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.

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 NXT, 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.