Dirk Gerkens, the former head of the Hungarian national commercial broadcaster RTL Klub, has accepted the offer to become the CEO of the rival station TV2.
Quoted by BBJ and index.hu, he said his decision was largely professionally motivated. Gerkens was at RTL Klub for 17 years, 14 of which were as CEO, before being fired earlier this year for what were largely believed to be political reasons.
His departure was expected to patch up differences between RTL and the Hungarian government, which reached a new low following the introduction of a controversial TV ad tax in 2014.
Gerkens revealed that he had been offered a position by RTL in Africa that he turned down.
TV2 recently changed hands in controversial style and is now owned by the Hungarian-American film producer, and Hungarian government commissioner, Andrew G. Vajna.