In April 2016, Johan Beerlandt announced his intention to retreat from the operational management of the BESIX Group after a career of no less than 42 years, of which 12 years as CEO.
The search for a suitable candidate to succeed him was subsequently initiated by the Board of Directors and himself, which has led to the profile of Rik Vandenberghe, current CEO of ING Belgium.
BESIX Group is no stranger to Rik Vandenberghe, whose first experience with BESIX goes back to 2004, when he acted as financial advisor to the Group within the framework of the management buy-out. Later on, when he was in charge of the « Real Estate Finance » department of ING Belgium, Rik Vandenberghe was closely involved with the activities of the group, through financing several of its real estate projects.
The appointment of Rik Vandenberghe comes at an important moment in the history of the BESIX Group who has recently introduced multiple change programs and aims to reinforce its multidisciplinary offerings in line with its strategic ambitions.
The arrival of the new CEO of the BESIX Group is welcomed by Johan Beerlandt : « Although my passion for BESIX has not waned, I believe it is time to hand over the reins. I am thrilled that I can take this decision at the moment when the group records a historically strong result with an abundance of talent on board which can lead the company to an even greater performance. The nomination of Rik Vandenberghe will allow BESIX to continue its growth path. I have been following Rik’s professional career throughout the years and am impressed by his dynamism and pragmatism to the extent that I hand over to him what I cherish most: BESIX».
For Rik Vandenberghe, this opportunity presents itself as an exciting new professional experience : « Having served for 32 years in a bank, I did not have the explicit intent to quit the financial industry. However, I was particularly attracted by this beautiful and dynamic company, which has so many new projects and challenges ahead. Moreover, BESIX is active in the construction and real estate industry which has always interested me and with which I frequently interacted during my banking career.».
The CEO transition is scheduled to take place at the end of the first trimester of 2017, after which Johan Beerlandt will assume the position of Chairman of the Board of Directors of BESIX Group.