Alfons Dintner gave a lecture on "How I became a CEO" at Széchenyi István University. The Chairman of the Board of Management at Audi Hungaria Zrt. started as a locksmith, then through his diligence and dedication he rose through the ranks to become a senior executive. The first man of the Győr factory not only gave an insight into his exciting career, but also offered useful advice to those university students who also envisage a future as managers or would like to start their own business.

Alfons Dintner's presentation was well received. The Audi Room of the Management Campus of Széchenyi István University was full to capacity, but many people also followed the lecture of the President of Audi Győr online. 

"Audi Hungaria is Hungary's largest manufacturing company and investor, and alone accounts for eight to nine percent of Hungary's exports. Just as importantly, it provides a livelihood for 40,000 families, both directly and indirectly through its service providers and suppliers. Audi Hungaria also operates not only the world's largest engine plant, but is one of the world's largest automotive developers."– said Dr Eszter Lukács, Vice President for Global Strategy of Széchenyi István University, who spoke about the relationship between the company and the university. She said that the institution has had a close partnership with Audi for three decades.

Representatives of the Széchenyi István University and Audi Hungaria Zrt. at the Széchenyi statue in front of the Management Campus
(Photo: Csaba József Májer)

At the event, Dr. Erzsébet Knáb, founding president of the Széchenyi István University Foundation, presented the role of Audi in the automotive industry, the importance of the brand and the fruitful relationship between Audi Hungaria Zrt. and Széchenyi István University. She welcomed Alfons Dintner, who, she said, had led an exciting and exemplary life for many. "If you want to be a leader or manager, listen to his lecture, because he is an outstanding expert in strategy and production management, as well as many other areas. You can draw a lot from his experience, his world view and his life's journey," said Dr. Erzsébet Knáb to the students.

Alfons Dintner, Chairman of the Board of Management of Audi Hungaria Zrt., gave a lecture at Széchenyi István University about his exciting career (Photo: Csaba József Májer) 

"You  get from life how you allow life to treat you." - this was the opening line of the presentation by the Chairman of the Board of Management of Audi Hungaria Zrt., who stressed that opportunities are given, but they must also be used. Alfons Dintner trained as a locksmith and then went on to study for a degree in engineering. "I worked my way up the ladder, so I took my chances. If other people said something was impossible or unsolvable, that's when I became interested, and I still am. I have gained a lot of experience and new knowledge during my stays abroad, so I encourage students to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the university and participate in international programmes," he stressed. This is backed by his personal experience, having lived for long periods in eight countries, including Spain, Belgium and Mexico, and worked for other Volkswagen Group brands, including Seat, Skoda, Bentley and Lamborghini, in addition to Audi. At the age of 56, he was appointed Head of Audi Hungaria Zrt. in Győr.

The Audi Hall of the Management Campus of Széchenyi István University was full, but many people also followed the presentation of the Chairman of Audi Győr online (Photo: Csaba József Májer)

Speaking to the young people present, he stressed that if you want to be a leader, you have to take on the challenges, the tasks and the responsibility. "This is one of the greatest qualities of a leader, because you can delegate tasks, but not responsibility," stressed Alfons Dintner, who also gave useful advice to students planning their own start-ups. "First I have to define my own business model, but this model has to be constantly challenged to adapt to changes in consumer demand. We also need to be clear about our own role, to know the added value we represent in the process. And to achieve this, we need a clear strategy, in which the definition of specific tasks is also essential," he underlined. The manager emphasized that employees are the most important resources of the company, therefore the relationship and trust with them is also a key issue. He added that it is the CEO's job to ensure efficiency and prioritise risk minimisation.

Alfons Dintner also met with the successful student teams of Széchenyi István University, the SZEnergy Team and the Arrabona Racing Team (Photo: Csaba Májer József Májer)

Alfons Dintner spoke about Audi's social and corporate responsibility, its support for the environment and the steps it is taking to make the world a more liveable place and to promote sustainability. He made special mention of the role they play in education, training and talent management, which also provides students at Széchenyi István University with many opportunities to build their careers.