Face of Flanders: Paul Kumpen

The elder Kumpen, 65, has more down-to-earth things on his mind. He’s the CEO of Kumpen NV, a construction company, and presently chair of Voka Limburg, the provincial branch of the Flemish chamber of commerce. Last week it was announced he is to replace Voka’s national chair, Michel Delbaere from October.

Voka formed in 2004, when the eight regional Flemish chambers of commerce formed an alliance with the Flemish Economic Union. The organisation is now one of the main social partners in the social-economic council of Flanders, giving it a direct input into Flemish government policy. The companies that make up its membership employ 910,000 people and represent 66% of the private sector jobs in the region.

Voka is currently coming to the end of a complicated round of re-organisation, with a review of the working relationship between the eight local chambers and the headquarters, which recently moved into brand new offices in Brussels.

An important part of Kumpen’s job will be to steer the organisation into its new structure – the chair is far from being a figurehead: His predecessors in the post, Delbaere of West Flanders frozen food company Crop’s and Luc Debruyckere of fresh food group Ter Beke, have been actively involved in every aspect of Voka’s work, alongside director-general Jo Libeer.

“Paul Kumpen has all the qualities required to make a success of Voka’s renewal process,” Delbaere said on news of the appointment. “Enterprise is in his blood. Besides that, he will be able to count on his years of experience as chair of the Limburg chamber of commerce, as well as in the sector where he is professionally active.”

Photo courtesy De Standaard