We are excited to introduce the MET Sales & Trading Segment Manifesto – a bold statement of how we grow and what we believe in. We don’t work to tick boxes, we work because we have purpose. Let’s look behind the curtain.
“They say that culture eats strategy for breakfast. It means that the culture of a company is much more important than its strategy. Our culture is very strong – it consists of entrepreneurial spirit, talent orientation, independence, and being both customer- and business-driven”. This is how Tom Van de Cruys, CEO of MET Group’s Sales & Trading Segment (STS) defines our philosophy.
No wonder that the MET STS “Who We Are” Manifesto is more than just a set of values on paper. It is a cultural cornerstone, a summary of our core beliefs – reflecting the DNA that fuels our day-to-day performance, guides our decisions, and shapes the way we build our future.
As MET Group’s Chairman and CEO, Benjamin Lakatos explains: “MET and STS are much more than just an energy company. It’s an HR success story, because it’s based on strong values and culture. That’s what “Who We Are” is about”.
Everything starts with our customers
The MET Sales & Trading Segment, as the company’s largest business unit, sources LNG, natural gas and electricity from various markets across Europe and beyond. With subsidiaries in 21 countries and via one of the largest gas and power trading floors in Europe, it also offers sophisticated gas, power, and green product supply services to clients. In a nutshell, STS contributes to the energy transition and delivers energy security for the benefit of our customers.
“Everything starts with understanding our customers. And that’s not just marketing talk or sales talk, it’s really how we create value at STS. The Manifesto says it: customer-focus drives innovation and efficiency”, stresses Klaus Reinisch, Western Europe Sales Head.
STS Board of Directors member Péter Pozsgai emphasizes that being business-driven also means that every deal must have a value both for MET and for our customers. “Customers don’t care about our internal debates, they care about value and speed”, he comments.
We hire people who are better than us
In recent years, MET Group has grown into one of the leading independent energy suppliers in Europe, but one could ask why this is an HR success story. Ankur Khera, STS CFO, reveals the secret recipe. “Hiring people is a big part of our jobs. We hire people who are better than us, people who are motivated to push us and this company to be better. Our real success is when the next generation outperforms us and makes the company stronger”.
In addition, the STS Who We Are Manifesto clearly states that MET prefers developing future leaders in-house over hiring managers from outside of our organization. One of the company’s most important internal initiatives is the Talent Development Programme, where young colleagues can benefit from tailor-made career opportunities, best-in-class trainings and mentoring from experienced top managers.
Expertise and strong performance – that’s what you need to write the next chapters of MET’s growth story. Trading and Wholesale Head György Vargha recalls: “We have always been clear; performance is what counts. The Manifesto says it directly: we value performance over experience or job history. When you deliver results, people notice. And when you stand out, you are rewarded accordingly”.
You decide things, and you run it
Being management-owned is a key guarantee of MET Group’s independence. “Independence is not just a buzzword here. It means continuous shareholder value maximization, without any hidden agendas. The majority of the company is management-owned, over a hundred colleagues are already in the employee share programme”, says Central Europe Sales Head Gergely Szabó.
Entry into the share programme is limited to colleagues who have spent at least 3 years with the company. Shares are offered to be purchased at fair value. “No freebies, no shortcuts, but when you’re in, you’re in” adds Gergely Szabó.
Independence and autonomy also appear on the individual level at MET Group. Klaus Reinisch spells out what it means in everyday work: “If you’re running your business unit, it’s yours to run. It’s your team that you pick, your strategy and your pricing. Our structure makes that really possible – very small and accountable teams, without a matrix. You decide things, and you run it”.
A company based on trust in our people, this is what the STS Manifesto describes. MET’s rapid growth is fuelled by the high degree of freedom that we offer to our staff to unfold their talent. As Group Chairman, Benjamin Lakatos summarizes: “At the end of the day, people always make the difference”.
Please click here to read the MET STS “Who We Are” Manifesto.