I like to work in a team
February 2011 - Interview with Oszkár Világi published in the SK and HU version of the Monthly Štýl & Elán
At the day, when the sun miracuously pierced the chilly weather, we had the opportunity for an exceptional meeting. We had an interview with a person, who mcuh more that spotlights prefers the tranquility of a library and the intimacy of privacy. Oszkár Világi, the Chairman of the Board of Slovnaft is well known as a top manager of an oil company. But besides that he has the role of a father, sense of humour and significant deliberation which makes him a charismatic person.
Štýl a Elán: When taking pictures, I noticed that you got rid of your suit with a great pleasure. Did you ever have an occupation, where formal dressing was not "mandatory"?
Oskar Világi: For some time yes. I studied law and after finishing my studies I worked as an associate at a notary office. I did not have to wear a suit for the first month, but then my supervisor said it was time to change it. The only problem was at that time I used to take our daughter to the kindergarden on a bike, which in a suit was very difficult. Summer was quite easy, but in winter it became a serious challenge, especially when wearing a coat. Every morning I rode four kilometres and had to be careful not to arrive to work in clothes stained by the bicycle ride. I also wore a suit as a politician, at that time it already was a neccessity.
Š & E: When did you buy your first "proper" suit?
O.V.: I think ot could have been somewhen around 1989. I remember it was a beautiful brown suit, very expensive. It cost me 2 300 Czechoslovak crowns, which was one monthly wage of notary. But let´s rather not talk about clothes that one could buy during socialism...however, even if my first suit was Czechoslovak. I wore it long.
Š & E: Do you still have it?
O.V.: Not anymore. Later, life brought me that suits have been my guide through my whole career. But on the weekends, I usually dress casually and sporty and I am explicitly annoyed when I have to go to places where suits are demanded. Spending your day comfortably in nature, who would be in the mood to dress up in a suit just for dinner? At least it is already generally accepted that "suitmen" want to spend their weekends in something less formal. During weekends ' relax, family, casuality and work belong to each other – because even then I have to dedicate my time to work.
Š & E: What do your common days look like? When do you put on your suit and when can you take it off?
O.V.: For years I ' ve been starting my days at half past seven in the morning and finishing late in the evening. My average working day, if there is no travelling or something else, takes 12-14 hours.
Š & E: Do you also like sporty style?
O.V.: Yes, but that´s not so simple. I like casual things, but you have to be careful. Looking good is not enough, for me it is also important to feel comfortable. There are things that are comfortable but do not fit. Or vice versa.
Š & E: Do you care about what you are wearing? Do you decide on your own or does anyone advise you?
O.V.: During the last few years I´ve been shopping on my own. I assume that clothes should support self-confidence. If it is a suit, shirt or something freee. And it has not neccessarily to be expensive. You can see it, when people wear their clothes comfortably and with self -confidence. Others will notice too.
Š & E: But I suppose you wouldn 't wear a loose jogging suit even at home, no matter how comfortable it ts...
O.V.: When I went to high school, we once visited Prague and met a group of Hungarian students there. One of those guys had no money and offered me to buy his sweatshirt. I did. And this piece was for a long time my favourite. There are pieces of clothing we love to wear and stick to them.
Š & E: You say that good clothes grant self-confidence. In your case, it is apparently neccessary. How many people work under your leadership?
O.V.: There are about 3 700 people in Slovnaft. A real CEO must radiate self-confidence and strenght. An uncertain leader who acts confusingly is not able to manage people and develop the team. Moreover, I am a type of person who is satisfied just when being able to cope with problems. When trouble appears. When crisis occur, I can be calm and can always keep a rational judgement.
Š & E: Are you calm when the house starts to burn?
O.V.: So to speak. When there are no burning houses, I tend to lose my patience and let myself get confused. When there is no crisis situation, people tend to percieve things more casually and may get angry easily. But when a problem occurs, I concentrate all my strentght to the particular task and act in cold blood.
Š & E: In that case, you have overcome the world crisis really calmly.
O.V.: Above all, the crisis has taught us that we have to focus on our work much more. Before the crisis, for both the private and business spheres, careless spendindg was a characteristic. I can give you an example. When we went skiing to Austria I saw people ordering expensive four-euro alcohol by ten or twenty glasses, by a whole tray And they did not drink, it was literally booze. Expensive alcohol in absurd amounts. I was asking myself, are they so well off they can afford this? But that is over. The crisis had come and suddenly each spending was being considered. I personally was not bewildered by the crisis. As I said, crisis situations fit me. Thanks to the crisis, we started thinking like the others.
Š & E: What is the most important lesson from the crisis?
