Interview with Her Excellency Judit Pach

Her Excellency, Judit Pach, Hungarian Ambassador to Singapore and Brunei Darussalam / Hungary's Governor to the Asia-Europe Foundation

1.     Please introduce yourself.

I'm Judit Pach. I'm the Hungarian ambassador to Singapore and also to Brunei Darussalam and Hungary’s governor to the Asia-Europe Foundation.  I assumed this position October 2021, so it's already been over three and a half years now.

2.     In the past you have been Head of Press, Chief of Staff to the Minister of State for National Development and Head of International Communication Office. How have you navigated all of these different roles into getting you to the role of ambassador and did you always want to become an ambassador?


              I actually never set out to become an ambassador—and I didn’t initially see diplomacy as a career path for myself. Growing up, my father was a correspondent, and we lived in Germany, so I was often surrounded by the diplomatic community. But from the outside, I saw it as a very hierarchical, male-dominated world, governed by strict protocol and formalities. It didn’t feel like something I could relate to, or something that aligned with how I saw my future.

My entry into this field came more through opportunity than intention. I was first invited to join the President’s Office as International Spokesperson—largely because of my language skills and my existing international exposure. After that, I worked on a communications campaign for the EU development programme in Hungary, which eventually led me to the role of Chief of Cabinet to the Minister of State for National Development.

I’ve never followed a strict career plan. I tried to do my best in every role, and often, before I could plan my next step, a new opportunity would present itself—one that felt like a natural next challenge. Although I had always imagined I might end up in the private sector, the public sector kept opening doors for me.

In 2012, I was asked to lead the International Communications Office at the Prime Minister’s Office. Then, in 2014, when the Foreign Ministry became the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, there was a shift in focus. They were looking for a new generation of ambassadors—what I like to call a “new creed”—who were more proactive, more engaged in economic diplomacy, and results-driven. The government wanted to deepen ties with Asia, and I was asked whether I would be interested in becoming the Ambassador to Indonesia. That’s how this chapter began.

3.     How has your role and experience in domestic versus international politics differed? Do you feel that there are different challenges associated with being in either?

In all aspects of politics, especially in democracies, governments are ultimately grounded in the confidence and trust of their citizens. Domestically, this connection is more direct and tangible, as policies and decisions are often shaped by the immediate expectations of the public. When I was working in Hungary in a more domestic context, this was very present in my daily work. As an ambassador, however, the focus shifts slightly—while you're not an elected official, you still carry the responsibility of representing your country as a whole. This means striving to reflect what unites the nation, rather than its divisions, and keeping in mind the broader interests and values of your homeland. Working in an international environment can sometimes lead to more globally oriented perspectives, but it’s essential to stay grounded in the national context you represent. Ultimately, it’s a continuous balancing act—being attuned to your country’s choices while also navigating and engaging with the international community.

4.     You are currently the ambassador of Hungary to Singapore and Brunei Darussalam, but in the past, you have been simultaneously ambassador to Indonesia, ASEAN and Timor Leste. How do you navigate multiple countries without physically being present in each of them? 


          When I started my posting in Indonesia, I was also accredited to the Philippines and Malaysia. Fortunately, within the first two years—thanks to a shift in our foreign policy focus—we were able to open embassies in both Kuala Lumpur and Manila.

The reality is that many countries cannot maintain embassies in every partner nation, so ambassadors are often accredited to multiple countries. Naturally, you spend more time in the country where you are physically based. But foreign ministries tend to group accreditations in a logical way—geographically, politically, or economically. For example, being accredited to ASEAN made perfect sense during my time in Jakarta, since the Secretariat is based there. Likewise, I now serve as Hungary’s governor to ASEF, which is headquartered in Singapore.

I don’t find this kind of setup particularly difficult—especially in today’s globalized, post-pandemic world. It’s entirely feasible to stay informed, maintain relationships, and coordinate important matters virtually. A good example is the recent historic visit of Brunei’s Foreign Minister to Hungary—the first of its kind. Much of the preparation was done via video calls and email, demonstrating that even without constant physical presence, meaningful diplomatic engagement remains very possible.

