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„It's not enough to be excellent, you have to stay excellent” – integration and a long-term approach at Óbuda Group

Published

2025. 12. 23. 11:31
Gábor Horváth, Deputy CEO of Óbuda Group Photos: Mihály Nagy/magyarepitok.hu
By merging project management and design, Óbuda Group is further strengthening its professional position in the domestic construction sector and taking the company's expertise in the efficient execution of complex, innovative projects to a new level. As Deputy CEO of the company, Gábor Horváth supports the organisation's preparation for future challenges with his professional experience and forward-looking approach.

Last year, reported that Óbuda Group, a major player in the Hungarian construction industry with a history dating back more than 35 years, has merged its design and project management operations. With the merger, the company's senior management team has also expanded: Gábor Horváth is responsible for the project management business as deputy CEO.

The expert has more than 35 years of experience in the construction industry, particularly in the infrastructure, public institutions and nuclear sectors. He obtained his degree in civil and structural engineering from the Technical University of Cluj-Napoca and his degree in engineering economics from the Budapest University of Economics. He joined Óbuda Group as a project manager in 2014, having previously worked in the field of infrastructure.

 

 

The Liget Budapest as a professional turning point

Gábor Horváth joined the company at a time when the construction industry was beginning to recover after the crisis. „My first project was the Liget Budapest in Óbuda. I am a structural engineer, so I can say that I returned to my profession. I was looking for a company where I could put my experience to good use in the field of project management, as I have practical experience in this area and my professional interests are also closely related to it,” he added.

The Liget Budapest was already on the horizon, so this became the first task in which he participated as a project manager and then as a project director. The collaboration with Liget Budapest ultimately lasted more than ten years, while other large-scale projects also appeared on the horizon.

 

The Liget Budapest as a work of art and a sample project

The complexity of Liget is particularly appealing. „Creating a museum quarter in a 100-hectare historic park is a work of art in itself. The House of Hungarian Music, the Ethnographic Museum – were all exciting projects, especially because of the collaboration with international design firms,” he emphasised.

During the project, the BIM approach, which was considered a novel methodology at the time, as well as an energy concept and international design competition processes were introduced, which were later incorporated into the company's daily operations as best practices.

„I am very grateful for this period because we achieved many results that we were able to incorporate into the company's operations,” he said. The socialisation of Liget was also an important topic: more than a hundred civil organisations were involved, Liget forums and symposiums were organised, opinions were coordinated, while preserving the historical character of the park was a priority.

Several innovative elements were implemented during the collaboration. The spread of BIM thinking, the use of renewable energy sources, the development of a unified energy system and the acquisition of sustainability certifications were still rare in such a large-scale project. The implementation of international design competitions was also a novelty in Hungary for a long time. „These were all new developments in the life of the company, and for me, it was an extremely exciting period from a professional point of view, when a highly skilled team worked together,” he said.

We developed and applied several methodologies and document templates during the project, which we still use today, such as a project manual, project founding documents, monthly reporting systems, controlling dashboards, and a pioneering BIM manual, which was developed based on foreign examples and supplemented with domestic experience.

Another important achievement was the development of an energy-conscious approach. The energy mix based on renewable energy sources implemented in the city centre posed a significant technical challenge, but we succeeded in developing a system that provides economical cooling and heating for the buildings in Liget. The entire complex – buildings and park – received a BREEAM Communities sustainability rating, the first of its kind in Hungary at the district level.

Liget ultimately became a kind of model project in the company's history: it became a professional foundation on which the methodology of several subsequent investments was built.

 

 

From historical monuments to military developments

The renovation of Veszprém Castle, which consists of 20 buildings, 19 of which are listed buildings, plays a prominent role in the company's current portfolio. „The project of the Archdiocese of Veszprém is particularly exciting due to its complexity: church buildings, palaces, churches, chapels – many elements that are constantly in the spotlight,” said the expert. The entire project focuses on historic buildings, so professional challenges and attention to detail are particularly important.

„Defence industry developments have specific characteristics that require a completely new approach and perspective,” he emphasised. Investments of this nature are subject to special regulations and must comply with strict safety and explosion protection requirements, which also pose a challenge from an engineering point of view. The group is also working on an investment covering several hundred hectares. „As an engineering task, this is an exciting challenge and also gives a new perspective to the company's portfolio,” he summarised.

 

 

Seeking challenges and commitment to complex projects

„I particularly enjoy doing things that others don't, things that are challenging, that require thinking, coming up with new ideas, looking around the world and finding solutions. For me, it's a challenge that others might find outside their comfort zone, something they shy away from because it's not a routine task and they haven't done it before. In addition to classic engineering thinking, aesthetics, shapes, clean lines and refined proportions are important to me,” he added.