O.V.: The greatest lesson was paradoxically the time just before the crisis. We namely must not believe that you can turn unexisting money into existing money. That just does not work. I had a profesor in London, who was back in the 90 ' saying: Mr. Világi, you can not build capitalism without money. The economic system and the economic future can only be based on real values. When there is a lack of money, it sooner or later ends. And the same goes for companies. You can only build on real basics, walk on a real road and not "fly".
Š & E: Originally you are a lawyer, where did you learn business?
O.V.: A lawyer is always close to business. When I worked as a lawyer, I was specialising in purchase of companies. That was one of the stenghts of our law office. It brought me closer to business, yet I had alwas had an afinity to it. In my case it is most likely a lucky mixture of skills, attraction and interest. For me it would be harder to paint, sing or play a piano - that 's a problem with me.
Š & E: What kind of a businessman are you and how do you think others see your activities?
O.V.: In business life, credibility is very important. And I am credible. I always do what I promise. And another thing is I have a healthy "farmer 's mind". That means that in business I do not seek complex, but simple things. I always seek correctness. It is good when businessmen at the end of negotiation stand up and say: It is OK, everyone got their wins within their limits.
Š & E: How do you select your coleagues? What attributes do matter for you and what requirements have to meet those who want to be in your team?
O.V.: I like to work with representatives of the younger generation. I feel they are more flexible. I admire people who like to work and have large performance. On the other hand, I also like people with a piece of modesty. Those who do not fly away.
Š & E: Do you like to reward them?
O.V.: Rewarding is hard, it alwas causes a big dilemma. To estimate the right extent and remain respectful. I like things being cleared out in advance, who is responsible for which tasks and how they execute them. The reward then depends upon that – either good or bad.
Š & E: I only found very few articles about you in the media. You give interviews very rarely. Do you deliberately avoid the hype around you?
O.V.: The answer is yes. I would rather say, it has developed like that.
Š & E: From what was published about you it looks like one should beware of you. They say when you have the feeling that you are attacked wrongly or are exposed to unjustified criticism, you can take things up to legal consequences. Is that when your lawyer self comes out?
O.V.: This story has its' own context. In the past I got involved into position fights around the Hungarian Coalition Party and a part of Slovak journalists kept publishing things about me that just were not true. I tried to tolerate it, deal with it in a peaceful way, but it was not possible. They wrote things about me using such expressions as the "grey eminence" of the party – which was in a contradiction with the truth. The glass of patience got full and then I asked my lawyers to intervene. And suddenly, in a year it was over. For me, the lesson is I should have done it earlier. But my problem does not lie in the press. If I am asked to give an interview, then I am open and if I can, I answer all questions. But the series of attacks was about something else. That is why I decided to solve the problem in a legal way.
Š & E: Do you not miss politics? Are you not planning to return?
O.V.: No, I don't. It was one stage of my life, which is over. What I do now completely fulfills me and my time.
Š & E: But you have not interrupted all ties to public life, have you?
O.V.: I like to help and support things that are backed by work and performance. Culture, arts, schools...I would like to see Hungarians in Slovakia sustain their values and develop them.
Š & E: How does your family accept the fact that you are at home very rarely?
O.V.: Since 1989 they have got used to the fact that I was away often. But I try to spend more time with them now. We are always able to say and give something new to each other. That is why we are a well functioning family. I have a very good relationship with my daughter, but it is true that for the first ten-fifteen years of her life she saw me very little. My son is now fourteen and with him, I try to get this lost time back.
Š & E: When you are with your family, can you untie yourself from work, or do you check the internet and phone all the time?
O.V.: I am not an internet addict. We do not even watch TV, except my son. The new Facebook lifestyle is not exactly my life. We rather read, watch a movie – that is relaxing. We have a small home cinema. We live in our quiet conservative world in Dunajská Streda. Although phone belongs to my job, I have arranged things so that it already rings less.
Š & E: What is the last movie you have seen?
O.V.: Emma, by recommendation of my wife. And a time ago a film with Clint Eastwood. But generally I am a movie "omnivore," I have several hundreds of movies. I like Pasolini, lately I' ve also seen a movie by Mastroianni and enjoyed it very much. I like all that attracts me.
Business card
Oszkár Világi
Chairman of the Board and CEO of Slovnaft, a.s.
JUDr. Oszkár Világi finished his studies at tha Faculty of Law of the Comenius University in Bratislava in 1985. In 1991 he reached the academic degree D.C.L. A year later he founded a successful law office Csekes, Világi, Drgonec & Partners.
From 1990 through 1992 he was a member of the Parliament and vicechairman of the Czechoslovak Parliament. Throughout his professional carreer he was at many managing and supervisory positions of distinguished Slovak companies. From 2003 to 2005 he was a member of the Supervisory Board of Slovnaft, a.s. and from 2005 a member of the Board. Since May 1, 2006 he has become the CEO of Sovnaft and since April 18, 2009 he has been its ' chairman of the Board.
