Newsletter 2010 02 - iConnect

INSEAD Alumni Association Belgium
Newsletter February 2010
“Pessimism is a Waste of Time”
NEW INSEAD CURRENT ACCOUNT : DEXIA 068-2429275-34 and
FORTIS 271-0081958-25
SERVING… 1.480 INSEAD MBA and EDP in Belgium
· The Presidents’ Words
Patrick Demoucelle & Piet Dejonghe
page 2
“ Pessimism is a Waste of Time”
PROMOTING… INSEAD Events in the Community
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Healthcare Club – Visit of St. Luc, February 4
Industry Networking Night at INSEAD, Feb. 18
General Assembly, March 3
E/MBA Master Class and Info session, March 23
Brigitte de Vet
Nadine Lorio
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CONNECTING… Platforms for Networking and Meeting Friends
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Home Monthly Drink and Wine Tasting; March 9 Erik Weytjens
Salamander Road Challenge Event, April 16-17
The Netherlands Association
INSEAD Sustainable Round Table
Guus Keder
INSEAD Alumni Investment Club
Michel Boelaerts
Alumni on the move
Nadine Lorio
Moving, relocating, marrying, parenting, leaving, coming back, and more
· Obituaries : Louk de Schutter
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LEARNING… Linking Alumni to the School and Lifting your Career
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IAF: Join us to contribute.....
Career Service : NEW: Career counselling
Web Site of the Month
Baron Jean-Pierre Berghmans, MBA74
Alumni in the Spotlight
Sophie Lammerant-Velge
Olivier Schobbens
Guus Keder
Guus Keder
INSEAD Alumni Association of Belgium
Secretary and Treasurer : Nadine Lorio
Boulevard du Centenaire 68 , B-1325 Dion Valmont
Phone 010-22 60 10, Fax 010-24 44 50, Mobile 0476-21 20 76, e-mail address : [email protected]
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The Presidents’ Message
" Pessimism is a Waste of Time "
Dear Insead Friends,
Not so long ago, a leading US Business School Professor wrote his views about being optimistic:
“Optimism? Optimism is a psychological disorder exhibited by those out of touch with reality”.
This is quite a shocking statement! Not only does it condemn optimism, but it also presents the
people expressing optimism as psychologically derailed.
Truth is, if we all think that optimism is a sin, then we will lead the world to its decay: depression,
sadness, and boredom are the children of pessimism. On the contrary, marvel, joyfulness, and
excitement are only to be found in optimistic minds.
Without optimism, our school would not be have reached its 50th anniversary, nor be present on 3
continents.
Without optimism, our Association would not have awarded 24 Innovator Prizes (each one of
them a true optimistic). We would not have had Carlos Brito and Carlos Rodriguez debating about
and with passion.
So lets promote the virtue of optimism. Modestly and locally starting with this February
Newsletter and a large programme of activities for the end of the winter. And then will come
Spring, with another heated and optimistic Viewpoint event and… a summer festive surprise for
celebrating INSEAD’s 50 th anniversary.
Our final answer will be: “Pessimism? Pessimism is a waste of time”.
Optimistically & INSEADly Yours,
Pat & Piet
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Healthcare Club
Visit of Cliniques Universitaires de St. Luc
February 4th, 2010 – 12.00-17.00
Join us for this unique opportunity to understand the complexity of the hospital organization with
the specific points of view of the MRI department and the central stock:
12:00
Welcome at UCL St. Luc - main reception
12:00 – 13:10
Lunch with the general management:
Mr P. van Vyve (Administrateur général adjoint)
Mr G. Hebert (Directeur achat et logistique)
Mme F. Hulet (attachée de Direction)
13:15 - 14:00
Visit of Medical Imaging Unit
Mme G. Woitrin (Assistante de Gestion du département de l'imagerie médicale)
Mr P. Vande Berg (Chef du département de l'imagerie médicale)
Presentation of MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) department, presentation of dashboard
examples, equipment and/or operating budget.