5.     Then that leads me to the question, what are your responsibilities as an ambassador? How do these responsibilities go from more official to more personal? 


Basically, as an ambassador, I represent my country and government as a whole. It’s a multifaceted role, as the embassy has a wide range of responsibilities. On the political side, we report on developments in the countries we’re accredited to, engage in bilateral discussions, and work on agreements and cooperation that benefit both sides. In places where we enjoy strong and friendly ties, like Singapore, we often support one another in multilateral settings—be it at the UN or other international forums—and facilitate intergovernmental engagements where a formal diplomatic channel is essential. I regularly meet with high-level officials here to explore how we can deepen our cooperation in ways that also create broader positive effects.

A major focus of our work is also economic diplomacy—foreign trade and investment promotion. This is a relatively recent but increasingly important part of our diplomatic portfolio. In many ways, I’m the first point of contact when it comes to anything Hungarian. I need to be aware of which Hungarian companies are already active in Singapore, which are planning to enter the market, and how they can use Singapore as a regional hub.

Navigating across industries is both demanding and fascinating. One day, I might be discussing science and Hungarian tech innovations in the afternoon, then speaking about wine and alcohol products in the evening. The next day, the topics might shift to food exports like pork, or environmental technologies like water treatment, or even the semiconductor industry. It’s essential to have a good understanding of all these areas to represent them effectively. When our companies succeed abroad, it feeds back into the national economy—creating jobs, generating tax revenues, and strengthening overall prosperity.

Beyond this, there is also the cultural dimension. We believe that strong economic ties are built on strong human connections. Trust is key in business, and trust grows when you understand one another—not just through professional exchanges, but through culture, traditions, and shared experiences.

And of course, we also handle consular matters. As the extended arm of Hungary abroad, we assist both Hungarians in Singapore and Singaporeans interested in visiting or relocating to Hungary. We support them with legal and practical matters as needed.

So yes, in the end, I’m tasked with representing all of these areas. That said, I have a small but very dedicated and proactive team here at the embassy, with diplomats focusing on specific areas of our work.

6.     I have read about your strong personal advocacy for women’s empowerment. How did you arrive at this cause for your advocacy?

I entered this field at a relatively young age, and I also stepped into leadership quite early. I was Hungary’s youngest ambassador at the time—appointed at age 30—and also the youngest female ambassador. Throughout my career, and especially during my time as spokesperson to the President, I was often aware that I was perceived differently compared to some of my colleagues. Being both young and a woman felt like a double layer of challenge, and that personal experience made me feel strongly about speaking up and supporting other women in similar situations.

Over time, I’ve seen so many incredibly capable women who hesitate to step forward for themselves. I remember one moment in particular: in one of my teams, there were three women and one man. After a year, it became very clear that one of the women was outstanding—her work spoke for itself, and she consistently handled high-responsibility tasks. The male colleague, while competent, often had issues with the quality of his work. Yet after a year, he came to my office and confidently asked for a raise and a promotion. I considered it—and then called in the outstanding woman to offer her the promotion instead. Her response was, “I’m not sure I’m ready yet.” That moment really stayed with me, and I kept encountering variations of this pattern in my career. It led me to start exploring the reasons behind it—and the more I learned, the more committed I became to advocating for change.

When I first became an ambassador, only a bit more than ten of our ambassadors out of 120 were women. Even my appointment received criticism—there were doubts about sending a young, blonde woman to the world’s largest Muslim-majority country. But during my time in Indonesia, we managed to multiply our trade numbers six-fold and concluded Hungary’s largest tech export project to date—an electronic tollway system—from start to finish. That experience became a strong personal benchmark for me.

Today, I find it quite meaningful that the region where I was once seen as an unconventional appointment now has only female Hungarian ambassadors—in Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. My former Head of Trade is now ambassador to Indonesia, and all three are achieving excellent results. Interestingly, the only other region where Hungary currently has all-female ambassadors is Scandinavia—where we sometimes receive political criticism. In Southeast Asia, however, we are pushing forward with ambitious goals, and it’s women leading the charge. That says something.

