Gabriella Szucsik-Kiss and Balázs Szonder developed MVM’s internal leadership training program while completing their Corvinus eMBA studies. The program’s first pilot year concluded this spring. Drawing from their eMBA experiences, the two organizational development professionals built numerous learning methodologies, creative leadership tools, and managerial frameworks into their program. We spoke with them about the road leading to the program’s launch, the importance of stepping out of one’s comfort zone, and why investing in employee training ultimately pays off for companies. 

Today you jointly lead MVM’s internal leadership development program, which you practically developed in parallel with your eMBA studies. At what point in your careers, and with what professional background, did you decide to apply for the Corvinus eMBA program, and what was your primary goal when enrolling? 

Balázs Szonder: Gabi and I share a common background in organizational development. Many years ago, we both participated in developing, implementing, and introducing in Hungary a large-scale transformation program affecting 72,000 employees at RWE’s parent company. Later, our paths diverged, but we met again during the Corvinus eMBA and continued working together by developing MVM’s leadership program. My background is in engineering, focusing on software technology system design. Within our organizational development work, I usually handle measurement and the design of evaluation systems, while Gabi is responsible for the softer aspects. I wanted to complete the eMBA to gain solid financial and economic knowledge, which I felt was still missing for me to become a successful leader. 

Gabriella Szucsik-Kiss: I applied to the eMBA program to organize my knowledge, learn new things, and gain new perspectives, while also developing my leadership skills. But during the program, I reconnected with Balázs, and we started talking. He shared that he was working on creating an internal leadership training program at MVM, and eventually, his plans convinced me to join the project. So, beyond my original goals of learning and personal growth, the eMBA studies also resulted in something tangible: a leadership development system (the MVM Catalyst program). 

Why did MVM consider it important to establish its own internal leadership development system? 

Balázs Szonder: The energy crisis triggered by the Russian-Ukrainian war brought major changes to the sector in Hungary as well. A separate Ministry of Energy was established, and the energy minister wanted to ensure that MVM had a strong, competitive professional background. The company’s new leadership outlined a strategy extending to 2035, which included significant organizational transformation. It was clear that the company’s previously more hierarchical model would no longer be competitive under the changed circumstances. That’s when we began designing the framework for an internal leadership development program aligned with MVM’s long-term strategic goals. We started with a version 1.0 of the program, then Gabi joined the development, and I honestly couldn’t even tell you which hundredth redesigned version we eventually launched with confidence. 

MVM’s leadership program evolved in parallel with your eMBA studies, and even your thesis was based on its development. Could you share more about this exciting process? 

Gabriella Szucsik-Kiss: Most people apply for an eMBA to advance in their careers, and that was one of my motivations too. Of course, my personality and professional knowledge grew tremendously thanks to the program. But since we were developing MVM’s program in parallel, we could quickly integrate many new ideas, methodologies, and content elements into it. For me, the eMBA’s layered, well-structured, and personalized leadership development elements were especially impactful, and I consciously incorporated them into MVM’s program. 

Assignments that forced us to step back from daily routines—like using drawing exercises to reflect on ourselves and unlock creativity—were also very influential. 

A key realization for me was that successful leaders must regularly step out of their comfort zones and experiment with new tools and methods. We built this perspective into MVM’s program as well. Equally important was the role of teamwork: how to build strong teams by knowing colleagues’ strengths and developing them in what they already excel at. Because without a strong team, there is no good leader. For me, the group assignments in the eMBA program created novel opportunities for learning and developing together, which I consider one of the greatest values of the whole experience. 

Balázs Szonder: I believe it’s largely thanks to the Corvinus eMBA program that last September we were able to launch such a high-level, complex internal leadership development program at MVM. The eMBA continuously enriched our program, forcing us to redesign and refine it whenever we learned about better methods. For example, inspired by the eMBA’s learning methodology, we decided to give our program a strong experimental nature: like at Corvinus, our training days are more about mindset-shaping, followed by individual and group assignments at home. Knowledge is then deepened mostly through these projects. 

The pilot year of MVM’s internal program started last September. What are your main takeaways from this first year? 

Gabriella Szucsik-Kiss: The pilot year started with 75 leaders and concluded this spring. Based on both our measurements and personal feedback, participants acquired new and creative leadership tools and methods. They began steering their teams toward more effective collaboration, and corporate departments started cooperating more closely and holding more frequent consultations. The program has helped dissolve silo-like operations within the company. We see the program acting like a kind of glue between leaders: they consult more often and are more willing to ask each other for help. 

Balázs Szonder: Our measurements show that leaders who participated in the program are significantly more satisfied with their workplace and more likely to recommend the company to others. This suggests that the program will have a strong long-term retention effect. Currently, the program is designed for leaders, but our medium-term goal is to launch a talent program targeting ambitious young professionals with leadership potential, offering them opportunities to grow and advance their careers. 

What do you think about the concern that many companies hesitate to send employees to eMBA programs out of fear they’ll leave after graduation? 

Balázs Szonder: From my experience, contracts or holding back someone’s professional growth can only keep them at a company temporarily. If someone wants to leave and advance, they will find a way. On the other hand, my case shows how much a company can benefit by investing in an eMBA for its employees. I didn’t leave MVM after the program—I applied what I learned to develop the company’s own leadership training system. 

Gabriella Szucsik-Kiss: I would turn this question around and ask executives: does it make sense to hinder the growth of your best employees out of fear they might leave? After just one pilot year, we already see the incredible retention power of investing in employees’ training, and this investment pays off for the company even in the short term. I would encourage all company leaders not to fear supporting their colleagues’ professional growth—it actually helps retain them. 

In fact, for participants of the MVM Catalyst program who are eager to gain more knowledge, experience, and networks—and are willing to invest their time and energy—we’ve created opportunities to apply for the next eMBA program. Several of our colleagues will begin their eMBA studies this September after completing MVM’s leadership development program!