14:00 - 15:00
Visit of Purchasing department and Central store
Mme D. Vandenbulcke (Responsable des Achats et des Approvisionnements)
Presentation of supplies organization: ERP, Kanban method for managing stocks through the
concrete example of the intensive care inventory
15:10 - 17:00
Presentation by Hospital management, Q&A
Mme F. Hulet (Attachée de Direction)
Mme G. Woitrin (Assistante de Gestion du département de l'imagerie médicale)
Presentation of management and organizational aspects
17:00
Closing
Date:
February 4th, 12.00 – 17.00h
Location:
Cliniques Universitaires de St. Luc, Avenue Hippocrate 10, 1200 Bruxelles
Registration:
per email to Nadine Lorio: [email protected]
Number of participants limited. Registrations on a first come first serve basis.
Costs:
20€, to be paid on the INSEAD bank account : 068-2429275-34 (+ name and
event).
Light lunch and drinks will be provided
Your INSEAD Healthcare Team:
Louis Breuls, Andre Khairallah, Patrick Gaulon, Alessandra Anolli, Brigitte de Vet
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Invitation – Industry Networking Night
18 February
18 February 2010 / 17.30 – 19.30 INSEAD Europe Campus
We would like to invite you to join our Industry Networking Night to be held on Thursday 18
February at the INSEAD Europe Campus.
There has been great interest amongst our MBAs about learning more about careers in different
functions and Industries.
In an informal setting around drinks, groups of students would circulate among the Alumni groups
around the same functional area, from a diversity of Industries. As an alumna/alumnus you would
share your experience and answer questions on:
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The career paths chosen to get to where you are today. Are there alternative routes?
What you enjoy most about your current role and the challenges you face
Your tips and recommendations on what MBAs can do to be successful in developing a
career in your function and Industry
We believe our MBAs will enjoy the lively interaction with you and gain insights for their future
career planning. At the same time, this event is also a platform for you to meet some potential
future candidates among the July 2010 graduates currently studying on the Europe campus. We
are expecting about 4 functional groups, facing 25-35 new students every half hour.
If you are interested and able to participate, kindly reply via email to [email protected]
We also are looking for volunteers from your region.
We are looking forward to welcoming you again on campus!
With best regards,
The INSEAD Careers Team
For any queries concerning the event, please contact : [email protected]
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For any queries concerni ng
General Assembly
March 3, 2010 – 6.45 p.m.
Our General Assembly meeting will take place on March 3, 2010 at 6.45 p.m.
It will be held at the Restaurant LE MESS and will be followed, for the ones interested, by a dinner
at the same place. A three-course dinner with wine included for an all-in price of 35 Euros.
Place : Restaurant LE MESS
1 bld Louis Schmidt – 1040 Brussels
Tel. 02-734 03 36
Agenda :
18h45 welcome
19h00 General Assembly meeting
- Review of 2009 activities
- Financial review
- Budget for 2010
- News from INSEAD
- INSEAD Alumni Fund
- Miscellaneous
20h00 Informal dinner at Le Mess (optional)
There is no registration fee (dinner will be paid separately by each participant). However, for
organisational purposes, kindly let Nadine Lorio know whether you will attend:
- the meeting only
- the dinner only
- the meeting and the dinner
e-mail : [email protected]
Tel. 010-22 60 10 Fax 010-24 44 50
Mobile : 0476-21 20 76
The General Assembly meeting is the ideal occasion for you, our members, to express your
appreciation or critique of your committee’s actions during the past twelve months and to provide
your input and ideas for the forthcoming months.
*****
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Erik’s and Julie’s Homely Drink
March 9th, 2010
In March, we are looking forward to another home monthly drink. We return back to the centre of
Brussels, where we will be hosted by Erik Weytjens (MBA 92) and his spouse Julie de Groote.
After a first homely drink at their house in March 2006, they are happy to host us again this time.
Drinks including a buffet will take place starting at 19:00 on March 9th at their home, Rue Georges
Lorand 16, 1050 Bruxelles.
