New list of wealthiest Hungarians: Lőrinc Mészáros gained half of his wealth in a year

The new list of the 100 wealthiest Hungarians contains both familiar and new names. Lőrinc Mészáros has been named the wealthiest for the second year in a row.

According to Index, there were no changes in the top 3 in the list of wealthiest individuals compared to last year, but there are several new names appearing in the top 100.

1. Lőrinc Mészáros

The 58-year-old businessman’s wealth increased by 50%, as he closed the year with an estimated wealth of a staggering HUF 990 billion (EUR 2.56 billion) compared to 2022’s HUF 660 billion (EUR 1.7 billion), while in 2014, he only had HUF 7.7 billion (EUR 19 million) in his possession. His business group’s most significant sectors are still the banking and insurance sector, the construction industry, agriculture and the food industry, tourism, and energy. In addition, the group has investments in Bosnia and Croatia in tourism and agriculture as well.

2. Sándor Csányi

The CEO of OTP Bank secured second place again after last year, with an estimated wealth of HUF 700 billion (EUR 1.8 billion). He has holdings in the bank itself, which had an estimated income of HUF 990 billion (EUR 2.56 billion), tripling last year’s income, two-thirds of which come from foreign subsidiaries.

3. Zsolt Felcsuti

The proprietor of MPF Holding, whose estimated wealth reached HUF 486 billion. MPF is a manufacturer of machine accessories, industrial components, and cooling equipment. The structure of the company group was transformed last year, MPF Meta Plc. handles the international wholesale of industrial goods and machine tool accessories, MP Widenta Ltd. manufactures tools, and MPF-FÉG Ltd. manufactures refrigerators and cooling devices. The three independent holding companies are located in Switzerland and several foreign companies belong to them.

There was no change in the 5th and 6th place either compared to last year, as Tibor Veres and György Gattyán managed to hold their position with their HUF 422 billion (EUR 1.09 billion) and HUF 398 billion (EUR 1.03 billion) fortune.

New names on the list

The 61st wealthiest, László Vidman is featured in the top 100 list for the first time with his HUF 42 billion (EUR 108 million). He is a prominent figure in the domestic agricultural sector and has a minority share in Városföldi Agrárgazdasági Plc., owned by his parents.

Béla Molnár took the 62nd place with an estimated fortune of HUF 39 billion (EUR 101 million). He is the owner of a microscope-developing company which has become the European market leader by applying high technology.

A prominent figure in the tourism sector Richárd Szepesi was ranked 85th, with HUF 29.5 billion (EUR 76 million).

Being hard-working is not enough?

Péter Magyar, the ex-husband of the former Minister of Justice, wrote a Facebook post recently regarding the success of István Tiborcz, Orbán’s son-in-law, saying that the businessman already has hotels, a bank, fund managers, former state property to his name at the age of 37, when many Hungarians who are talented, educated, and hard-working have no chance in achieving what he has, suggesting that Tiborcz’s success is not just a matter of luck. Tiborcz ranks 19th on this year’s wealthiest list.

Read also:

• Hungary witnessed the rich grow even wealthier in 2023 – Read here
• Billionaire Mészáros reveals bold expansion plans abroad, deep friendship with Orbán and triumph over criticism