Didier Bellens

Didier Bellens (born 9 June 1955) is a Belgian businessman. He is the CEO of Belgacom, the leading telecommunications company of Belgium. He is married and has two children.

Education

He graduated in 1978 as a commercial engineer at the Solvay Business School of the Université Libre de Bruxelles (Brussels).

Career

1978 Didier Bellens starts his career as an auditor at Deloitte Haskins & Sells. During his time at Deloitte he shares the responsibility for the audits of the Belgian subsidiary of General Motors.

1981 He becomes financial director of the Compagnie Brussel Lambert holding (GBL). He manages the investment portfolio and prospects potential investments.

1985 He becomes Deputy Manager of the Pargesa Holding in Geneva where he is responsible for the management of holdings, mergers and acquisitions. Didier Bellens manages the participations of the GBL group in the company.

1992 Didier Bellens comes back to the Groupe Bruxelles Lambert as Managing Director, taking charge of the group's strategic participations in companies such as Royale Belge, the BBL, and the CLT. He plays an instrumental role in the merger between AXA and Royale Belge, and the change and the negotiations leading to the merger between CLT (Compagnie Luxembourgeoise de Télédiffusion) and UFA. He also participates in the exchange of shares between RTL and Bertelsmann, which gives RTL a minority participation in Bertelsmann, and the change of ownership of the BBL.

2001 He joins the RTL Group, which is created through the merger of CTL-UFA and Pearson Television (now FremantleMedia), as its CEO, where he focuses on the group's international expansion. He concludes the merger with Pearson Television and launches the RTL Group on the stock market.

2003 In March, Didier Bellens is appointed Belgacom's President and Chief Executive Officer as he succeeds John J. Goossens.

2009 His mandate at Belgacom is renewed in March for a six-year term.

2011 His position at the head of Belgacom almost ends after a strong dispute with the company board and the Belgian federal minister for Civil Service and Public Enterprises, Inge Vervotte.

Also

Didier Bellens is a member of the Board of Directors of Belgacom ICS, the Telindus Group, Proximus, Scarlet SA, and Tango. He is also a member of the Board of Directors of AXA Belgium, VOKA (the Flemish Chamber of Commerce and Industry) and is on the steering committee of the FEB (Federation of Commerce in Belgium). In addition, he serves as independent Chairman of the Appointments and Remuneration Committee, and as independent Director of the Board of Directors of the Compagnie Immobilière de Belgique. He is also advisor to CV Capital Partners and member of the International Advisory Council of the New York Stock Exchange.

He is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Erasmus Foundation and the ULB Foundation, and serves as Vice Chairman of the Solvay Business School's Consultative Council.

References

• Official profile on Belgacom Group homepage
• Nieuwe Chief Executive Officer Belgacom benoemd (Dutch)
• Interview with Didier Bellens (YouTube)
• Belgacom shareholders' Telindus benefit
• Interview with Didier Bellens in 'Ondernemers Magazine'
• Interview with Didier Bellens in 'Communications Review'
• OPINIE. Wie durft nog werken voor Didier Bellens? in 'De Standaard'
• Inge Vervotte: 'Tevreden met overeenstemming tussen Bellens en Raad van Bestuur' in 'De Standaard'
• Le nouveau pari de Didier Bellens - Interview Didier Bellens in Le Soir 06-09-2010
• We mikken op meer dan tv alleen - nterview Didier Bellens in De Morgen 04/09/2010

Persondata
Name	Bellens, Didier
Alternative names
Short description	businessman
Date of birth	9 June 1955
Place of birth
Date of death
Place of death