Erik is today a principal at consulting firm Empact, and before that he was active in various senior
management functions, most recently at Sabena technics and Certipost. His wife, Julie de Groote,
is President of the Parlement Francophone Bruxellois (COCOF).
The evening will also offer a special occasion to get to know an atypical INSEAD entrepreneur.
Erik and Julie have invited their friend Jem Macy (MBA 95) for the occasion. She is a ‘different’
entrepreneur, living in Siena, Tuscany, where she replanted and revived an old wine estate, Castello
Poggiarello. At 20:00, Jem will give a short presentation to tell us all about the road to that career
choice and about the art of her new profession. You’ll love it. She’s a great mix of americo-italian
charm and INSEAD determination. The evening will offer us the occasion to taste the results of
her efforts and love. You may even be tempted to complete your wine cellar. In any case, it’s an
opportunity to see each other again around an Italian buffet.
Erik suggests that you park your cars at Parking la Tulipe on Place de la Tulipe, which is situated
100m from their house.
Our warmest thanks to Erik and Julie and we look forward to an entertaining evening.
Please register early and at the latest by Tuesday 2nd to [email protected] - Erik and Julie’s
drinks – and transfer EUR 20 to the INSEAD account 068-2429275-34. Registering early helps
us manage the catering. If you can only decide later, please register as soon as you know, and
we will of course do our best to accommodate you.
*****
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E/MBA Master Class and Info session in Brussels
March 23, 2010 at 6:30 p.m.
Cercle de Lorraine - Brussels
HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM INSEAD!
INSEAD MASTER CLASS
Professor Javier GIMENO, Professor of strategy and the Aon Dirk VERBEEK Chaired
Professor in International Risk and Strategy Management followed by presentations on the
MBA full time and Executive MBA programmes.
For more info on Professor Gimeno’s profile, please visit :
http://www.insead.edu/facultyresearch/faculty/profiles/jgimeno/
Topic : :“Risk-Proofing Your Strategy: Developing Strategies for High Uncertainty
Environments”
Venue: Cercle de Lorraine – Club van Lotharingen
Avenue du Prince d’Orange 51, Prins van Oranjelaan
Bruxelles 1180 Brussel
Timing:
6.30pm
6.45pm
7.00pm
8.00pm
8.40pm
9.00pm
10.00pm
Arrival and registration
Welcome and introduction
Master Class
Presentation INSEAD EMBA Programmes by Hilde Deschoemaeker
Presentation INSEAD MBA programme by Melissa Jones
Alumni Q&A
Networking cocktail with Alumni
Closing
Alumni are invited to join this event (no fees to be paid) and can of course invite prospective
candidates for both our full time and Executive MBA programmes
Hilde Deschoemaeker
*****
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European Salamander Road Challenge event
April 16 and 17, 2010
In commemoration of 50 years INSEAD, the Dutch and Belgians are organising a second European event.
Three years ago the European Salamander Road Challenge Amsterdam – Fontainebleau proved to be a
fantastic event. Dean Frank Brown enjoyed it so much he asked the Dutch to repeat this event in 2010. It
brings European alumni together in Fontainebleau around a shared interest.
Start day 1
Lunch break day 1
Finish dinner day 1
: Friday 10:00 Brussels
: Friday 13:00 Belgium Ardennes
: Friday 19:00 North-East France
Start day 2
: Saturday 08:00 North-East France
Lunch break day 2
: Saturday 13:00 Around Paris
Finish Cocktails day 2: Saturday 19:00 Fontainebleau
Dinner
: Saturday 21:00 Fontainebleau
Subscribe as an equipe (preferably 1 IAA navigator and 1 IAA driver, but equipes with partners are also
welcome) at [email protected].
Costs: € 500 per equipe (2 persons)
Included are:
· Road books, challenge plates, door/hood numbers
· Pre-start briefing with refreshments and sandwiches
· Lunches, cocktails and dinners
· Hotel and breakfast North-East France
· Prizes for best country team and best overall equipe in the categories navigation and beauty
Extra’s:
· Dinner at le Circle (50 euro pp)
· MBA Chateau Party (30 euro pp)
For more information, please contact the Dutch IAA Secretariat at [email protected].
