Meet Andrea Vecseri from IMPULSE Work Package 2

Andrea is the Head of Finance at the ELI ALPS Facility and a key contributor to the financial transformation of ELI into an integrated research infrastructure open to user communities worldwide. With an extensive background in economics and experience in controlling within the industrial sector, Andrea is an essential addition to IMPULSE Work Package 2, which focuses on designing and implementing a shared management system, related supporting tools, as well as the necessary financial and legal access agreements, to ensure the successful transition of ELI into sustainable operations.

Having obtained her diploma in economics from the University of Pécs, Andrea embarked on a professional journey. She spent over seven years at a leading multinational industrial company based in Szeged, where she played a pivotal role in transforming ERP systems and where she also improved her expertise in financial management.

In early 2018, Andrea joined ELI ALPS as a senior controller. Her comprehensive understanding of financial systems led her into a project management role, and in January 2021, she was appointed the Head of Finance.

Andrea is actively involved in formulating financial rules and budgetary processes essential for the seamless operation of the integrated ELI organisation in the future. Collaborating closely with colleagues from ELI Beamlines and ELI ERIC, she compiles detailed financial reports that serve as a foundation for strategic planning and decision-making for the general management and the Administrative and Finance Committee (AFC) of ELI ERIC.

Andrea’s and her team’s most notable achievements include the oversight of the successful implementation of the new ERP system at ELI ALPS, a milestone that has revolutionised administrative processes within the facility. “Setting up this system, which was launched live on 1 January 2024, required an extensive and long planning process, as well as consistent cooperation with external contributors and internal stakeholders. Now we aim to see if any modifications are needed, but the general feedback from staff and management is great,” Andrea says. “This task also provided valuable experience for the development of an integrated ERP system, streamlining operations and enhancing efficiency across all ELI Facilities.”

As ELI ALPS integrates into ELI ERIC, Andrea navigates her team through a transformative phase, emphasising the shift towards user-focused services and operational excellence. Her contributions are crucial in facilitating this transition, ensuring that financial processes align with ELI’s overarching goals of scientific innovation and collaboration.

“This is a huge step forward and it requires a new perspective from all teams, not just the scientific units. All people who work in administrative supporting roles see a big shift in how they do their jobs as we’re moving from the implementation phase to full-scale operations providing open access to scientific users,” Andrea adds. “In my area, this means that, for example, even the way we report is changing fundamentally. The management now aims to have a detailed overview of the budget of each user experiment to help enhance the efficiency of operations while also providing the best possible quality. All of us need to adapt, but I believe it’s a very exciting new phase, one that will lead us to reach the ultimate vision of ELI.”

If you haven’t had a chance to meet Andrea yet, feel free to reach out to her with any questions at andrea.vecseri@eli-alps.hu.