CHAMBER

ITALIAN CHAMBER PRESIDENT PASSES AWAY

ITALIAN COMMUNITY IN HUNGARY MOURNS A CHEERFUL AND HELPFUL PERSON

It was shocking to read an announcement on the afternoon of March 23 by the Italian Chamber of Commerce for Hungary (CCIU) that the President of the organization, Francesco Maria Mari passed away in Rome.

Having arrived in Hungary more than 15 years ago as a simple tourist, Francesco Maria Mari fell in love with Budapest and of what he termed as ‘the extraordinary quality of life that the city offers’. Then, he recognized the great opportunities offered by this country and established himself as an entrepreneur. He was deeply involved with the Italian community here. He was Vice-President of the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Hungary for two years followed by an appointment of the Board of Directors as CCIU’s General Secretary before becoming President of the organization. Born in 1955, Francesco Maria Mari graduated in Law and held a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Bocconi University. He had more than 20 years of experience in management, during which time he held important positions at major Italian and international firms. Furthermore, he had a 15-year experience in business activities where he specialized in corporate start-ups in the sectors of services, web and telecommunications. As we, at Diplomacy&Trade, learned when we met him for interviews, he possessed a deep knowledge of the Hungarian macroeconomic environment. We recall how enthusiastically he spoke about the importance of communication in his work at the CCIU, spreading information at Italian business days and business breakfasts, while his colleagues spoke about his practical and resultoriented managerial style. He was what English people would term as “jolly good fellow,” a cheerful and helpful person enjoying life and being kind to others.

Let us – the staff here at Diplomacy&Trade – also join the many who expressed heartfelt condolences to his family and friends. Rest in peace, Francesco!