Robert P. van Schagen, Challenge Chairman
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INSEAD Sustainability Roundtable
The INSEAD Alumni Association of Belgium, in cooperation with the Brussels Enterprise Agency,
organises the Sustainability Roundtable. This series if events was initiated in 2007 by Kai von
Ludwig and since the beginning of 2008, Guus Keder now represents INSEAD in the organising
committee which includes one delegate from the Brussels Enterprise Agency (Patricia Foscolo) as
well as two other members (Francis Feraux and Martin van Wunnik).
The Roundtable organises 3-4 events each year with a focus on sustainable economic development
issues and initiatives. Many of the events are related to energy and renewable energy in particular.
The events are open to non-INSEAD alumni and each alumnus can bring other interested persons
to the events, space allowing.
In 2009, the Roundtable organised three events on the following subjects:
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Environmentally Sustainable Urban Development (April 2009)
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Solar Europe Initiative for 2020: 12% of Photovoltaic (PV) electricity! (June 2009)
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The application of “biomimetics” in solving one of the main problems related to climate
change, notably the environmental-friendly alternatives for the capture and storage of CO2
released by fossil fuel combustion (December 2009)
In 2010 we again plan to organise several events. The preliminary time-table for the spring
sessions is as follows:
22 April
visit Doel Nuclear Power Station (near Antwerp) – with a focus on understanding
the operational issues of running a nuclear power plant. This event will likely take
place during office hour in the afternoon.
10 May
“The logic or non-logic of using nuclear power to combat climate change”
24 June
“Smartgrids”
All dates are tentative as of 1 March and will be confirmed in the March Newsletter.
Suggestions from Alumni are of course welcome. Please write to [email protected] or call +32475-243248.
Guus Keder
Join us on
: Group “ Brussels' Sustainable Energy Roundtables (Belgium) “
*****
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AT THE OCCASION OF INSEAD 50TH ANNIVERSARY, JOIN US TO CONTRIBUTE AT
LEAST ONE TIME FOR … “THE BEST BUSINESS SCHOOL IN THE WORLD”!
(Listen to the video message of our Dean Frank Brown)
Who will be the next 47 new donors in Belgium ?!
Dear Friends of INSEAD,
We would like to share with you the warm greetings from Dean Frank Brown in this short video
message at the occasion of this very special year : the 50th anniversary of our School.
He explains why and how our donations make an enormous difference at INSEAD, for example
creating scholarships to attract talents from less fortunate countries. 59% of our gifts are indeed
allocated to scholarships which allow the best students to get their MBA whatever their financial
means. Frank reminds us that our direct competitors (that he hates to name!) have built such high
endowments that they can be much more generous than us in terms of scholarships.
Donating and donating more, we would argue, is in our interest of further building our INSEAD
brand and network. It even improves a lot the rankings giving us an ‘extra level’ of diversity : in 4
years, the proportion of women MBA has increased from 17% to 32% and the students from
Africa from 2% to 5% !
We would also like to tell you that at the occasion of this big anniversary of INSEAD, each
country intends to organize festive fundraising celebrations in cooperation with INSEAD; so
please stay tuned and read the next newsletter to learn more ! Should you miss it, the next
celebrations of this kind will be in 2060!
And... don't forget.... you can donate at any moment: just open your e-banking and send any
amount (as of 30 euro will be tax deductible) to the account n° 000-0000004-04 of the
Foundation Roi Baudouin with the mention TGE-INSEAD. We try to have 50 new donors in
each country and we have yet 3 in Belgium. Who will be the next 47 ?!
Thank you all for giving back to INSEAD with a small or large donation.
