The Portfolio Energy Investment Forum is one of Hungary's leading energy industry conferences, bringing together senior executives, policymakers, investors, and market experts to discuss the future of Europe's energy sector. MET Group attended the event to share the company's perspective on Europe's energy challenges and opportunities, and to demonstrate thought leadership on how the continent can strengthen its competitiveness, energy security, and long-term prosperity.
MET Group CEO Huibert Vigeveno delivered a keynote address, while Eszter Szekeres, CEO of MET Central Europe, Márton Szépfy, CEO of E2 Hungary, and Gábor Molnár, CEO Green Operations CEE at MET Group's Renewable and Asset Division, also took part in discussions throughout the conference.
Speaking to industry leaders and decision-makers, Huibert highlighted how energy, economic prosperity, and geopolitics have become increasingly interconnected. He argued that Europe must move from discussion to action, creating the conditions for internationally competitive energy companies capable of supporting the continent's long-term interests.
Huibert also underlined that the discussion extends beyond energy itself. "This is not only about energy; it is about Europe's ability to shape its own future," he said.
He outlined four strategic priorities that underpin MET's growth ambitions: maintaining a strong customer focus, expanding its integrated natural gas business, growing its power generation and flexibility portfolio, and preserving the entrepreneurial culture and accountability that have driven the company's success. Huibert also highlighted that MET Group is Hungary's first “unicorn”, a privately held company valued at more than USD 1 billion, demonstrating how entrepreneurial ambition and long-term value creation can translate into international success.
Beyond scale, Huibert argued that the next generation of energy champions must be defined by their ability to improve the customer experience, making energy solutions more affordable, reliable, and increasingly simple for businesses and households. He stressed the importance of delivering practical energy solutions and noted that successful decarbonization must also make economic sense for customers.
Looking ahead, Huibert described the coming decades as a defining period for the European energy sector and reaffirmed MET Group's determination to play a leading role in shaping its future. Not only does MET Group intend to play in the Champions League, but, as Huibert put it, “We are going to win the Champions League.”
MET Group's participation at the forum extended well beyond the CEO keynote. Eszter Szekeres, CEO of MET Central Europe, discussed how businesses can navigate a more volatile energy environment through pragmatic action, effective risk management, and a stronger focus on competitiveness.
Márton Szépfy, CEO of E2 Hungary, highlighted the importance of strategic energy procurement, predictability, and continuous dialogue with customers, pointing to Europe's growing exposure to global LNG price volatility and the need to move beyond annual procurement cycles towards longer-term, three-to-five-year strategies.
Gábor Molnár, CEO Green Operations CEE at MET Group's Renewable and Asset Division, explored the growing role of flexibility solutions in supporting the integration of renewable energy sources. He highlighted the potential of co-location to make better use of existing grid capacity, while stressing that revenue predictability remains a key challenge for new investments. Gábor also pointed out that this can be addressed without state support through sophisticated trading capabilities, which MET already has in place.
For more on MET Group's participation at the Portfolio Energy Investment Forum 2026, take a look at Huibert Vigeveno's LinkedIn post, the MET Group LinkedIn post, and Portfolio's article.