Board of Directors
As the ultimate management body of the Company, the Board of Directors is empowered to carry out any necessary or useful actions for the achievement of the corporate purpose, the exception being the powers reserved by law to the General Meeting of Shareholders (such as amendments to the bylaws, capital increases other than through the authorized capital, capital decreases).
As a general principle, the Board of Directors comprises six members or more. At least half of them are 'non-executive directors', including minimum three 'independent directors'.
Julien De Wilde, Chairman of the Board of Directors
Michel Akkermans, Director of companies (independent director)
John Buttrick, Director of companies (independent director)
Jo Cornu, President and Chief Executive Officer, Agfa-Gevaert
Willy Duron, Director of companies
Horst Heidsieck, Director of companies (independent director)
Roland Junck, Director of companies (independent director)
Christian Leysen, Chief Executive Officer AXE-Group
Karel Van Miert, Director of companies (independent director)
Wilfried Van Lishout, Company Secretary
Julien De Wilde
(°1944, Belgian) obtained an engineering degree from the Catholic University of Leuven (Belgium). From 1969 onwards he held various managerial positions at Texaco and in 1986 he was appointed member of the European Management Board of Texaco in New York. In 1988 he became head of the research and business development department of Recticel. A year later he became a member of the Executive Committee of Alcatell Bell, where he was responsible for strategy and general services. From 1995 to 1998 Julien De Wilde was CEO of Alcatell Bell and from 1999 to 2002 he was Executive Vice-President and member of the Executive Committee of Alcatel in Paris, responsible for Europe, the Middle-East, Latin America, India and Africa. From July 1, 2002 to May 2006, he was CEO of the Bekaert Group. Julien De Wilde became a member of the Board of Directors in 2006. Since April 2008 he became Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Agfa-Gevaert Group.
Michel Akkermans
Michel Akkermans (°1960 - Belgian) holds an M.Sc. in electronic engineering and computer sciences and a degree in economics and finance from the Catholic University of Louvain (Belgium). He held management positions in a series of international banks and consulting companies before founding FICS, a leading software provider in the field of online banking and regulatory financial reporting, in 1989. In 1999, FICS, together with Edify and Vertical One, merged with Security First Technologies, creating S1 Corporation, the market leader in internet banking with Michel Akkermans as its Chairman. In 2002, Michel Akkermans became Chairman and CEO of Clear2Pay, an innovative e-finance company focused on delivering globally applicable solutions for secure electronic payments. Michel Akkermans became a member of the Board of Directors in 2008.
John Buttrick
(°1957, American) graduated from the Northwestern University and has a legal degree from Villanova University School of Law. In 1985 he began his career with the New York law firm Davis Polk & Wardwell, where he became a partner in 1994. From 1988 to 1990 he has worked at the office in Paris. In 2000, John Buttrick became a partner in LiveWire Ventures, an investment group based in New York that is financed by Blackstone Group and Thomas Lee. Today he is the Managing Director at Plastic Energy Americas LLC. John Buttrick became a member of the Board of Directors in 2003.
Jo Cornu
(°1944, Belgian) graduated as an engineer specializing in electrotechnology and mechanics from the Catholic University of Leuven (Belgium) and later obtained a PhD in electronics from the Carlton University in Ottawa (Canada). Jo Cornu was CEO of Mietec from 1982 to 1984 and later General Manager for Bell Telephone until 1987. From 1988 to 1995 he was member of the Executive Committee of Alcatel NV and from 1995 to 1999 he was COO for Alcatel Telecom. Later he became a counselor for the Board of Directors of Alcatel. Jo Cornu has been Chairman of the ISTAG Group (Information Society Technologies Advisory Group) of the European Commission from 2005 until 2007. Jo Cornu became a member of the Board of Directors in 2002. Since Dec. 1, 2007, he has been appointed President and CEO of Agfa-Gevaert.
Willy Duron
Willy Duron (°1945, Belgian) has a master of mathematics from Ghent University (Belgium) and a master of actuarial science from the Catholic University of Louvain (Belgium). He started his career in 1970 as an actuary for ABB Insurance (Assurantie van de Belgische Boerenbond). After the merger of Kredietbank, CERA Bank and ABB Insurance, he became chairman of the Executive Committee of KBC Insurance and director of KBC Asset Management in 2000. He was appointed president of the Executive Committee of KBC Bank and Insurance Holding Company in 2003 and he was CEO of KBC Group NV from 2005 until he retired at the end of 2006. Willy Duron became a member of the Board of Directors in 2008.