Warm regards,
your IAF team in Belgium :
Sophie Lammerant MBA87 – Paolo Senes MBA2001 – Emmanuel de Vicq MBA1963
INSEAD Alumni Fund www.giveto.insead.edu
*****
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INSEAD Alumni Investment Club
Certains vous parleront de la décennie perdue en bourse. Nous sommes, en effet, passés par deux
crises majeures pendant ces 10 ans (bulle internet et financière), mais nous ne partageons pas ce
point de vue. Le club d’investissement fête ses 10 ans et c’est le moment d’en tirer quelques
conclusions. Après 10 ans, le Club a un résultat de +33% par rapport à la mise initiale et les
contributions mensuelles (le MSCI World a fait -18% sur la même période). Le rendement (IRR)
sur cette période est de +7,41%. Et nous ne sommes pas encore sortis de la dernière récession,
aussi pensons nous qu’il y a encore un grand potentiel pour notre portefeuille.
Fonctionnement
Le club est réservé aux Alumni de l’INSEAD. Il est domicilié à la Banque Degroof. Les membres
se réunissent chaque deuxième lundi du mois (de 18 à 20:00), en présence d’un conseiller de la
Banque Degroof. Celui-ci nous informe de l’évolution de l’économie, de l’évolution des marchés
boursiers et de leur interdépendance. De nombreuses analyses et notes internes nous y sont
proposées. Après cet exposé, nous décidons entre nous sur les actions à prendre pour notre
portefeuille.
La mise initiale actuelle de participation est de l’ordre de 10.000 € (une part) et une contribution de
62 €/mois est apportée par part. Le maximum autorisé par le club est de 8 parts par personne.
Cette décennie, sous la présidence avertie de Guy Warlop, nous a permis de mieux connaître le
fonctionnement de la bourse et la relation économie/bourse. Ceci est le but principal du Club :
étendre ses connaissances pour mieux pouvoir gérer ses propres avoirs. Le but premier n’est pas la
performance mais le perfectionnement de nos connaissances et la détection de signaux qui nous
permettent d’agir en conséquence.
Après dix ans à la présidence, Guy a passé la main au soussigné. Il sera secondé par Philippe
Meynckens (MBA78). Nous remercions Guy pour sa direction avisée et sa grande connaissance du
monde des affaires. Nous essayerons tout de même d’augmenter notre performance et invitons
d’autres INSEADiens à nous rejoindre. Les connaissances de chacun de différents pays et secteurs
ne peuvent que nous ouvrir de nouveaux horizons. Le Club a également été le moyen d’établir de
nouvelles amitiés sincères.
Michel Boelaerts (MBA76)
[email protected]
0476 24 54 45 (à partir du 15/02/10)
*****
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Career Service
NEW: Career counselling – also for your relatives!
As you know, the Career Service members are at your disposal as a sounding board for
reflecting about your career orientation, whether you are currently looking for a new job or just
weighing options.
Additionally, Roger Wipperman would like to offer the opportunity for a similar guidance to
your spouse or children. Since he took over Marc Verhulst’s career advisory role, Roger has
been approached by several Alumni of Insead’s first decades, asking him if he could advise their
sons and daughters in their early career planning. Following the success of this initiative, the
Executive Committee has decided to formalize this service and make it known to all Alumni that
Roger has accepted to continue to develop this initiative.
Contact persons:
Nadine Lorio
Tel 010-22 60 10
GSM 0476-21 20 76
[email protected]
Olivier Schobbens
Tel. 02-648 66 50
Mobile: 0475-69 48 52
[email protected]
Roger Wippermann
Tel. 02-354 49 69
Mobile: 0475-42 49 69
[email protected]
CareerLink: THE tool where INSEAD Jobs and Candidates Meet!
Recruiters find there thousands of high-profile candidates. Alumni find there thousands of highprofile career opportunities. Been there yet?
It’s easy: Surf on https://alumni.insead.edu and click on the “Career Service” tab. (please contact
[email protected] if you don’t have your login details – and take the opportunity to update
your personal details !)
To check job opportunities on CareerLink:
Click on the sentence « Members click here… », then on the CareerLink logo, then on the
« Job Search » tab, and enter your job search criteria.
