Up-to-date knowledge, various target groups Interview with Managing Director of SEED Foundation

      Zsuzsanna Lakatosné Lukács took over the management of the SEED Foundation last April. We wanted to know what has happened under her direction in the organization, how she started her activity and where to go.

Seed Foundation was not unknown to you, because you were present in the life of the Foundation as member later as chairman of the Board of Trustees. However, as executive director you obviously see another face of the organization. What's this face?

As member of the Board of Trustees and later as its chairman I was in charge of managing the elaboration of the SEED strategy, in fact I saw less into the operational activity of the organization. Then I considered the foundation as an enterprise development organization having decisive role in the life of different target groups, typically in the life of women’s businesses. The „Dobbantó” Program with Budapest Bank has been already known especially among those who were charged in developing these businesses. However, the wider general public did know neither the Foundation nor its professional efforts of more than two and half decades made in favour of women’s entrepreneurs.

I always knew about SEED that it is collaborating and working together with excellent experts having made studies, held lectures, formulated expert opinions especially on women's businesses, but in other topics as well. Rather the workshop nature of the foundation could be considered strong.

I have also seen that family businesses have also appeared in the work of SEED through women's businesses: some troubles and problems of women’s businesses were associated with their family life.

When I took over the management of the foundation, I looked deeper into the values of SEED, what to rely on. The basis proved to be excellent, and values such as people-orientated activity and customer responsiveness proved to be lasting, nevertheless I decided to move on. More new products need to be developed, the target customer groups need to be expanded, and the popularity of the foundation has to be increased. Although we are not aiming to flow from the tap as well, we do have to go ahead on the search list.

So the previous year was partly about this: opening to new partners, setting new goals, developing new target groups. We will be working on these tasks in the next three or four years.