2025 speaker lineup

Ella Leyers, a Belgian actress and daughter of musician and television producer Jan Leyers, has built a successful career in the Flemish television and film industry. Besides her acting work, Ella is also active as a radio host and presenter of the television programme "De Ideale Wereld" on Canvas.

Christophe Crous is the Corporate Segment & Marketing Lead at Proximus NXT, where he focuses on driving digital transformation and innovation for enterprise clients. With expertise in marketing strategy and technology solutions, he plays a key role in aligning services with customer needs, particularly in areas like cloud, security, and networking.

Koen Schoors is a Professor of Economics at Ghent University, specializing in Banking and Finance, Law and Economics, Development Economics, and more. He holds key positions such as Co-Chairman of the Ecological Transition Fund of FPIM and Chairman of Trividend and Gigarant. With numerous publications and active engagement in public debates, Koen Schoors significantly impacts economic policy in Flanders and Belgium.

In his new book ‘Everything is changing… and better’, economics professor Koen Schoors sets out his inspiring vision of the future.

Fabrice De Windt is a senior executive with more than 25 years of experience in the IT and telecom industry. He is currently the CEO of Proximus NXT IT and the Corporate Segment Lead, where he is responsible for driving an ambitious revenue growth plan by focusing on innovation that Proximus NXT can bring to its customers and on continuously improving the way Proximus NXT operates and engages with them.

Stijn Bijnens, CEO of the Proximus Group, started his career by creating the network security company NetVision (renamed Ubizen later on). In 2008 he was appointed CEO of the Limburgse Reconversie Maatschappij (LRM). Before joining Proximus, he was the CEO of the Belgian ICT company Cegeka since 2019, where he managed to position the company to be one of the leading ICT companies in Belgium and Europe.

Ariane Berckmoes is the Chief Digital Transformation Officer at Ethias, where she leads the organisation’s strategic digitalisation and transformation initiatives. Her role involves overseeing cross-functional transformation projects, aligning business and IT strategies, and fostering a culture of innovation and continuous improvement.

Jan Smedts leads Digitaal Vlaanderen, the Flemish Government's digital transformation agency. As a trusted partner to public administrations, the agency drives digital sovereignty, coordinates cybersecurity policy through the Flemish Centre for Digital Security, and promotes responsible AI adoption via competence centres, readiness programmes, and practical deployments.

Major General Pierre Ciparisse became Commander of the Belgian Cyber Force in September 2025. After graduating from the Royal Military Academy as a polytechnical engineer, he served as instructor in satellite communication systems, deployed in Albania with AFOR II, and later commanded the Para-Commando Signal Platoon. He held several key positions at the General Intelligence and Security Service (SGRS), including Head of Technical Collection, and played a central role in major modernization programs such as BEST (BElgian Soldier Transformation). He also commanded the 4th CIS Group, supporting both international operations and national security missions. From 2021 onwards, he was deeply involved in building Belgium’s Cyber capabilities, first as head of the SGRS Cyber Directorate and later as Deputy Commander of the newly created Cyber Command, before taking full command of the Cyber Force in 2025.

Prof Dr Paul Timmers is a research associate at the University of Oxford, Oxford Internet Institute, professor at European University Cyprus, visiting professor at KU Leuven and the University of Rijeka, senior advisor EPC Brussels, President of the Supervisory Board Estonian eGovernance Academy and CEO of iivii. He holds a PhD in physics, an MBA, and a cybersecurity qualification from Harvard. His work focuses on digital policy, European geopolitics, and sovereignty.

Bert Van Thilborgh is a renowned Belgian trendwatcher, strategic futurist, and founder of the trend agency Futureproved Trendwatchers. With his expertise, he helps companies and organizations prepare for societal and technological changes. He is active as a speaker, lecturer, and author, known for his inspiring keynotes and sharp analyses of emerging trends.

As Enterprise Security Architect at Proximus, Peter Spiegeleer leads the Cyber Security Reinforcement Program’s architectural governance. With 20+ years in IT across telecoms, finance, and the public sector, he specialises in enterprise architecture, GRC, and IT security. He’s experienced in leading large consulting projects, aligning technology with business strategy, and communicating complex solutions to stakeholders.

As a 5G Business Development Manager, Jurgen is known for translating complex technological evolutions into tangible business opportunities.

As Sales Director at Proximus NXT, Reinout leads digital transformation initiatives across the public sector and healthcare, helping organizations stay ahead in technological innovation.

