The RBIF would like to congratulate and welcome four new members joining the existing members on the Foundation Board. We are grateful and excited to have this group of individuals join us and bring their expertise and perspectives to the work of the foundation to further our goal of helping sick and underprivileged children in Hungary.
We asked the members to introduce themselves and their relationship with the Foundation.
Peter Hajnal – Managing Director (CEO) of Moore Hungary
How did you come across the RBIF?
I met RBIF Chairman Dougie Arnott last year thanks to a recommendation of a mutual friend. Why is it important for you to support the foundation?
There are lots of foundations in operation, but usually you do not know exactly where the support given is used. RBIF has a clear and transparent activity that helps to understand the path of the funds raised. Furthermore, the objective and goal of RBIF (helping sick and underprivileged children in Hungary) are very important and close to my heart.
Robin Marshall – editor-in-chief of the Budapest Business Journal
How did you come across the RBIF?
I arrived in Hungary in 1998 as the managing editor of The Budapest Sun, and while I missed the first Budapest Burns Supper that year, I did attend the second one in 1999. I think I was at every Burns Supper every year from then until we moved out of Budapest in 2007. The Budapest Sun was a media sponsor for the supper while I ran it, and I did pro bono communications work for the foundation for a few years after I left the newspaper in 2008.
Why is it important for you to support the foundation?
Having lived in Hungary for more than 20 years, with a Hungarian wife and three bilingual, dual nationality children, I think it is important to give something back to our community. The RBIF does such outstanding work with sick children, and it is lovely to be involved again with something that I saw develop from its early years.
Alan McGregor works in personal finance
How did you come across the RBIF?
I have been involved in Scottish charities in the past, and have known Douglas personally for more than 20 years.
Why is it important for you to support the foundation?
I think it is a wonderful way to celebrate Scottish culture, far from home, and bring that to a new audience, whilst raising much-needed resources for vital local projects.
Dr. Miklós Moldován – Head of Moldovan & Co Attorneys at Law and managing partner
How did you come across the RBIF?
My father Dr. András Moldován was a member of the board for quite some time. During his involvement with the foundation I attended RBIF fundraisers on many occasions, and also became acquainted to some extent with those running this organisation. Following (or rather creating) the tradition, I was honoured to be asked if I could replace him on the board.
Why is it important for you to support the foundation?
It is fundamental that everyone gives back to the community in some way. I believe the cause the RBIF stands for is of extraordinary importance in the midst of the many other charitable causes that need attention, and so it is my pleasure to pitch in to this common goal to the extent my abilities allow me to do so.
David Thompson – retired Chartered Accountant, a member of the Supervisory Board and Chair of the Audit Committee of the logistics company Waberer’s International Nyrt. since 2018. Before that, KPMG in the UK, the USA and Hungary for over 40 years, and audit partner at KPMG Hungary for 22 years, 1992-2014.
How did you come across the RBIF?
Through attending Burns Suppers since the 1990s.
Why is it important for you to support the foundation?
Firstly, it is a very good cause. RBIF helps hospitals and other institutions deliver much-needed services to newborn babies and disadvantaged children.
Secondly, and this matters to me as a Chartered Accountant, we take great care to ensure all the money everyone gives to RBIF is spent wisely.
– Everyone gives their time and skills for free.
– The Foundation has no employees or administration costs.
– We follow up; we check that the donations we make are spent on buying the equipment approved by us.
Thirdly, I am Scottish and I live in Hungary. I am delighted to support an emblematic Scottish cultural event here, the Burns Supper. Being Scottish and an accountant, I like it that we demonstrate through the Foundation the Scottish virtue of being ‘canny’ – we take good care to look after the money our donors entrust to us, and we ensure their donations are used wisely.
Last but not least, Burns is Scotland’s much loved national poet, very similarly to Petőfi in Hungary. I am lucky enough that at least 2 of my ancestors had personal links with Burns. One of my 4x great grandfathers, John Tennant, was a good friend and neighbour of Robert Burns’ father. John was one of the two witnesses who signed the poet’s birth certificate and much later, was a friend Burns turned to for advice. Burns also wrote a letter poem to one of John’s sons in which he names “Guid Old Glen” and several members of the family. Burns was also a friend of another of my 4x great grandfathers and refers to him in another letter. Small things, but fun associations with the world-famous poet! And they make it personal for me to support Burns ‘Immortal Memory’ through supporting the RBIF here in Hungary.
Dougie Arnott – Owner of EDMF Language Services Kft.
How did you come across the RBIF?
I volunteered to help out with the RBIF back in 2012, little did I know then it would become a significant part of my life. I have been Chairman of the Board since 2014.
Why is it important for you to support the foundation?
There are various pillars to the RBIF’s operations, first and foremost helping sick and underprivileged children in Hungary, a cause that I’m sure everyone thinks is worthy of promoting. Those running the Foundation are privileged simply in terms of enjoying good health and being able to give back to the community we now call home. Given that we are able to provide our support where it is much needed, I feel we have an obligation in this respect. By doing so we also promote cultural links between Scotland, the UK as a whole, and Hungary, equally a worthy objective in our minds.