GOVERNANCE

JORD VAN WASSENHOVE

PRESIDENT

Jord currently serves as the President of Bepact and leads the Public Policy & Government Affairs function in the Benelux at PepsiCo, a leading global food and beverage company. He manages the company’s public affairs strategy in Belgium and the Netherlands, focusing on key dossiers such as packaging regulation, health and nutrition policy, responsible marketing, and trade practices.
Working closely with policymakers and industry stakeholders to support PepsiCo’s licence to operate and long-term growth, Jord advises on permitting, stakeholder relations, and regulatory risk for production sites across Belgium and the Netherlands.
Before joining PepsiCo in 2023, Jord held roles in the Antwerp diamond sector and at the Belgian asylum authority, gaining broad experience in public affairs, stakeholder management, and international policy. He has also led CSR initiatives in Africa and represented industry interests at both national and EU levels.

In addition to his professional roles, Jord has built board governance experience through mandates in various organizations besides Bepact, including the Belgian Soft Drinks Association, UNIZO, and CBL-ACP.
Jord holds a Master’s degree in Political Science from the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), with study exchanges in South Korea and China. He is fluent in Dutch, English, and French.



Kelly Schamphelaere

SECRETARY GENERAL

Kelly is partner at akkanto, and has gained a longstanding experience in Association Management in her former role as CEO of FVF, the Flemish Association of Insurance brokers (2012-2022).
As part-time Bepact Secretary, Kelly will support the President and Board of Bepact in streamlining the management of the association.
She will coordinate some of the internal and external activities of Bepact, and will take care of the legal requirements linked to the management of a non-for-profit association.



Isabelle De Vinck

TREASURER

As Managing Partner of Political Intelligence Belgium, Isabelle is in charge of the overall practice, management, client coordination and day-to-day operations of their Brussels office.

Isabelle has extensive experience setting up and running industry trade bodies, grouping and coalitions and has been involved in a wide range of EU and Belgium regulatory issues. Political Intelligence’s vision is one of transparency and best practice, where the teams abide with ethical standards. That’s also why Isabelle has been actively participates for more than 10 years in the transparency debate.

As chairwoman of EPACA, the European Public affairs’ consultancy associations and as Bepact board members she wishes to contribute improving the professional standards of Public affairs in Brussels and more broadly in Belgium.



Stefaan Fiers

Stefaan is the former president of Bepact, since its creation in 2016 until 2025. He is Chapter Head External Affairs at Roche Belgium & Luxembourg. With his team, he secures the reimbursement dossiers, analyses the healthcare policy, engages with external stakeholders and coordinates the communication and patient advocacy strategy of the company.

Before joining Roche in September 2025 , he was Head of Corporate Communications, Public Affairs and Patient Advocacy at Takeda. Previously, he held public policy positions at the pharma industry association ‘pharma.be’, at Bristol-Myers Squibb Belgium/Luxembourg and at MSD Belgium.

Next to his activities at Takeda, Stefaan is Associate Professor in Public Affairs and Comparative Politics at KU Leuven and author of several books and peer reviewed articles.



Jeroen Dhanens

Jeroen is Director Corporate Affairs & Communications at Japan Tobacco International (JTI) for Belgium and Luxembourg.

Initially pursuing his career as a tax lawyer, Jeroen joined in 2003 the British American Tobacco Co-ordination centre as Legal counsel within the Corporate Affairs & Legal Department. In 2009, he moved to JTI heading the Corporate Affairs & Communications department for Belgium and Luxembourg where he is responsible for government and external stakeholder’s relations, media relations, crisis management, internal communication and CSR projects.



Jonas Veys

Jonas Veys is the Senior Manager of Public Affairs and Corporate Communications at Takeaway.com (Just Eat Takeaway), where he leads the company’s engagement with the media, government, and parliamentary stakeholders.

Before moving into the corporate sector, Jonas worked as a federal ministerial spokesperson and parliamentary assistant in the Flemish Parliament, roles that allowed him to deepen his long-standing passion for politics and public policy.

He holds degrees in History and International Relations from the University of Leuven and is fluent in Dutch, English, and French.



Hilde Deneyer

Hilde Deneyer is Chairwoman of Apotheia and a community pharmacist with over 30 years of experience in healthcare and integrated care. She currently serves on diiferent boards : as Chair of the Federation of Independent Healthcare Providers; Vice-Chair of the Flemish Council for Welfare, Public Health, and Family; boardmember of VIVEL en VIKZ, Zorgzaam Leuven, the Eerstelijnszone Druivenstreek … Hilde has held leadership roles in multiple professional organizations, including FarmaLeuven, promoting collaboration between pharmacists, hospitals, and policymakers. She holds a Master’s degree in Pharmacy from KU Leuven and is committed to advancing primary care and professional development.



Jean-Michel Luyckx

Jean-Michel Luyckx currently serves as Country Head Public Affairs at Novartis Belgium, where he leads the public affairs strategy and is part of the leadership team. Jean-Michel holds a Master’s degree in Political Science from the University of Antwerp, with a thesis focused on lobbying activities and European legislation. During his studies, he worked as a student assistant at the Antwerp Centre for Institutions and Multilevel Politics (ACIM), where he contributed to research on lobbying campaigns - an experience that sparked his enduring interest in public affairs.
Jean-Michel also holds a Master’s in European Political and Administrative Studies from the College of Europe (cum laude), and has completed an expert class in Health Economics at KU Leuven/EHSAL. His career spans roles in public affairs and policy at Novartis, Chiesi, MSD, and Hill+Knowlton Strategies, with a focus on healthcare, innovation, and stakeholder engagement at both national and EU levels.



