De Meyer started in the entertainment industry at an early age, organising parties at his local youth club. That led to a business constructing stages for the local Rock Werchter festival, later expanding all over the world. His company has had contracts with some of the biggest names in popular culture, from the Paralympics in Athens in 2004 to the Rolling Stones 2005-2007 tour to U2, Madonna, Lady Gaga and Coldplay. De Meyer is famous in the industry for never saying “no” to an artist’s sometimes wild stage fantasies.

Previous winners of the annual award include politicians Karel Van Miert and Jean-Luc Dehaene, scientists Peter Piot and Catherine Verfaillie and businessmen Gabriel Fehervari and Herman Van De Velde.