To advertise your company’s job opportunities on CareerLink:
Your company can easily post jobs on the website. Just send an e-mail to Nadine Lorio or
Olivier Schobbens, and we gladly provide a tutorial and assistance to help you post your job
description – anonymously or not, at your choice.
*****
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Web Theme of The Month
This month we are reviving Marc Verhulst’s column “The Web Site of The Month”. However,
instead of focusing on one or two web sites every month, we will thrive to focus on a Theme. Each
month we will announce next month’s Theme to solicit your suggestions. In principle our focus will
be on free content. We will try to be brief and will try to give you a starting point for further
exploration.
In addition to the Newsletter, the Themes will also be published in a blog that can be accessed
through this link: http://www.cinque.be/WTOTM (make sure to use the capital letters at the
end). The blog will include graphical elements and instructions when appropriate.
We are starting our series with iTunes as our first Theme.
We all know how to navigate the web and how to use Google or Yahoo for search. However, there
is another way of accessing high quality content on the web: through iTunes. iTunes is software
distributed by Apple free of charge. It is well known for its music playing capabilities and as an
interface with your iPod or iPhone. However, iTunes is also a gateway to high quality content.
Here is how to do it:
If you have not already done so, you can download and install iTunes on your computer from this
link: http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/.
We will discuss two types of content here: Podcasts and iTunes U lectures. Both types come in
audio and video versions. You can access the Podcasts or the iTunes U sections by clicking on
iTunes Store in the left column of the program window and then clicking the appropriate menu
links on the right side. You can also use the Search box to search for specific Podcasts or iTunes U
lectures. There is an enormous amount of high quality content available and you can start exploring
from here but we offer a few starting points. To find this content, use these terms as the search
term in the Search box:
• “The Naked Scientists” (a weekly show on new developments in science)
• “Really achieving your childhood dreams” (Randy Pausch’s moving and stimulating last
lecture at the Carnegy Mellon School of Computer Science)
• “HotForWords” (Marina’s light-hearted English language course)
You have the option to either view the Podcasts immediately (by double clicking on them) or to
subscribe to them (click on Get Episode). When you subscribe they are automatically downloaded
to your computer for later viewing or listening. You can find them later by clicking on Podcasts or
iTunes U in the left column of the iTunes window.
Podcasts and iTunes U lectures can often also be found on other web sites such as YouTube or
Google Video. However, the quality provided by iTunes is generally much better and it’s free!
When you own an iPod or iPhone (or an iPad at some time), you can also download the Podcasts
and iTunes U lectures to your portable device.
In later issues of this blog we will highlight other content available through iTunes.
Next month’s Theme: “Creating your private and customized home page”.
Please send your comments or suggestions to Guus KEDER at [email protected]. If you send us
your discoveries, we will publish them in the blog.
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Baron Jean-Pierre Berghmans (MBA ‘74J) has been elected one of the “50
Alumni who changed the World”
As you know, this academic year the Insead community is
celebrating the School’s 50th Anniversary. As part of the special
initiative to mark this event, the community has selected 50
alumni “who not only had a great career and a major impact on
the world, but also have touched lives and embody the values of
Insead” (for more info see http://50.insead.edu/alumni/alumni).
Their names are gradually made public throughout this year and
the Belgian alumni are very proud that the contributions of Baron
Jean-Pierre Berghmans have been rightly recognized. Baron
Berghmans transformed Lhoist, the family firm founded by his
great grandfather in 1889, from a regional Franco-Belgian
company into the largest and most global lime producer in the world. Ever since he graduated in
1974 (“INSEAD was such a fantastic learning curve for me and the greatest year of my life so
far!”), Baron Berghmans has been a very active member of our Insead community. He is a member
of the Insead Board and has been the Chairman of the Belgian Council since 1994. He has been
awarded a Gold Salamander in recognition for his generosity to the Insead Alumni Fund and
established “The Berghmans-Lhoist Chair in Entrepreneurial Leadership” at Insead in 2002. Our
national alumni association has also benefited from his continuous support and is very happy to
congratulate him on his nomination.
