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News / Jan 22, 2019

Diane Villax receives the Officer’s Cross of the Order of Merit of Hungary

The decoration was handed to Mrs. Villax by the Hungarian Ambassador to Portugal, Madame Klára Breuer, conferred on her by the President of the Republic of Hungary.

Diane Villax receives the Officer s Cross of the Order of Merit of Hungary | Hovione

On January 22nd Mrs. Diane Villax, Founder Chairman, received the Officer’s Cross of the Order of Merit of Hungary. The decoration was handed to Mrs. Villax by the Hungarian Ambassador to Portugal, Madame Klára Breuer, conferred on her by the President of the Republic of Hungary in recognition of the contribution to the development of education of Chemical Engineers through helping students of the Budapest Technical University financially and professionally.

The ceremony took place at the Hungarian Embassy in Lisbon and was attended by representatives of the Embassy, the Portuguese Government, Hovione, friends and members of the Villax family.

Diane Villax receives the Officer’s Cross of the Order of Merit of Hungary | Hovione
Madame Klára Breuer, the Hungarian Ambassador to Portugal, and Diane Villax, Founder Chairman of Hovione.

Since 1993, Hovione has received graduate students from the Faculty of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology of the Budapest University of Technology and Economics, alma mater of Dr. Ivan Villax. In 2008, a protocol was signed between the University and Hovione, which pledges to annually receive one to two students in the area of R&D, giving them financial and professional support.

It was an intimate ceremony and Mrs. Villax expressed her appreciation of the award saying “this is the story of how the traineeship program came about and which is the basis of the honour I have received today. All I have to say is thank you very much and we intend to continue, our tag line "In it for Life" with many interpretations”.

 

Learn more about the Ivan Villax Traineeship

 

 

 

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Every year, the largest bank in Portugal, Caixa Geral de Depósitos recognizes some of Portugal’s brightest young minds through the Caixa +Mundo Awards, providing nearly €800,000 in scholarships to students as they pursue higher education. In this year´s edition, Caixa named the award bestowed upon students pursuing science for Diane Villax. This prestigious honor places Diane Villax among the award’s namesakes – a distinguished group of prominent personalities who have made notable contributions to Portugal´s socio-economic, cultural, political and scientific development over the last 50 years, such as António Ramalho Eanes, Mário Soares, José Saramago, Sophia de Mello Breyner, Leonor Beleza, Elvira Fortunato, Rui Nabeiro, Américo Amorim, and José Manuel de Mello. Diane Villax will also honor the seven scientific award winners by personally meeting with each of them, and following their journeys as future innovators and leaders. But this honor is about far more than one individual. It is a celebration of an entire organization and the people behind it. For 67 years, generations of dedicated teams have worked together with passion, purpose, and excellence to manufacture life-saving medicines and advance science that has a real impact on people. This recognition belongs to all of us.    

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