Flemish CEOs popular with foreign multinationals

A growing number of international are chosing Flemish managers to be their CEO. According to a study carried out by the financial daily ‘De Tijd’, a total of 23 Flemings have made it to the top job in large foreign-owned multinationals.
Stephan Engler

The ten biggest companies that have currently have a Fleming as there CEO currently employ a total of 660,000 people worldwide. The West Fleming that has been Nestlé’s CEO since April 2008 Paul Bulcke (photo above) runs a company that employs 330,000 people worldwide.

Jean Van den Eynde from the headhunting bureau Russel Reynolds told ‘De Tijd’ that "Flemings fit well within the concept of a modern CEO: they are down to earth and more focused on the market rather than on power.”

“There is a generation of Flemings that has studied at very good Belgian and Foreign universities. They are multi-lingual and flexible. They combine this with loyalty, hard work and an ability to find innovative solutions.

Top 10 Flemish CEOs according to number of employees

Paul Bulcke - Nestlé (330.000)

Dirk Van den Berghe - Walmart Canada (90.000)

Jean-Fr. van Boxmeer - Heineken (81.000)

Ronnie Leten - Atlas Copco (40.000)

Patrick De Maeseneire - Adecco (31.500)

Rudy Provoost - Rexel (30.000)

Olivier Van den Bossche - Galeria Kaufhof (21.000)

Kurt Staelens - Macintosh Retail Group (11.000)

Wilfried Verstraete - Euler Hermes (6.100)

 

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