New Appointments in Belgium – January 2021

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Happy New Appointments!

2021 has already brought its share of appointments in Belgium, with some major changes at the top of several companies. Here is an overview of the most recent assignations.

 

Belfius

Marc Raisière is reappointed for four more years at the head of the Belfius group. Taking effect next May, this extension has already been validated by the board of directors.

This is not the only news for Belfius though: Chris Sunt has been appointed as chairman of the group’s board of directors, succeeding to Jos Clijsters.

In addition, two new directors will join the Board: Peter Hinssen, an entrepreneur particularly active in the digital sector, and Bruno Brusselmans, Chief Information Officer at Luminus. Finally, Diane Zygas Rosen has also been reappointed. It is important to note that these appointments are still subject to the approval of the national and European authorities.

 

P&V Group

Since January 4th, Gilles Doutrelepont has joined the P&V Group in the role of CEO Advisor, in charge of Public Affairs.

Gilles Doutrelepont became Director of the Institut Emile Vandervelde, the PS’s study center, in 2015. Since 2019, he has served as Chief of Staff to Minister-President Elio Di Rupo and as Secretary to the Walloon Government.

His arrival at the P&V Group is part of the succession of Marnic Speltdoorn, who was in charge of Public Affairs until his recent retirement.

 

Euromex

Jan Jaspers succeeds to Ward Hameryck as Business Director of Euromex. Previous Commercial Director of LAR, Jan Jaspers is an expert in the legal expenses insurance products.

 

Brocom

Michaël Bonhomme succeeds to Marc Simons (Vivium) as President of Brocom. He will hold this position for 2 years (2021 – 2022).

After having worked for the Royal Belgian Government, Michaël Bonhomme is responsible for the distribution of the Retail department at AXA Belgium since 2017.

 

Atradius

The current Director of Atradius BeLux, Christophe Cherry, will also be responsible for the management of the credit insurer for France as of April the 1st. He will thus become the first Belgian to lead the French division of the credit insurer, while keeping his position as General Manager for Belgium and Luxembourg which he has held since 2009.

 

Degroof Petercam

Gilles Samyn, former right-hand man of the entrepreneur and billionaire Albert Frère, becomes the new president of Degroof Petercam. He succeeds to Ludwig Criel, whose term in private banking expires this year. Contacted nine months ago to fill this position, Gilles Samyn successfully passed the Fit and Proper regulator exams. Mr. Samyn’s appointment by the Board of Directors has been effective since the beginning of this month. Bruno Colmant, current CEO of the company, is thrilled to collaborate with Mr. Samyn, who was actually his ULB professor at the time.

Gilles Samyn is mainly known for his work in Albert Frère’s companies. After a few years at Groupe Bruxelles Lambert, he joined Groupe Frère Bourgeois and Compagnie Nationale à Portefeuille in 1983, where he was active until May 2019 as Managing Director.

 

Sources:

L’Echo – Giles Samyn est le nouveau président de Degroof Petercam

L’Echo – Marc Raisière rempile pour 4 ans à la tête de Belfius

Assuropolis – Gilles Doutrelepont devient chargé des Affaires publiques du Groupe P&V

Assuropolis – Jan Jaspers devient le nouveau directeur commercial d’Euromex

Assuropolis – Michaël Bonhomme (AXA Belgique) devient le nouveau président de Brocom

L’Echo –  Le Belge Christophe Cherry prend la tête d’Atradius France

Appointments update in Belgium : December 2020

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ING Belgium welcomes a new CEO, while AXA mourns an important player of the company.

A new CEO for ING Belgium 

Peter Adams, currently Managing Director and Senior Partner at Boston Consulting Group, has been appointed CEO of ING Belgium as of January 2, 2021. Hans De Munck, who has been CEO ad interim since 1 October 2020, will continue to act as CFO of ING Belgium.

Peter Adams has more than 20 years of experience in the banking and insurance sector, with a focus on activities related to operations, strategy and transformation. “Since joining BCG in 1999, Peter has been involved in some of the biggest transformations in the European banking industry, particularly in the Scandinavian countries, the UK, France and Benelux. ING said in a press release. According to Pinar Abay, member of the Management Board of ING Group and Head of Market Leaders, Peter will play an essential role in of ING’s transformation in Belgium.

 

Sad news for AXA Belgium with the passing away of Kurt Van Bruysel

Kurt Van Bruysel, who sadly passed away at the beginning of December, was Head of Strategic Office P&C Retail at AXA Belgium since October 2017, but he has been working within the company for more than 20 years. He started his career as a Production Inspector before moving to the operational departments of Royale Belge and AXA Belgium.

Through the years and before becoming Head of Strategic Office P&C Retail, Kurt Van Bruysel held several strong positions within AXA Belgium (Regional Director of Operations, Claims Director P&C and Head of Motor P&C Retail). AXA lost an important player in the company and a top-level insurance specialist. Kurt Van Bruysel was also described as a very human person, close to the people and with a good sense of humour. Our deepest sympathy goes out to his family, friends and colleagues.