Linde Verheyden

Linde Verheyden is Director Public Affairs at BNP Paribas Fortis, one of the leading banks in Belgium. She is based in Brussels and is working on the crossroads of Public Affairs, CSR and Business Development.

Before starting at the Public Affairs department, Linde held multiple positions within the bank. Starting as Management Trainee in 1999, she built up an extensive expertise in risk management, trade finance, business development, stakeholder management and public affairs during her career. She has a direct line with key political, diplomatic and trade representatives and an ongoing dialogue with various Belgian stakeholder organizations and ngo’s on topics such as banking, international trade, digital inclusion and sustainability.

She holds a Master in Slavonic Languages and degrees in International Relations and Business Economics at the Catholic University of Leuven, and studied for a short while in Kazan, Russia



Laurent​ Fierens Gevaert

Laurent is Senior Government Affairs Manager at British American Tobacco, leading the company’s external engagement in Belgium and Luxembourg. He works between Brussels and Luxembourg.

Laurent has over 12 years’ experience in Public Affairs and has previously worked in this role at Napoleon, Philip Morris International, Whyte Corporate Affairs and Delhaize. He was also an active member of AmCham Belgium for 5 years where he sat at the Government Relations Forum (GRF), the main committee within the American Chamber of Commerce in Belgium, where he served as Vice-Chair for 2 mandates.

Laurent has a broad experience working in challenging environments, with a solid track record in developing and executing public affairs strategies, managing stakeholders’ relations, and engaging with decision-makers at local, regional, national, and European level. Laurent holds a master’s degree in finance & business management from ICHEC and has taken several professional development courses in leadership and management, the latest in Sustainability Management at Vlerick Brussels.

Laurent has been a member of Bepact since its creation in 2016.



Kathy Galloy

Kathy Galloy holds a Master Degree in Comparative and International Politics from the KU Leuven.

She currently works as an advisor Innovation & Digitization at technology federation Agoria, where she liaises with companies, Flemish politics and administration for innovation dossiers.

In 2016, she started her career as a public affairs consultant at akkanto, before becoming a parliamentary assistant in the Flemish Parliament in 2020.



Isabelle Marchand

At Febelfin, the Belgian Financial Sector Federation, she is responsible for European and Public Affairs, as well as Director Marketing & Communication and Spokesperson. She represents the financial sector in trade associations, like the Belgian Federation of Enterprises (FEB/VBO) and the European Banking Federation (EBF), as well as towards policymakers and the larger public.

Isabelle has built up expertise in stakeholder management and public affairs at European and national level, with a particular focus on advocacy towards the European institutions. In addition, she is since several years responsible for the contacts with the Belgian press, as spokesperson of Febelfin.
Before joining Febelfin in 2011, she assisted the Permanent Representation of Belgium to the EU during the Belgian Presidency, as a Bernheim stagiair.



Pierre Deraedt

Pierre Deraedt is Partner-Director at the public affairs and communications agency SoWhatCommunications International (SWC).

He initially started his career at Philip Morris International (PMI), where he held a wide variety of functions, spanning from commercial, business development to public affairs and communications roles. His last position before joining SWC was Director External Affairs for Belgium and Luxembourg, heading the in-house public affairs and communications department in PMI’s Benelux affiliate.

With his extensive experience in commercial strategy and business operations within a multinational environment, Pierre specializes in collaborating with cross-functional teams to develop and implement effective public relations campaigns that ensure alignment between public affairs and communications objectives and overarching business goals.

Pierre Deraedt holds a master’s degree in Sciences of Business Economics and a master’s degree in Operations and Technology Management from the University of Ghent.



Philip Naert

Philip Naert is Partner at Whyte Corporate Affairs, where he advises companies and organizations on public affairs, stakeholder management, and corporate communication. Since joining the agency in 2014, he has played a key role in its growth, supporting clients in highly regulated sectors such as biopharma, energy, and food. His work focuses on shaping strategies that align business objectives with societal expectations.

Philip’s expertise is rooted in a career that spans politics, industry representation, and consultancy. He began as a legal advisor before joining the cabinet of the Belgian Minister of Enterprise and Reform in 2008. There, he worked on administrative simplification and policy initiatives impacting the pharmaceutical, chemical, and automotive industries.

In 2010, Philip moved to the industry side as Public Affairs Manager at FEBIAC, the automotive federation, where he represented sector interests and engaged with policymakers on mobility and industrial policy.

Today, as a consultant and Partner, Philip combines this experience to help organizations navigate complex environments and strengthen their voice in public debate. He holds a Master’s degree in Law from the Catholic University of Leuven and speaks Dutch, French, and English fluently.



Michael Juchtmans

Michael is Managing Partner of Growth Inc. and has more than 20 years of experience in strategic communications and public affairs.

He has specific expertise in healthcare, defense, and companies operating in highly regulated environments, and he is a guest lecturer in Public Affairs at several Belgian universities.

Before joining Growth Inc., Michael held senior positions at various Belgian and international consulting firms and served as an advisor on International Policy at Amnesty International. He strongly believes that when advocacy is transparent and based on facts, it always contributes to better performance and better governance. Michaël holds a master’s degree in political sciences and a post-grad degree in Public Health Management.