7.     Who are the women in your life who inspire you?
   

That’s a difficult question. Of course, there are the well-known names—Angela Merkel, Christine Lagarde—but on a personal level, I’ve always found it hard to relate to public figures. You see their stories, their accomplishments, but you don’t really see how they live their lives. That’s what I’ve always felt was missing.

For me, women’s empowerment is about more than public success—it’s about how you lead, how you behave in smaller, more personal settings. There are many books on leadership, but they’re often written from a general perspective. Leadership qualities like strength, decisiveness, and resilience are not gendered—you either have them or you develop them. And when you see women in leadership roles from a distance, they often mirror their male counterparts in style and presence. That’s not what makes them relatable. You might notice how they dress or present themselves, but that’s only surface-level.

What I struggled with early on was figuring out how to lead in a way that felt authentic to me. I hadn’t encountered many women leaders who led differently—most of them embodied typically “male” traits that I couldn’t relate to. I’ve never been the type to raise my voice or pound the table, and I knew I didn’t want to lead that way. But I had to learn to trust that a more composed, calm approach could still be strong and effective. You would definitely notice if I was unhappy—but I would express it differently.

Men often have more visible role models to learn from—they can pick and choose elements they admire and use those to shape their own style. For women, that process is harder, because you rarely see leadership styles up close. You might see a woman as diligent or well-prepared, but you don’t get to observe how she leads a team behind the scenes. That’s what’s missing in male-dominated environments.

It took me a long time to fully embrace my own style of leadership. I think what’s changing now—and what I’m really glad to see—is that young women today have many more role models around them. Not necessarily famous ones, but women they can interact with, ask questions, and learn from in real-life settings. That kind of exposure creates a much stronger connection—and that’s where real inspiration begins.

8.     In an interview you did with Expat Living in Singapore you said “usually people underestimate you as a young woman- so it’s easier to surprise them and to reach the outcomes you want”. Drawing from this, can you speak to any challenges you have faced as a young woman in diplomacy? Is there a specific example that comes to mind where you could indeed surprise the people who underestimated you and use your position as a young woman to reach your diplomatic goals?


              I think authenticity is absolutely key—dressing and behaving in a way that feels true to yourself makes all the difference. In traditional diplomatic settings, especially in Indonesia, there were moments that felt intimidating at first. We had monthly EU Heads of Mission meetings, and most of the other representatives were men in their fifties or sixties, with impressive careers and a wealth of experience. They were the type of diplomats who one imagines starting the day with reading the newspaper over coffee, deeply immersed in international affairs. And there I was, thinking, “How can I grow into that?”

But over time, I realized I brought something different to the table. While they had a very analytical, traditional diplomatic approach, I offered a fresher perspective—especially in areas like communication and business. Gradually, they started turning to me for those insights. That shift taught me that I didn’t need to replicate anyone else’s style. I found my voice—and once I stopped worrying about whether I belonged, I focused on contributing meaningfully.

Often, women ask themselves, “Am I really ready?” or “Am I enough?” But if you’re sitting at the table, it’s because you’ve earned it. That realization helped me stop second-guessing and start speaking up. You have to trust that your ideas are just as valid. Being underestimated at first can give you room to surprise people, but only if you claim your space with confidence.

9.      Especially as a woman, questions around raising a family and settling down seem to perhaps contrast in some ways with what is expected of you as a diplomat. How do you balance your personal and professional goals as an ambassador?


              I think we need to rethink how we view women’s roles in families—and ask why we still treat this differently for men and women. Men also face challenges when relocating with their families, and many also want to be present fathers and partners. These are shared responsibilities, especially now that many relationships are based on two equal, career-driven individuals.