*****
Alumni on the Move
Jean-François BARTH IEP F99
Avenue des Tourterelles 10
1950 Kraainem
[email protected]
Frederic VASSORT MBA D00
av Emile van Becelaere, 180
1170 Bruxelles
Phone and email unchanged
Marcello DEPLANO MBA J04
Al.Wyzwolenia 3/5 apt 22
Warsaw 00572 – Poland
Tel. +48 72 486 81 14
[email protected]
Filipe CONSTANT ALP O97
Avenue Jules César 25
1150 Bruxelles
Mobile +32 475 65 13 38
SOLVAY
General Manager SBU Electrochemistry
Rue de Ransbeek 310
1120 Bruxelles
Tel. +32 2 264 17 11
[email protected]
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Obituary – Louk de Schutter
The words are difficult to find to express our pain with the
passing away of our close friend Louk de Schutter. The
INSEAD community presents its profound condolences to
Christine, to the children, the family and their friends.
Louk was a fantastic optimist. The kind of person we want
to find more. His daughter Laeticia did find the right
words to say good-bye…
Louk est né en 1940 d’un père anversois et d’une mère hollandaise. Après différents pensionnats
chez les Jésuites et des études universitaires à Leuven (économie) il part en 1965 pour
Fontainebleau. L’INSEAD aura vraiment été une étape importante pour lui. C’est là qu’il a
rencontré ses meilleurs amis. La promo ’65 se réunit encore chaque année et souvent il entraînait
toute la famille à ces week-ends.
Un premier mariage donna naissance à deux enfants (Mathieu et Maëlle). Il se remaria alors avec
Christine et eurent deux autres enfants (Laetitia et Ameline).
Business man, il créa Aims Optronics & Instrurent (lasers, fibres optiques, vidéo conférence,
location de robots caméra…. ).
Il faut aussi mentionner sa passion pour l’art (il ne partait jamais sans son bloc d’aquarelle) et la
mer (réalisant son rêve de faire des régates). Louk était un homme qui aimait les contacts humains,
un cuisinier extraordinaire et un animateur qui faisait rire tout le monde.
La vie l’a soumis à la terrible épreuve de la maladie. Par deux fois il s’est battu contre le cancer;
gagnant les batailles, ce qui lui a permis de devenir grand-père d’un petit Tibo aux Etats-Unis pour
finalement nous quitter en décembre dernier.
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Alumni in the Spotlight:
Guus KEDER MBA D83
What’s the most difficult thing about your job?
To be patient. I work with early stage technology companies that develop next generation energy
related technologies. I always want to move faster than what is possible in reality.
Unusual past experience?
Six months into my first job as a management trainee, it was suggested I should become the
managing director of that organisation, which scared me to death. I finally didn’t get the job, but it
showed me my potential. This happened several years before I set off for INSEAD.
What did INSEAD bring to you then?
This event led to my decision to go to INSEAD.
What does INSEAD bring you now?
I have been active in the Alumni circuit on and off. In the past I have been involved in organising
the Wine Tasting Group and the Monthly Drink and I am now a member of the Investment Club. I
also represent the Belgian INSEAD Alumni Association on the Committee that organises the
Sustainability Roundtable. Through these activities I always meet fascinating people. Some of these
people have become close friends, good advisors or both.
Favourite thing about Brussels?
The combination of good life and central location. I travel regularly and most of my work is
actually outside Belgium. Living in Brussels and using Brussels as a logistics hub has worked well
for me for over 25 years.
What are you most thankful for?
Having found my Dutch wife in Brussels by coincidence.
What are your hobbies?
I enjoy discovering wines and food. I also love the outdoors and especially the mountains for
hiking, biking or skiing. I used to run long distance, but my knees have given up, unfortunately.
What upgrade would you like to give yourself?
A new pair of knees!
What do you value most in others?
Trustworthiness.
Who is your Hero?
My heroes are all people that dare to challenge common wisdom. Steve
Jobs is one of them.
What is your Philosophy?
When you leave something behind, it would be great if at least some
people will perceive it as useful.
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