társasági jog - corporate law

Corporate law, M&A

Corporate & M&A in Hungary — transactions that work under pressure

Clients typically involve me in corporate and M&A matters when transactions require not only legal execution, but also clear structuring, regulatory alignment and board-level decision support. This is particularly the case in Hungary, where legal, regulatory and operational elements must align early in the deal process.

Typical situations include:

  • acquisitions or disposals of companies, business units or regulated businesses
  • restructuring of corporate groups or complex ownership structures
  • transactions involving regulatory exposure, licensing or compliance risk
  • transactions involving foreign direct investment (FDI) screening and notification obligations under Hungarian regimes
  • due diligence and risk assessment before investment
  • shareholder conflicts, governance breakdowns or sensitive corporate situations
  • buy-side and sell-side transactions, private equity investments and cross-border deals involving Hungarian targets

Typical transaction scenarios in Hungary include foreign investors acquiring Hungarian companies, founders exiting businesses, private equity investments, and transactions involving regulated or compliance-heavy targets.

In cross-border transactions, this frequently includes parallel FDI notification and clearance processes under multiple Hungarian regimes, requiring careful structuring and sequencing.

Recognized by Legal 500 and Chambers Europe, both personally and with my team, for work in Projects & Energy and Competition Law, and ranked by IFLR1000 as a Notable Practitioner in M&A, I combine transactional experience with regulatory and governance insight to support complex corporate and M&A transactions.

With over 15 years of experience across corporate, regulatory and transactional matters, and an Executive MBA background, I advise clients not only on legal documentation, but on structuring, decision-making and execution under real-world conditions.

What makes transactions succeed

M&A is not driven by documentation alone.

Transactions succeed or fail based on:

  • how the deal is structured
  • how risks are identified, quantified and allocated
  • how regulatory and compliance issues are handled
  • how the transaction performs after closing

In Hungary, this includes regulatory approvals, licensing constraints, and operational dependencies that must be reflected in the transaction structure.

This also includes FDI screening regimes, where parallel notification obligations, approval timelines and administrative practice can directly affect deal structure and timing.

In practice, the most common issues arise from delayed regulatory alignment, underestimated operational risks or incomplete due diligence.

In cross-border transactions, this often includes late identification or misinterpretation of FDI notification obligations, leading to delays, conditions or uncertainty in closing.

Poor structuring or late regulatory alignment can delay closing, trigger disputes or reduce transaction value. In more complex cases, this can result in failed closings, post-closing disputes or loss of investment value. I help clients anticipate, mitigate and resolve these issues before they affect closing or value.

My approach: Clean Governance in transactions

Transactions are not isolated legal events. They are moments of structural change where governance, compliance and execution must align.

My approach integrates:

  • legal structuring with regulatory and operational reality
  • compliance and governance considerations into deal design
  • clear, defensible decision-making at management and board level

This ensures that transactions remain compliant, executable and defensible not only at closing, but throughout their lifecycle.

How I support corporate and M&A transactions

I advise clients across the full lifecycle of transactions, with a focus on clarity, execution and risk control.

This includes:

  • transaction structuring (share deals, asset deals, business transfers, carve-outs, joint ventures)
  • legal due diligence and legal fact books focused on real operational, contractual and regulatory risks
  • drafting and negotiation of transaction documentation
  • regulatory and compliance alignment, including sector-specific constraints
  • FDI analysis, notification strategy and handling of parallel screening procedures under Hungarian regimes
  • coordination with financial, tax and technical advisors
  • post-closing structuring, dispute prevention and governance alignment
  • acting as Hungarian counsel in cross-border transactions and coordinating local regulatory and transactional aspects
  • including transactions where Hungarian regulatory, licensing or compliance considerations directly affect deal structure and execution
  • including transactions where FDI notification and clearance directly affect deal structure, timing and closing conditions

Focus: execution and accountability

In complex transactions, the key risk is not legal theory, but execution failure.

My work focuses on:

  • identifying critical risks early
  • aligning legal structure with business and regulatory reality
  • ensuring that the transaction remains workable after closing
  • supporting management decisions with clear, actionable legal input
  • keeping transactions on track under time pressure and avoiding unnecessary delays or escalation
  • with particular focus on avoiding deal disruption, regulatory blocking or value erosion
  • this includes managing FDI-related risks, where regulatory uncertainty or procedural timing can directly affect closing and transaction value

Experience across sectors

I advise on corporate and M&A transactions across multiple industries, including:

  • energy and infrastructure
  • technology and telecom
  • regulated sectors and compliance-heavy environments
  • industrial and commercial businesses

This includes transactions involving Hungarian targets as well as cross-border deal structures. My work often involves acting as Hungarian M&A counsel for international investors and law firms.

This also includes advising on FDI notification and clearance in cross-border transactions, including structuring and coordination of parallel regulatory procedures.

Why clients instruct me

  • direct partner involvement in all key stages of the transaction
  • combined transactional, regulatory and compliance expertise
  • ability to handle complex or sensitive situations
  • clear, business-focused advice supporting management decisions
  • focus on execution, not overlawyering
  • ability to translate complex legal and regulatory issues into clear decision points for management and investors

Call to action

If you are planning or already involved in a corporate matter or M&A transaction in Hungary, early structuring and alignment of legal, regulatory and governance aspects can significantly impact timing, closing and overall transaction value.

Contact me to review your transaction, identify key legal, regulatory, including FDI-related, and execution risks, and ensure that structure, timing and closing remain aligned throughout the deal process.

  • Email: gszabo@szgg.hu
  • Phone: +36 30 549 1089
  • Offices: Budapest | Cross-border mandates across the EU/CEE