There’s often a narrative that childbirth or family commitments interrupt a woman’s career path in an exceptional way—but in truth, childbirth is just a few months. Of course, it’s a personal choice how and when to return to work, and it deserves respect. But it shouldn’t be seen as a career-ending moment. If someone has a long-term illness, for example, they might also be away from work for a while—and we wouldn’t question their career trajectory. With today’s flexibility and remote work options, things are much more manageable.

I’ve seen many couples in my own circles successfully balance both family and career. We just don’t talk about it enough. And this is exactly why we need more female role models who are open about these challenges and realities. The more we normalize the idea that women don’t have to choose between ambition and motherhood, the easier it becomes for others to follow suit.

10.   What role does Hungary see itself playing in Southeast Asia?

              Hungary has made significant efforts in building strong trade and research relations with Southeast Asia. With ASEAN, we’re active in research and innovation exchanges, and our Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship programme has been very successful in strengthening people-to-people connections.

Our presence in the region has grown steadily, which is reflected in rising trade volumes and investments from the region into Hungary. In fact, Hungary is among the European countries attracting the highest levels of foreign direct investment, with a growing share now coming from Southeast Asia.

With Singapore, in particular, we have a strong collaboration in research. A good example is the “DiscovHer” exhibition we organized at the Science Centre, celebrating female scientists from Hungary. Beyond that, we’re also working closely on joint research projects in medical sciences, AI, and machine learning. Hungary has a lot of potential in these areas—and Southeast Asia is evolving along similar lines, so the cooperation is very natural.

11.   What would you like to see improve in Hungarian-Southeast Asian relations?

               One of my main goals was to increase Hungary’s visibility—and I think we’ve made great strides. Of course, our key metrics involve trade and investment, but I also wanted to highlight Hungary’s relevance more broadly.

Events like last year’s Hungarian Month were a major step forward—we reached over 200,000 people, which is a remarkable result for a small country. I was recently asked in an interview how we manage to do this, because in such a competitive environment like Singapore—with large embassies from major global players—it’s not easy for a small country to stand out. But I believe that we’ve succeeded in making Hungary more recognizable and relatable.

Even small gestures or experiences can leave a lasting impression. If someone here attends a Hungarian event, sees a film, or enjoys Hungarian food, they might later think of Hungary when considering travel, business, or collaboration. That’s the kind of impact we want to create, and I’m proud that we’ve been able to build on it so effectively.

12.   The Embassy plans lots of cultural events in Singapore to introduce Hungarian culture to Singaporeans. Do you find cultural exchange to be useful for fostering good diplomatic relations?


              Absolutely. Cultural diplomacy is not just about pride in our heritage—it’s a powerful tool for building relationships. Last year, for instance, we organized a large concert with Plácido Domingo during Hungary’s EU presidency, with artists like Dimash Qudaibergen. It was a major success, and we had high-level attendance including Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat and key business leaders.

On the surface, it was a cultural event, but beneath that it was very much a strategic opportunity. People started to look at Hungary differently—not just as a small country in Central Europe, but as one capable of organizing high-calibre events and mobilizing influential networks. That creates familiarity and trust—two things that are crucial in business and diplomacy.

Even for our existing partners, being able to host VIP guests at a Hungarian dinner or cultural showcase helps reinforce their connection to Hungary. These soft touches open the door for deeper economic engagement. So yes, while it might seem like we’re simply presenting our food or films, there’s a long-term ripple effect that can be incredibly impactful.

13.    And lastly, what are your words of wisdom to university students who seek to enter the diplomatic corps?

               One thing I wish I had learned earlier is the importance of networking. Today, with platforms like LinkedIn, it’s easier than ever, but the mindset still matters. Build your network, engage actively, and don’t be afraid to use it. Knowing people from various fields is incredibly valuable—you never know when those connections will come into play.

Don’t hesitate to ask for advice, mentorship, or support. These relationships can become key assets. In a fast-changing world, with shifting technologies and evolving challenges, having a strong, diverse network is what helps you navigate the unknown.

And above all—be authentic. Find your own voice, your own way of leading, and stay true to it. That’s what will make you stand out.