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Ervin Vidor arrived in Australia in 1949 as a 17-year-old refugee from Hungary, a country scarred by war and under communist rule.
A welfare worker gave him £10 and told him only to remember the kindness.
He repaid it through Toga, founded in 1963 with his wife Charlotte and builder Antonino Stillone, which became one of Australia’s leading private property and hotel groups.
As tributes flow after his death aged 92, he is being remembered for homes, hotels and communities built with a spirit of generosity that shaped an industry.
Vidor’s family announced his passing with sadness, remembering him as “the driving force behind Toga, and as an entrepreneur with vision, intelligence, courage and compassion”.
They said “despite his enormous success, Ervin remained a modest, generous and caring man with a strong social conscience”.
“Ervin’s legacy extends beyond the bricks and mortar of the buildings created. His influence can be seen in the enduring culture of Toga and the relationships he built with so many people.”
The family said his greatest pride was the large, loving family he built with his wife Charlotte, “who he loved deeply”.
Their three children—Michelle Fischl, Allan and Gary—were central to that pride, with Allan now managing director of Toga and chairman of TFE Hotels, and Michelle overseeing design, procurement and social responsibility within the group.
Born in Budapest in 1932, Vidor survived wartime Hungary before migrating alone to Australia.
He was part of a generation of postwar migrants—including Frank Lowy and Harry Triguboff—whose projects helped transform modern Australian cities.
Over six decades Toga left its mark on some of the nation’s fastest-changing precincts.
From early landmarks such as Harbourfront Balmain, Bondi Boheme and Jones Bay Wharf to the $500-million Surry Hills Village, the group’s work reshaped Sydney’s inner suburbs.
The 45-storey tower above the former Parcels Post building will complete the renewal of Tech Central, while Macquarie Rise at Macquarie Park and the Fulcrum tower at Green Square extend its reach.
The Darwin Waterfront precinct and Adelaide Treasury redevelopment added to its national footprint.
Through TFE Hotels, Toga built a portfolio including Adina, Vibe and Travelodge, with Adina establishing apartment-style hotels as a mainstay of the Australian market.
Charlotte was inducted into the Property Council of Australia’s Hall of Fame in 2024 for her role in pioneering serviced apartments.
Urban Taskforce acting chief executive Stephen Fenn called him “a titan” of the industry and recalled the story of his arrival in 1950.
“Mr Vidor’s story reflects the richness and success of the broader Australian story since the end of the Second World War—a journey from postwar Hungary to the pinnacle of Australia’s property and hotel sector—which has left an enduring mark on the industry and the nation.”
Urban Taskforce treasurer David Tanevski said Vidor’s influence would endure.
“His vision and pioneering spirit helped shape Australia’s property landscape,” he said. “Ervin was a true trailblazer in the serviced apartments sector, years ahead of his time in recognising their importance and value, and his legacy will continue to influence the industry for generations to come.”
On LinkedIn, industry leaders, colleagues and former staff remembered Vidor as a visionary, a mentor and above all a gentleman.
Trilogy Hotels chief executive Scott Boyes captured the industry’s sense of loss.
“All of us at Trilogy Hotels are sad to hear this news,” he wrote. “An amazing man who leaves an incredible legacy. The entire industry is a better place because he was in it.”
Laver Residential Projects director Dennis Vertzayias wrote: “Not many would know that Ervin Vidor had the single biggest influence on my career. An exceptional man with so much knowledge which he was always happy to share. He had great pride and success yet always so caring and humble. Rest in peace Mr Vidor. You will be sadly missed but never forgotten.”
Ben Lancken of Opal Healthcare remembered “a warm and generous man, and an astute business leader whose vision shaped so many of our careers. His integrity, wisdom, and care for people will be remembered by all who had the privilege to know him.”
Others recalled his generosity in the workplace and community.
Former employee Felicity F. spoke of “fond memories, valuable lessons and lifelong friendships from my time working with Toga”, while Rachelle T. described the family’s generosity as “such an inspirational” part of the culture.
His philanthropy was equally noted.
Social Impact Hub founder Jessica Mendoza-Roth said he left “a remarkable legacy—across family, business and philanthropy”.
Meriel Corbett-Weir remembered the Toga Art Award as “a springboard for several NT artists embarking on their career”, while others pointed to his early support for the Cruising Yacht Club Youth Sailing Academy and his enduring ties with Shalom College at UNSW.
From a £10 note pressed into his hand as a teenage refugee to the precincts, hotels and communities he helped shape, Ervin Vidor’s legacy is one of generosity carried forward through family, business and city-building.
Born September 29, 1932, in Budapest, Hungary, Ervin Vidor died September 11, 2025, in Sydney.
