Zoltán Varga (investor)
{{Short description|Hungarian businessman}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Zoltán Varga
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1967}}
| birth_place = Hungary
| education = University of Pécs
| occupation = Businessman, investor, publisher
| years_active =
| known_for = Founder and owner of Central Group, one of Hungary’s largest independent media companies
| notable_works =
}}
Zoltán Varga (born in 1967) is a Hungarian businessman, investor, and publisher. He is the founder and owner of Central Group, one of Hungary’s largest independent media companies, and one of the country’s most prominent private investors.
Career
Varga graduated from the Faculty of Business and Economics at the University of Pécs. During his studies, he worked for Dresdner Bank and the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. He began his professional career at the Budapest Stock Exchange in 1990. In 1991, he joined Credit Suisse First Boston (CSFB), working in their London and New York offices.{{Cite web |title=Zoltán Varga |url=https://www.globsec.org/who-we-are/our-people/zoltan-varga |access-date=2025-04-11 |website=GLOBSEC - A Global Think Tank: Ideas Shaping the World |language=en}}
In 2004, Varga founded Central Group (Central Csoport), initially focusing on factoring, receivables, and property management, along with financial consulting. The company later expanded into venture capital fund management and private equity investments in 2007.{{Cite web |date=2020-07-25 |title=Viktor Orbán bent on muzzling independent press, Hungarian media mogul warns |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/viktor-orban-bent-on-muzzling-independent-press-hungarian-media-mogul-warns-index-24-hu-news-sites/ |access-date=2025-04-11 |website=POLITICO |language=en-GB}}
In 2014, Varga acquired Central Médiacsoport Zrt., one of Hungary’s largest independent media companies. The group controls 19 news portals, including 24.hu, and 25 print publications, such as Nők Lapja as well as Hungarian editions of Marie Claire and National Geographic.{{Cite web |title=Zoltan Varga uhonorowany prestiżową Europejską Nagrodą Biznesową GLOBSEC |url=https://www.rp.pl/media/art41255321-zoltan-varga-uhonorowany-prestizowa-europejska-nagroda-biznesowa-globsec |access-date=2025-04-11 |website=Rzeczpospolita |language=pl}}{{Cite web |title=A leading Hungarian media group and a decade of 'Design Anthology' |url=https://monocle.com/radio/shows/the-stack/633/ |access-date=2025-04-11 |website=Monocle |language=en}}{{Cite news |last=Walker |first=Shaun |date=2021-07-18 |title=Viktor Orbán using NSO spyware in assault on media, data suggests |url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/2021/jul/18/viktor-orban-using-nso-spyware-in-assault-on-media-data-suggests |access-date=2025-04-11 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}
Varga has also invested in Poland. In 2018, he acquired Wydawnictwa Szkolne i Pedagogiczne (WSiP), a Polish educational publisher, which he later sold to a Dutch investor.{{Cite web |date=2018-08-08 |title=WSiP w węgierskich rękach – Wydawca |url=https://wydawca.com.pl/2018/08/08/wsip-w-wegierskich-rekach/ |access-date=2025-04-11 |language=pl-PL}}{{Cite web |title=Holenderski koncern przejmuje Wydawnictwa Szkolne i Pedagogiczne |url=https://www.rp.pl/biznes/art39720151-holenderski-koncern-przejmuje-wydawnictwa-szkolne-i-pedagogiczne |access-date=2025-04-11 |website=Rzeczpospolita |language=pl}} Since 2023, he has been the co-owner of Gremi Media, the publisher of two prominent Polish business newspapers: Rzeczpospolita and Parkiet.{{Cite web |title=Nowy współwłaściciel Gremi Media w konflikcie z Orbanem. Był podsłuchiwany Pegasusem |url=https://www.press.pl/tresc/78232,zoltan-varga_-nowy-wspolwlasciciel-gremi-media_-w-ostrym-konflikcie-z-orbanem_-byl-podsluchiwany-pegasusem_-zeznawal-w-tej-sprawie-przed-komisja-pe |access-date=2025-04-11 |website=Press.pl |language=pl}}
Conflict with Hungarian government
Varga has been in conflict with the Hungarian government led by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s, who – as he claims – has targeted him and his media holdings. Varga has repeatedly accused the government of pressuring him to sell his media assets and of using various intimidation tactics.{{Cite web |date=2022-12-11 |title=From spying to a criminal probe: Hungarian media baron says Orbán has upped silencing campaign |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/spying-criminal-probe-hungary-media-silence-campaigns-viktor-orban-zoltan-varga/ |access-date=2025-04-11 |website=POLITICO |language=en-GB}}
In 2021, it was revealed that Varga's telephone number was on a list of potential targets for surveillance of the Pegasus spyware. Varga has testified on that issue at the European Parliament.{{Cite web |last=Pethő |first=András |date=2021-09-08 |title=Hungarian opposition publisher was surveilled with Pegasus in spring 2021 - Direkt36 |url=https://www.direkt36.hu/en/iden-is-bevetettek-meg-a-pegasust-tavasszal-megfigyeltek-egy-ellenzeki-mediatulajdonost/ |access-date=2025-04-11 |website=Direkt36 - Direkt36 is a non-profit investigative journalism center with the mission to hold powerful people and institutions accountable. |language=en}}
In 2023, Varga faced a criminal investigation by Hungarian tax authorities, which he claimed was politically motivated. He has described this as an escalation of the government’s campaign against independent media in the country.{{Cite web |last=Gábor |first=Ács |date=2023-12-30 |title=Nem hiszek a Huxitban. Az más kérdés, hogy esetleg kidobnak-e minket – mondja a 31. leggazdagabb magyar |url=https://forbes.hu/a-magazin/varga-zoltan-interju-ajanlo-magazin-ner-huxit-lengyelorszag/ |access-date=2025-04-11 |website=Forbes.hu |language=hu}}
Philanthropy
Varga is involved in various philanthropic activities. He has established a mathematics foundation in his hometown of Bonyhád and supports organizations such as Bátor Tábor and Mosoly Alapítvány. He is also a significant private supporter of the Budapest Festival Orchestra.{{Cite web |title=BOMATEKA |url=https://www.bomateka.hu/alap/eredm-uj.html |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20220522040617/http://bomateka.hu/alap/eredm-uj.html |archive-date=2022-05-22 |access-date=2025-04-11 |website=www.bomateka.hu |language=hu}}{{Cite web |title=42mosoly |trans-title=42smiles|url=https://mosolyalapitvany.hu/hu/segiteni-szeretnek/42mosoly/ |access-date=2025-04-11 |language=hu-HU}}
References
{{reflist}}
Category:Hungarian company founders
Category:Hungarian publishers (people)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Varga, Zoltán}}