Jul22493 29. Based in Budapest, Informula is more than an IT consultant; the company serves as long-term partners to its clients, helping them navigate, implement, and operate complex digital transformations at the core of their business. Today, we highlight Károly Krokovay, a seasoned professional with more than three decades of experience in the field of banking IT and the visionary CEO of Informula. As Károly is named in the European CEO of the Year Awards 2025, we caught up with him to learn more about his exceptional journey. With a client base including leading banks and financial service providers, Informula is a company focused on the strategic, large-scale modernisation of banking IT infrastructures: supporting, delivering, and running reliable, flexible, real-time data-streaming platforms and architectures. A leader in its field, Informula is renowned for not merely delivering projects, but building future-proof capabilities that empower banks and financial institutions to adapt, scale, and innovate for years to come. Founder Károly Krokovay has seen Informula grow from a visionary startup to a key player in the banking sector. The CEO’s journey in IT began more than four decades ago as a passion, and for the last three decades, it has been his profession. Károly started his career almost accidentally, joining a bank IT company as a systems analyst and project manager – simply because he wanted to work and the company needed new talent. This “happy accident” quickly became a turning point for Károly, anchoring his now-unrivalled expertise in banking and finance. After four years as an employee, Károly became an independent consultant. He worked across multiple roles: business analyst, project manager, developer, and even product creator. Over time, he realised he was drawn to projects that had a strategic, long-term impact, where trust and vision mattered as much as technical skill. “In 2017, I decided to finally build a company that reflected my vision and values,” he shared. “Informula was born out of a desire to create something enduring – both for our clients and our team. I draw on every step of my career: understanding the challenges of both legacy systems and bold transformation; knowing what it means to deliver under pressure; and, most importantly, how to build trust, step by step, with clients and colleagues alike.” Károly does not view his role of CEO as being the smartest in the room, but to create the conditions in which every member of his team can contribute, learn from mistakes, and push boundaries together. He believes in leadership by inspiration and not control, having never thrived in rigid, top-down environments or micromanagement cultures. Instead, Károly opts to surround himself with people who are curious, bold, and motivated by genuine collaboration. Instilling trust through delegation was not always easy for Károly, who cited this to be a significant hurdle in the early days of Informula. “One defining moment was moving from a hands-on startup phase, where I could personally check every deliverable, to a stage where trust and delegation became essential,” he shared. “Letting go of control was difficult, but it was the only way to scale both the company and the impact we could have for clients.” As Informula continues to scale and grow, Károly has observed an emerging challenge: simultaneously navigating the rapid growth, building new leadership layers, and preserving the company’s culture of safety and bold innovation. The CEO must ensure that new leaders at every level are prepared to embrace and embody the company’s principles of reliability, flexibility, and real-time responsiveness. Adapting to such challenges will not only require strategic thinking, but also empathy, continuous feedback, and the courage to experiment – and sometimes fail. Moving forward, Informula is leveraging this courage to explore new avenues for growth and enhancement. Not only is the company expanding its client base to other financial institutions, but it is also preparing to step into international markets, with Central Europe as the next logical step. In regard to his own career, Károly believes his future role to be scaling Informula into a company that is both growth-oriented and stable – a place where personal development and mutual support are as important as revenue. “My greatest satisfaction will come from creating a team that is not only open to new ideas and bold enough to pursue them, but grounded enough to turn vision into everyday results,” he told us. “My primary focus as CEO is to embody and communicate the vision, to go ahead in realising it, and to inspire others to join this journey. True success is building a community that wants to grow and win – together.” Contact: Károly Krokovay Company: Informula Kft Web Address: www.informula.hu Most Dedicated IT Infrastructure CEO 2025 (Hungary): Károly Krokovay
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