GOVERNANCE
Stefaan Fiers
Stefaan is president of Bepact since its creation in 2016. He is Head of Corporate Communications, Public Affairs and Patient Advocacy at Takeda Belgium, one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in Belgium. With his team, he secures the analysis of the healthcare policy, engages with external stakeholders and the coordinates the communication strategy of the company. Additionally, he oversees Takeda’s public affairs activities in the 24 mid-sized countries in Europe.
Before joining Takeda in June 2020, he was Director Communications and Public Policy at the Belgian pharma industry association ‘pharma.be’ and held public policy positions in the pharma industry, 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, Board member of PACE (Public Affairs Community Europe), 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.
Isabelle De Vinck
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.
Joris Bulteel
Joris Bulteel is Partner and co-founder of Whyte Corporate Affairs, an independent Belgian public affairs and corporate communications consultancy.
Joris started his career in international trade associations representing the energy industry in Brussels, London and Washington DC. As a consultant, he built up a broad experience in Belgian public affairs, with a solid track record in crisis communication and issues management, and combined these communication disciplines into an integrated corporate affairs approach. Before setting up Whyte Corporate Affairs in 2008, he was Director Public Affairs of a Belgian PR & PA firm. Joris also regularly lectures on public affairs, crisis communication and issues management.
KAREL JOOS
Karel Joos is a Partner and Head of the Belgian practice at Dentons Global Advisors Interel, an expert-led advisory firm helping clients to engage with governments and regulatory bodies, navigate public disclosures and transactions within the private and capital markets, and manage their reputations through critical moments of change, challenge or opportunity.
A construction engineer and a financial economist, Karel served as a captain in the Belgian armed forces. After leaving the army, he was a strategy consultant, dealing mainly with transport policy across Europe. He has also worked as an advisor to the Minister-President of the Flemish Government covering a range of issues including public works, mobility, public-private partnerships (PPP) and industrial economics. Just before joining DGA Interel in 2008, he was a director in the cabinet of the Belgian minister for companies of public law where he supervised policymaking at the NMBS/SNCB Group, bpost and Proximus. Karel authored two textbooks on public affairs and over the years has published op-eds for De Standaard, De Tijd, De Morgen, VRT NWS and Knack.
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
Mark De Zutter
Mark De Zutter is Head of Public Affairs Europe & Belgium for Proximus Group.
He occupied lawyer functions in multiple sectors: for the Belgian Government as a Legal and Political Expert to the Federal Deputy Prime Minister, Telecommunication and New Media. He then moved on to being an independent lawyer for Euro1080. During these multiple accomplishments he is also intensely active as commercial lawyer for his own law firm- Law & Lobby Office DE ZUTTER.
In the most recent years Mark De Zutter became vice president of the steering committee of international sports, entertainment and technology club at Agoria. As a board member of Bepact and the recently founded Letzpact, Mark contributes with his great expertise and know how.Pieter-Jan Mattheus
Pieter-Jan is Senior Manager Governmental Affairs and Policy at Bristol Myers Squibb, one of the largest innovative pharmaceutical companies in Belgium.
Pieter-Jan started his career as member of staff of the Belgian Minister for Public Enterprises and Public Administration. He continued to work for Ministers in Federal government as advisor to the Vice-Prime Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Finance and Defense. In 2014 he became regional director of non-profit umbrella organization Beweging.net in the Brussel Metropolitan area. Begin 2019 he joined Bristol Myers Squibb in his current position.
Pieter-Jan has a broad experience with very different kinds of stakeholders in public affairs. He holds a degree in Political Sciences of the Catholic University of Leuven and is (board) member of several non-profit organizations in culture, social economy and social housing.
Rodolphe de Pierpont
Rodolphe is Director Tax & Public Affairs and spokesperson at Febelfin, the Belgian Financial Sector Federation. He represents the Financial Sector in trade associations like the Belgian Federation of Enterprises (FEB/VBO) and the European Banking Federation (EBF). He is also Vice-Chair of the Taxation Committee of the EBF. Rodolphe works on several strategical topics, from sustainable finance to digitalization, with a special focus on political and budgetary issues.
Before joining Febelfin in 2008, Rodolphe was Tax Lawyer within two major Brussels law firms Claeys & Engels and Liedekerke.
Rodolphe is also lecturer Banking Taxation at Solvay / Free University Brussels and Board member of Faune & Biotopes, a non-profit organisation promoting nature diversity and the positive role op every stakeholder.
Rodolphe has been actively supporting Bepact as from its creation.
JORD VAN WASSENHOVE
Jord Van Wassenhove is Corporate Affairs Manager Benelux at PepsiCo, one of the largest food & beverage companies in the world.
Jord started his career in government at the Office of the Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless Persons (CGRS) and at the public affairs department of the sector federation of the Antwerp diamond sector before joining PepsiCo in January 2023.
Jord has developed expertise in stakeholder management and public affairs at European, national, regional and local level as well as in corporate social responsibility and supply chain due diligence.
He obtained a Master’s degree in Political Science at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) and completed parts of his studies in South-Korea (Seoul) and China (Shanghai).
Tayanne Schlesser
Tayanne Schlesser is Office Manager at Bepact, Belgium Public Affairs Community.
After a bachelor degree in Marketing she did many internship for event companies.
Next to her activities at Bepact, Tayanne is also Event Manager for her company TS EVENT. She is also Office Manager for Letzpact (Luxembourg Public Affairs Community) and Simply Better (Event Company).
Tayanne will secure the Bepact administration part-time.
info@bepact.be