UPC’s Maria Dardai is a 12-year veteran of the telecommunications sector and says although tech driven, the business is really about customer service.
You have been with UPC Hungary, the country’s largest provider of cable television and broadband Internet, as general counsel and chief compliance officer for close to five years.
Tell us about your career track?
I graduated in 1997 from the university of “ELTE”, Budapest. I started my career at PricewaterhouseCoopers, and continued at Nomura Securities from 1998 to 2001. Since 2002 I have worked in the telecommunications except for a brief stopover for one-andhalf years. This has been 12 years now.
Your industry seems to always be evolving. How has the industry changed in your time at UPC?
Although the telecommunications industry is a technology driven industry, the right question is always about what the best is for the customers, and based on the customers’ needs we need to improve our services. In the recent years the emphasis shifted more and more on quality service. The customers would rather prefer the package deals: video, Internet and voice services in the same package.
In your role, what takes up most of your time?
UPC Hungary is a large multinational company with 1,300 employees and significant revenue. Our management team includes 11 people and is also multinational. My role in this management team is to lead the legal, regulatory and public affairs department. I personally deal with the most important issues only and I have my excellent team to handle the daily operational issues. What I do myself is the compliance. Those issues cannot be delegated.
How do you keep abreast of the changing industry and regulatory environment?
This is a tough question. In the last few years the speed of changing the legal and regulatory environment was very hasty. We implemented an internal monitoring system so we can track the changes plus we also utilize the industry associations’ help and involvement in the legislation processes.
As you mentioned, UPC is a multinational company. How much interaction do you have with your colleagues in other countries?
We have daily interactions and this is what I enjoy very much. Being part of the largest cable company in the world and learning from each other is something that inspires me continuously.
Is there anything specific to Hungary that might vary from rules in other EU countries?
Not really, however there are always some specialties. Maybe the speed of the changes in the legislation or the special taxes imposed on the industry is unique.
What are the biggest rewards/challenges of your job?
If I feel that my team is considered as a valuable “business partner” by the other departments in the company. That is always a reward. This is our primary goal and role: support the business and be a real business partner. I like my compliance role very much. When I was appointed to represent CEE countries in our Group Compliance and Ethics committee I felt very proud.
How many outside law firms do you work with and what do you look for when hiring outside counsel?
We use two law firms and we have longterm relationships with them because they are the best in the industry. The industry specific knowledge is the most important selection criteria.
The Dárdai file
Title: VP General Counsel Compliance Officer at UPC Hungary
Time in Position: 4 years, eight months
Additional: Member of Liberty Global Compliance & Ethics Committee representing CEE countries Previous: General Counsel Country Compliance Officer, Hungary for ABB, a global leader in Power and Automation technologies; Head of Legal, T-Kábel Magyarország Kft; Head of Legal, Compliance and Internal Audit, Nomura.