Horst Heidsieck
Horst Heidsieck (°1947 - German) holds a PhD in physics. During his studies at the University of Bonn (Germany) and the Technical University of Aachen (Germany), he focused on solid state physics, solid state electronics as well as metal science. From 1980 to 1991, he held various managerial positions - including a position in the Executive Board - within the Degussa Group. In 1990, he became CEO of the Leybold technology group and from 1995 to 1998 he successfully integrated the former competitors Leybold and Balzers into the newly established Balzers und Leybold Group. In the following years, Horst Heidsieck was a member of the Advisory Board and later CEO of Heraeus Holding, a highly diversified technology group. From 2003 to the end of 2006, he was CEO of Demag Holding, a portfolio of 7 companies which had been acquired from Siemens by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts in 2002. As from January 2007, he is a managing shareholder of the newly founded consulting company Value Consult, acting as a member of advisory boards, helping senior management to materialize improvement potentials in their companies. Horst Heidsieck became a member of the Board of Directors in 2008.
Roland Junck
Roland Junck (°1955 - Luxembourger) graduated from the Federal Polytechnic Institute in Zurich (Switzerland) and earned an MBA from Sacred Heart University of Luxembourg. He started his career with Arbed. At TrefilARBED Bissen he was named General Manager in 1993 and Managing Director in 1996. After having held various other managerial positions at Arbed, he became Senior Vice President of Acelaria (Spain) in 1998. He was a member of the Arbed Group Management Board from 1999 to 2002, when he was appointed Senior Executive Vice President of the newly created Arcelor after the merger of Aceralia, Arbed and Usinor. In August 2006, he became CEO of Arcelor Mittal and a member of the Group's Management Board. Following the reorganization of the company's senior management structure in November 2006, he became an advisor to the CEO while he remained a member of the Board until July 2007. Roland Junck became a member of the Board of Directors in 2008.
Christian Leysen
(°1954, Belgian) obtained the degrees of commercial engineer and master in law at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel. He began his career in 1976 with the international auditing and consulting firm Arthur Andersen & Co. In 1981 he joined GB Inno BM, the largest Belgian retail group, taking responsibility for logistics and the organization of the Maxi division. In 1984 he founded Xylos, which evolved into an international IT service provider. In 1989 he became responsible for the day-to-day management of the maritime company Ahlers. When Ahlers became a privately owned company, Christian Leysen became Chairman of the Board of Directors. From 2000 to 2002, he was a member of the Antwerp city council and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Antwerpse Waterwerken. Christian Leysen became a member of the Board of Directors in 2003.
Karel Van Miert
(°1942, Belgian) obtained a degree in diplomatic sciences at Ghent University (Belgium), followed by a postgraduate course at the European University Centre of Nancy. In 1976 he became the national secretary of the Belgian Socialist Party and in 1977 head of the private office of the Belgian Minister of Economic Affairs. From 1978 to 1994 he was a lecturer at the Vrije Universiteit van Brussel and from 1978 to 1988 he was the Chairman of the Flemish Socialist Party. Karel Van Miert held various political positions, including membership of the European Parliament and membership of the Belgian Chamber of Representatives. From 1989 to 1993 he was a member of the European Commission and from 1993 to 1999 he was Vice-Chairman of the European Commission, responsible for competition policy. From 2000 to 2003 Karel Van Miert was President of Nyenrode University (the Netherlands). Karel Van Miert became a member of the Board of Directors in 2001.
Wilfried Van Lishout
Wilfried Van Lishout (1964 - Belgian) has a Law Degree from the Catholique University of Leuven (Belgium) and an Economics Degree from the 'Institut Catholique des Hautes Etudes Commerciales', Brussels (Belgium). He started his career in 1989 with the legal team of Price Waterhouse Tax, Legal and Management Consultants, specializing in company law and M&A. In 1997, he joined Belgacom where he held various positions in the legal, corporate governance and M&A domains. Later, he was Legal Director for Fixed Line Services, responsible for managing all legal aspects related to Belgacom's business in fixed line telephony, broadband internet and television. In September 2007, Wilfried Van Lishout joined Agfa HealthCare as Head of Legal and in 2008 he became Company Secretary.