HUN-REN President Balázs Gulyás appointed Roland Jakab as the Chief Executive Officer of HUN-REN with effect from 1 January 2024. He will also retain his membership in the HUN-REN Governing Board which he has held since 15 July 2023.
Over the past 23 years Roland Jakab has gained extensive leadership experience at Ericsson, a multinational corporation, where he has held various roles in both domestic and regional capacities, including corporate leadership, strategy, and RDI. He started his professional career in 2000, joining Ericsson Hungary Ltd., where he initially worked as a strategic business consultant, and later he was involved in developing and managing mobile banking and systems integration projects. After that, he was responsible for the sales of Multimedia products in Hungary and Macedonia. In 2008 he was appointed Director of Marketing and Communications and later Deputy Managing Director.
In 2013, he became Managing Director of Ericsson Hungary Ltd., a company with 2,000 employees, including 1,600 R&D staff. From 2018, he served as the Head of Strategy for the Central Europe region, covering eight countries. In his professional corporate activities, he has played a leading role in the introduction of several technological innovations such as 3G, 4G and 5G, and the dissemination of cutting-edge research and development in areas like Artificial Intelligence, IoT, Edge Computing, Cloud Technology, and XR in Hungary, as well as strengthening the company's links with universities.
He is well-acquainted with key participants in both domestic and international RDI ecosystems and holds leadership positions in numerous professional and societal organisations, including the Artificial Intelligence Coalition, 5G Coalition, Hungarian European Business Council, Swedish Chamber of Commerce in Hungary, Alliance for the Future Engineers, as well as the BME`s Supporters and Friends Association among others.
With the approval of the proposed legislative amendment to the RDI Act by the National Assembly, the conversion of HUN-REN's governing body into a Headquarters (HQ) began on 1 January 2024. The
HUN-REN HQ, under the leadership of CEO Roland Jakab, is working to advance in supporting research sites and become a genuine HQ that relieves researchers of administrative and bureaucratic tasks, including monitoring, exploring innovation potential, communication, and certain operational aspects. The goal is that from 2025 HUN-REN transitions to a structure that supports research work more efficiently than at present and to introduce a results-focused financing system that encourages international advancement.
Commenting on his appointment, Roland Jakab said, “It is an honour for me to lead the transition into a Headquarters, signifying a higher level of operations as the Chief Executive Officer. I am committed to working together with President Balázs Gulyás and all colleagues at HUN-REN, giving my best professional knowledge to support the achievement of our common goals. The emergence of artificial intelligence is transforming the research landscape, just as it is in numerous other sectors. Therefore, we are initiating the development of a comprehensive AI strategy for HUN-REN without delay. This technological revolution offers substantial developmental prospects for those who recognise its significance in a timely manner, while posing a considerable setback risk for those who fail to embrace it. This applies not only to research work but also to science management. AI has the remarkable potential to streamline manual administrative tasks; therefore, the HUN-REN HQ is at the forefront of incorporating these innovative solutions into its operations.”
President Balázs Gulyás has set strengthening the scientific and innovation capabilities of HUN-REN in international competition and enhancing its social, economic, and intellectual impact by integrating research and innovation results into the value chain as priority goals. Preparations for an evaluation of the HUN-REN research institutes commenced in the autumn of 2023. This process lays the groundwork for decisions that may transform HUN-REN into the flagship of the John von Neumann Programme (Neumann János Program) announced by the government, thereby contributing to the improvement of Hungary's international position in scientific and innovative performance, in alignment with the program's strategy.