With deep expertise in digital security, Jeremy plays a pivotal role in shaping cybersecurity strategies and promoting resilient digital infrastructures across the public sector.

Anthony Belpaire is a general manager and product innovator, currently serving as Head of Artificial Intelligence at BNP Paribas Fortis. He leads a central AI organization, delivering transformative applications across retail, private, and corporate banking segments.

Wilhelmine manages key client relationships and drives sales initiatives to align with Proximus NXT's strategic goals. Additionally, she is a passionate advocate for Women in Tech.

Anne-Christine is a Sales Key Account Management for Financial Services customers of Proximus NXT.

Jesper is an accomplished leader with extensive experience across technologies, information & cybersecurity and strategic counsel. He currently serves as Chief Security Officer (EMEA North) at Palo Alto Networks, a position he has held since May 2021. Prior to this, Jesper held senior roles at Maersk Drilling, including Senior Information Security Officer and is a decorated military police veteran. Throughout his career, he has demonstrated a strong commitment to proactive risk management, strategic security leadership, and the protection of critical business assets in complex environments.

As an Innovation Manager at UZ Brussel, Sonia Van Dooren is dedicated to fostering transformative ideas and driving forward-thinking initiatives within the healthcare sector. Sonia excels at bridging the gap between emerging technologies and patient-centred solutions, ensuring that innovation translates into real-world improvements for both professionals and the community.

Pauline Neerman is a recognized expert in retail innovation at RetailDetail. Her work bridges the gap between emerging retail trends and transformative technologies, making her a key contributor to conversations on customer experience, operational resilience, and the evolution of the digital workplace.

Steven Vermeulen is CIO and Head of ICT at Digitaal Vlaanderen. Together with his team, he is building a better, more effective, and inclusive digital-first service delivery by the Flemish Government. His mission is to use technology as a catalyst for a modern, accessible, and future-oriented public sector.

Hendrik Blokhuis is the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at Cisco, passionately building trusted partnerships to drive secure and impactful digitization. With his team of engineers and architects, Hendrik is responsible for educating Cisco's broad ecosystem of partners across the EMEA region. Additionally, he drives innovation by developing new API-driven solutions and managed services.

Bart Verlinden is a leader at Sirris, Belgium’s technology industry collective. He specializes in innovation and digital transformation, supporting companies with advanced solutions and strategic guidance. Bart’s expertise spans ICT, manufacturing, and R&D, helping organizations accelerate growth and adapt to evolving technological landscapes.

Sandro Manzo is the Manufacturing Lead at Proximus NXT. He specializes in driving innovation and operational excellence in manufacturing, leveraging technology and strategic insights to help organizations optimize processes and adapt to industry changes.

Koen Vereeken is Global IT Lead, Technology Infrastructure at Bekaert. He specializes in optimizing IT operations, leading digital transformation, and implementing AI-driven solutions for manufacturing. Koen's expertise spans infrastructure management, innovation, and collaboration with academic partners to advance industrial technology and efficiency.

Filip Marchal is Private Cloud Lead at Proximus NXT. He has over twenty years' experience at Proximus NXT in various technical, consultant and management roles dealing with cloud and security.

Steven Ackx is a digital transformation consultant with expertise in cloud, cybersecurity, AI, IoT, and emerging tech. Known for driving innovation and operational efficiency, Steven blends technical insight with business understanding.

Frederic Haegeman leads global initiatives in access control technology, focusing on innovation and security solutions for diverse industries. Frederic's expertise spans international project management, strategic leadership, and advancing Motorola’s position in the security and access control sector.

Gregory Soileux specializes in driving strategic growth and partnerships across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, focusing on cybersecurity solutions and market expansion. Gregory's expertise includes business development, client engagement, and advancing Fortinet’s presence in the security technology sector.

Frank Callewaert is a technology and thought leader who has over 30 years of experience at the CxO level in an international public sector context. He has been working at Microsoft for 26 years and is part of the company's Technology Officers community. As a CTO, Frank connects Microsoft's technology vision with the needs of government and enterprise customers. He anticipates technology trends for the European Union Institutions, Agencies, and Bodies, as well as the Belgian and Luxembourg Customers.

Gwénaëlle Hervé is Public & Sovereign Cloud Lead at Proximus NXT. She leads a team of product managers responsible for developing innovative cloud services in collaboration with technology partners including Microsoft, Google, Thales and Intel among others.