The integration of Óbuda Group's areas of operation and the expansion of its senior management team have enabled it to place greater emphasis on a strategic approach, in addition to the comprehensive management of projects. „Thinking at the group level and coordinating resources and a large team is a new task for me, as I previously managed a department with 10-12 projects and 20-25 colleagues. Now I manage five departments and more than a hundred projects, and I have to find common ground with many different personalities and individuals and develop the most effective form of cooperation,” he said.

The manager also emphasised the importance of a financial and controlling approach: „For me, it is extremely important to have a thorough understanding of how processes work and to monitor how efficiently and effectively we are doing our work. This requires measuring, reviewing and analysing, while also focusing on building a vision for the future and acquiring new projects, clients and opportunities.”

 

 

Vision and development directions: energy and nuclear industry

A year has passed since the new organisational structure was established, which served as a year of learning and experience. „2024 was a year of preparation: we got ready, figured out how the organisation would work, what our processes and synergies would be, and how this could benefit not only us but also our customers.”

The process has begun, but it requires continuous fine-tuning. „Now we can see how it works, where we still need to intervene, where we need to take action to make it even smoother and achieve our goals. It is not enough to be excellent, we must remain excellent.”

- he added.

He emphasised that continuous development and keeping pace with global trends and the market are essential: the domestic and international construction sectors are changing rapidly, so the company must also respond flexibly.

The shift in emphasis is clear: while industrial investment is currently stagnating, residential construction is gaining in importance, and caution is evident in the office market. „I strongly believe in the development of the energy industry, especially in the nuclear and conventional power plant sectors, because both offer significant growth opportunities. Energy demand is constantly growing, power plants and networks need to be built, and new technologies need to be developed,” he said.

The group also intends to be well prepared in the nuclear industry, whether it be the extension of the operating life of Paks I or the implementation of Paks II, which is expected to be an engineering challenge lasting 10–12 years until commissioning. „We have been present in Paks over the past decade, and I would like us to be prepared for this potential area and to have an active presence in the nuclear industry,” he concluded.

 

 

Sustainability: a mindset, not just a formality

Sustainability must be rooted in the company's thinking, not just exist as a formal document. „Beyond obtaining certification, the approach must influence the quality of design and implementation, as well as engineering work, at every stage of the process. In order for a facility to achieve certification, participants must take many steps at every stage of the project,” he said.

Gábor Horváth emphasised that the sustainability approach is reflected in the company's internal operations and in the services and products it provides to its customers, without the customers having to request it. „Óbuda is one of the market leaders in sustainability services: we have certified significant and outstanding projects and buildings, such as the aforementioned Liget project or the MOL Campus building, and of course our own office building at BREEAM Excellent level.”

Sustainability is not just a service, but a mindset that permeates the entire company's operations and everyday activities.

 

Digitalisation: practical solutions for the industry

„We have gained experience and have ideas about what can be done and where we can improve, particularly in terms of solving practical tasks. We test and use products available on the market, or customise them to our needs if necessary. I also see potential in future cooperation with universities: in joint developments, in projects that respond to the real challenges of the industry.”

– he said.

He emphasised that this is not about „boxed” solutions, but about solving specific tasks. „We have been making progress in the field of digitalisation for some time now: we have introduced tools that we use on a daily basis in our projects and recommend to our clients. I see real potential in providing answers to questions for which there are currently no ready-made products on the market,” he added.

 

 

Innovation in project management: new approaches

As the expert explained, one of the key challenges of project management is the effective management of the three factors of cost, time and quality.

„There are many tools on the market, but few that reveal, for example, the feasibility and accuracy of schedules, as well as the errors and risks inherent in them. We are currently running an R&D project in collaboration with Corvinus University of Budapest and a British developer, in which we are investigating whether a given product is suitable for the task, particularly from the point of view of risk analysis and a risk-based approach,” he said.

In addition, the group cooperates with several universities, both in the field of training and through internship programmes. During the latter, students become familiar with the practical aspects of the profession, can consider their career paths, and often develop long-term cooperation.

 

Team, efficiency and future

According to Gábor Horváth, one of Óbuda's most important assets is its colleagues and the professional knowledge and experience they have accumulated.„The project management team currently consists of approximately 160 people. It is important to pay attention to how motivated the employees are, how well suited their tasks are to them, and what their work-life balance is like.”

He also emphasised the importance of employee satisfaction: „Outstanding performance is often driven by appropriate and motivating tasks and challenges. We pay attention to workloads and avoid overburdening our employees, and I believe it is important that they have opportunities to learn, develop, acquire new knowledge, and participate in internal and external training programmes.”

The manager also emphasised the importance of building customer relationships and increasing efficiency.

There is always room for improvement in efficiency: if we understand our own operations, measure our processes, and know how much time and money each task requires, we can improve our market position and increase customer satisfaction.

Gábor Horváth emphasised that continuous development and taking on challenges are not just business expectations, but a mindset: lasting success is not a one-off achievement, but the result of consistent strategic thinking and responsible implementation.

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