Curriculum vitae

Mr. Wouter De Geest studied law at the University of Ghent, where he graduated in 1977. He started his professional career as a lawyer at the Ghent bar. In 1982 he started working at BASF Antwerp as head of the legal department, later he became personnel director. In 1998 he started working at BASF's headquarters in Ludwigshafen, where he prepared, among other things, the IPO on the New York Stock Exchange. In 2001 he returned to BASF's Antwerp office, where he was appointed CEO in February 2007 and held this position until the beginning of January 2020. From 2009 to 2012 and 2014 to 2018, Mr. Wouter De Geest was chairman of the employers' organization Essenscia, the Belgian sector federation of the chemical industry. At the end of 2018, he became chairman of VOKA, the Flemish network of companies. Mr. Wouter De Geest is member of the board of directors of the Port of Antwerp, construction group Besix Group, Exmar Group, Aertssen Group and Ziekenhuisnetwerk Antwerpen. He is chairman of Catalisti, the Flemish spearhead cluster for chemistry and plastics. He also holds various board mandates in the socio-cultural sector, including at the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra.​

Karel Vinck was a coordinator with the European Commission and a member of the board of directors of the Monnaie, Brussels Philharmony from 2005 to 2018. As the former CEO and Chairman of Umicore SA, Mr. Vinck held positions as Chief Executive Officer of Compagnie Financière Eternit and Belgian Railways (SNCB). Karel Vinck graduated as an electrical and mechanical engineer from the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (Belgium) and followed a post-graduate production management program at the University of Ghent. He also holds a Master in Business Administration from Cornell University (US).

Ms. Baeyaert holds a Bachelor’s degree in Maritime Sciences and completed Middle Management, Effective Management and Financial Management programs from the VLERICK Business School of Ghent. Ms. Baeyaert is currently active as owner of ResiGrass and Cosy Lounge. Before starting these businesses she was active as board member and Business Unit director of the Katoen Natie Group. Her career within Katoen Natie Group started in 1985. She was active as a board member of the Katoen Natie Group in the period 1987 – 2013. Ms. Baeyaert currently serves on the board of directors of Rosier Group, De Vlaamse Waterweg and Befimmo. She is also president of the audit committee at De Vlaamse Waterweg.

Ms. Laurie Tack holds a Bachelor Degree in Finance, Accounting and Economics from the University of Kent (UK) where she graduated in 2012 and a MBA from Harvard Business School (Boston, USA). She started her professional career as analyst in a private equity firm in London in 2012, followed by holding various management positions in Tessenderlo Kerley, Inc., a company headquartered in Phoenix, AZ (USA) and part of the Tessenderlo Group where she gained experience in finance, sales and strategy execution. In 2020 she took the position of executive director of Harmony Industries – Clarysse nv, a company part of the Love Home Fabrics Group, headquartered in Belgium. Ms. Laurie Tack’s further particular interest goes to the workings, management, dynamics and governance of family businesses.