 

Update: New appointments for the Belgian insurance landscape (Nov 2020)

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Marsh

Marsh BeLux has recently announced the evolution of Rebecca Tielemans. The former Business Development Manager Corporate and Deputy Corporate Segment Leader for Belgium and Luxembourg has been appointed as CEO of the company. She was already a member of the Executive Committee since 2018.

Gilbert Van Den Eyde, Member of the Executive Committee of Marsh Continental Europe, has been appointed as Chairman of the board of Marsh Belux.

 

Alan

The french insurtech specialized in Health insurance was founded in 2016 and is managed by its co-founders, Jean-Charles Samuelian and Charles Gorintin. Their goal is to disrupt the health insurance market with a simpler product, a more direct approach and more transparency.

A General Manager for Belgium has been appointed: Cedric De Vleeschauwer is leading the Belgian development.

 

Sources :

 

Appointments update October 2020 : Women at the Top!

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October has brought its share of appointments in Belgium, with some major changes at the top of several companies, paving the way for parity between men and women. Here is our monthly overview of the most recent assignations.
 

AG Insurance

As of today, October the 22nd, Heidi Delobelle is officially the new CEO of AG Insurance. She succeeds to Hans De Cuyper, who has been appointed to a new role at a group level. As a matter of fact, as from today, Hans de Cuyper is CEO of Ageas, replacing Bart de Smet.

Heidi Delobelle has already announced that she will continue the work of her predecessor. She also wants to arm AG Insurance for the digital shift and transform the insurer into a “socially responsible” company.
 

Euler Hermes

The Belgian Wilfried Verstraete leaves his position as CEO of the world’s leading credit insurance company to make way for French citizen Clarisse Kopff.

Wilfried Verstraete sings his successor’s praise: “I am convinced that thanks to her visionary leadership, and her experience at Allianz France, Clarisse will take Euler Hermes to the next level and continue to raise the quality standards in credit insurance even further”.
 

Assuralia

Wauthier Robyns, spokesperson for Assuralia, will leave office in the beginning of 2022. After having been the face of insurance in Belgium for forty years, he will be taking over the five-year mandate as representative of the financial sector in the European Economic and Social Committee.

Barbara Van Speybroeck will replace him at Assuralia from December the 1st as Communications Director.
 

Actuarial Association of Europe

Wilhelm Schneemeier has been elected as the new Chairperson of the AAE for the next twelve months. Philippe Demol (Belgium) and Inga Helmane (Latvia) were elected as Board members replacing José Mendinhos (Portugal) and Kartina Thomson (UK) whose terms ended.
 
 

Sources:

Appointments update in the financial and insurance industry #Belgium

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Although the last months have been highly unusual for all industries, the finance and insurance business goes on. Let’s take stock of the changes that occurred during this period, shall we?

 

AXA Belgium

New CFO and new CRO

As from October 1st, Sabine Wuiame, currently CRO, will be appointed CFO, being member of the Management Committee and the Administrative Board of AXA Belgium. Sabine Wuiame joined AXA as CRO in 2016. She will replace Aimée Van Eersel, former CFO, who sadly passed away recently.

A new CRO has been appointed: Lucie Taleyson will start as from October 1st. Lucie Taleyson is currently Technical Director in Group Health insurance at AXA France and joined the AXA group in 2006. Both appointments are still waiting for the validation of the NBB.

 

AGEAS

Hans De Cuyper to succeed Bart De Smet as CEO of Ageas

Hans De Cuyper will succeed Bart De Smet as CEO of Ageas as from 22 October 2020. On the same date, Bart De Smet will become Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Group, replacing Jozef De Mey who recently announced his decision to leave his position.

Indeed, Jozef De Mey has decided to step down as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Ageas NV as of 22 October 2020, on the shareholders’ meeting. This early departure is a personal decision taken by the Chairman. His current term of office was scheduled to expire on May 19, 2021.

 

ING BELGIUM

CEO Erik Van den Eynden leaves ING Belgium

CEO Erik Van Den Eynden leaves ING Belgium after three years as CEO. CFO Hans De Munck becomes interim CEO until a replacement is appointed.

Erik Van Den Eynden, declares that it is a personal decision. He has been running the bank since March 2017, just after his predecessor Rik Vandenberghe announced a major restructuring. He started his career in 1990 at the then BBL.

 

MeDIRECT

Tim Rooney Becomes CEO of MeDirect

Philippe Delva, the current CEO of MeDirect, has been replaced in August by Tim Rooney who left his position as CEO at Nagelmackers Bank in February. Previously, Tim Rooney was CEO of Anbang Belgium, the Chinese company Anbang, which, in addition to Nagelmackers, also included the insurer Fidea.

 

ARAG

Diederik Moris joins ARAG Belgium as Chief Commercial Officer

Diederik Moris joined ARAG Belgium in May, the legal expenses insurer, as Chief Commercial Officer (CCO). As such, he is responsible for the Sales & Marketing Department.

 

MS AMLIN INSURANCE

Ludovic Sénécaut, new CEO of MS Amlin Insurance SE

On June 1st, Ludovic Sénécaut joined MS Amlin Insurance SE, a member of Assuralia, as CEO.

He took over from Rudy Benmeridja, who is taking over his position as Underwriting Director for the P&C (Property & Casualty) branch for Europe and will assume the general management for Belgium of MS Amlin SE.

 

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