processes.
As of November 2015 he has been Fornetti Group’s controller, and acts as Fornetti Kft’s CFO since August 2016 overseeing operations in the financial, accounting, invoicing and controlling departments.
Márton enjoys spending his free time with his partner, on excursions and watching films. He is passionate about folk music and folk dances which he has been actively practising as a member of a folk dance group since he was 7.
Sándor Lencsés
Hungarian Franchise and Concept Director
Sándor Lencsés was born in 1981. After graduating as a German teacher, he started to work at Fornetti Kft. in 2004 as sales representative. During these years he gained all-round knowledge about the market. Using his outstanding communicative and organisation skills, he continued his career as regional leader, where he did a lot for the most effective operation of sales locations.
From December 2016 he is the Junior Hungarian Franchise and Concept manager – his professional experience means a serious support for the sales team of Fornetti.
As he is the father of 3 children, he mostly spends his free time with his family. He follows the events of the English and Spanish football and Formula-1 with interest.
Gábor Papp
Franchise Technical Director
He was born on 2nd December, 1975. He is the father of two children. Having finished his agricultural and custom administrator studies, he obtained a degree-level education. His professional and human qualities were recognised at his former workplace, as a result of which he was invited to Fornetti in 2004. Continually changing new tasks and their up-to-date, precise solutions are the most challenging for him.
He spends his spare time primarily with his family; secondly, he enters competitions with his Malinois working dog, solving inspection and safeguarding tasks.
Ferenc Németh
Product Development Director
He completed his secondary school studies in the prominent food industry vocational school in Nagykőrös and specialised as baker and confectioner technician. He completed his higher education studies as a correspondence student in the Szeged Food Industry Engineering College while already working for Fornetti.
He joined Fornetti in 2003 and started in the product development team in 2005. Since 1st May 2018 he has been the Product Development Director.
Constant renewal every day is vital for him, to be able “to learn something new every day”.
He is married and has a son. He enjoys fishing, reading and spends his free time with his family.
Péter Csizi
Quality Assurance Director
I graduated from Szeged University as a food engineer and spent a few months in the meat industry as an intern, before I got a job in Fornetti as a quality controller.
I feel lucky to have had the opportunity to work in a professionally challenging environment that has provided me with a deep knowledge of the various areas and responsibilities of food safety systems and food quality assurance. Being a QA professional means constant learning and development that is the drive both for me and my team in our everyday work. Aryzta Group, the expanded customer and partner network, as well as the customer needs and the requirements set by the Fornetti name all add further dimension to that.
In my free time I like doing sports and my readings primarily include professional books and articles.
Norbert Kiss
Production Director
Born on 7 February 1984 in Nyírbátor. He is married and lives in Nagykőrös with his wife and daughter.
He graduated from the Vilmos Westsik Vocational School for Food Industry in Nyíregyháza, specialising in baking and confectionery.
He worked as a baker for two years early on in his career.
In 2005, he joined the Fornetti team where he tried his hand at various areas of production.
Since 2010, as a technology developer, he has been supporting the work of foreign subsidiaries by training and installing new technologies.
In June 2016, he became Deputy Production Manager and in August 2017 Production Manager.
Since 2020, he has been in the role of Senior Plant Manager to all Fornetti production sites.
It is a great and exciting challenge for him and his staff to coordinate the production of such a successful company, producing products of outstanding quality and food safety.
Continuous learning is important to him and he is currently studying at the Budapest University of Economics.
He spends all his free time with his family.
Csaba Bakos
Production Director
I was born on 19th February 1980. I finished secondary vocational school as joiner but never worked in this profession. In 2000 as my first workplace I joined the Fornetti team. I was drawn into the continuous development and was inspired by the challenges. I worked in nearly all positions in the production from dough maker to plant leader, and since May 2019 I have been the director of the Kiskunfélegyháza factory. It continues to be an inspiration for me that there is always something new to learn and there is place for introducing modifications and improvements.
In my free time I try to spend as much time as possible with my three children and my wife. My hobbies include NFL, Formula 1 and gastronomy.
Dániel Maróti
Procurement Director
I was born in 1978, Kecskemét. I joined Fornetti in summer 2019 after having worked over 15 years in the food industry as procurement professional and manager. I graduated as economist and have done studies in logistics. I thoroughly enjoy implementing in practice the knowledge I gathered during my education, as well as the continuous learning by doing my job. This is what inspires me, and I am doing my best to bring it to Fornetti’s long-term benefit.
I am characterised by being very active, seeking continuously for the better in the field of procurement, and to bring the best to the Company. Once the best is found, it takes hard work and efforts to maintain it for long term.
I am open and cooperative, but also conservative in some respects. I believe these are all necessary for managing cooperation successfully within Fornetti, which in turn will contribute to the Company being profitable.
I live in Kecskemét with my family. I do sports in my free time and read when time allows.