Walter Coenraets is Chief Information Security Officer of the Federal Police of Belgium, where he leads information security policy, risk management and incident response from within the organisation’s Digital Transformation Office.
His perspective on cybersecurity is unusually broad because he has approached it from almost every angle: as a lawyer, as a digital forensic investigator, as a national cybercrime chief, and as the commanding officer of a police organisation.

A Master of Laws who added degrees in applied informatics, he began his career at the Leuven Bar before advising Belgium’s first National Computer Crime Unit,  contributing to the country’s earliest computer crime legislation.
He went on to build and lead the Regional Computer Crime Unit in the province of Limburg and, from 2014 to 2020, headed the Federal Computer Crime Unit (FCCU). In that role he authored Belgium’s national cybercrime strategy, served as programme manager for the cybercrime priority within EMPACT/Europol, acted as Vice-Chair of the EU Cybercrime Taskforce, and represented Belgium in European fora including Europol.

From 2020 to 2025 he served a full mandate as Chief of Police of a local police zone, leading staff through culture change, crisis situations and a wave of digital innovation while chairing the Benelux/German Cybercrime Working Group.

What defines him is the ability to connect worlds that rarely speak the same language: law and technology, operational policing and executive governance, national policy and international cooperation.

Laurie-Anne Bourdain is Chief Information Security Officer at a university hospital in Brussels and a cybersecurity governance, risk, and compliance specialist. With more than 15 years of experience in information security, she is actively involved with ISC2, IAPP, and the Belgian Cyber Security Coalition, and specializes in regulatory frameworks including NIS2, DORA, and GDPR. 

A Security Manager (CISO), specialist in IT Security & Risk Management, IAM and (financial) administrative systems (ERP). Since 1985 working on the edge of IT and Business, the last 20 years with a focus on IT Security. A long history of implementing IT systems and IT security in a wide range of international organizations, varying from manufacturing, retail, and finance to international governmental institutions.

Philippe Cornette is an award-winning cybersecurity executive with over 20 years of experience spanning banking, telecommunications, manufacturing, chemical, financial services and FinTech. As Group CISO at John Cockerill, he focuses on transforming complex digital risk into practical security strategies that strengthen resilience while supporting business growth. In 2025, Philippe was recognised as CISO of the Year by the Cyber Security Coalition Belgium. 

His expertise spans cyber risk governance, IAM and PAM, regulatory compliance and security transformation, with extensive knowledge of frameworks including ISO 27001, NIS2, DORA, GDPR and NIST CSF. Philippe is particularly passionate about bridging the gap between cybersecurity and the boardroom, translating complex risks into clear business priorities for executives, boards and regulators. 

Known for his pragmatic and results-driven approach, Philippe combines strategic thinking with hands-on execution to build security programmes that deliver measurable business value. 

Benjamin Budts is an accomplished cybersecurity leader and programme manager with extensive experience in security strategy, cyber resilience, risk management, and regulatory compliance. Taking a business-oriented, risk-driven and Zero Trust approach, he focuses on embedding security into the organisation to strengthen resilience, support innovation, and enable sustainable business growth.

A collaborative and inclusive leader, Benjamin is passionate about building engaged, high-performing teams and developing talent through coaching and mentorship. His expertise spans cybersecurity and resilience, regulatory compliance, ISO 27001, GDPR, COBIT, and enterprise risk management.

Beyond his career in cybersecurity, Benjamin is also an experienced musician, bringing a creative perspective to his leadership and approach to problem-solving.

CIO at DKV & ERGO Belgium, leading digital, AI, cybersecurity and technology transformation. Passionate about turning strategy into business value through innovation, resilience and high-performing teams. Over 20 years of experience, including 15+ years leading 200+ FTEs across 4 continents. Proven track record in large-scale transformations, thriving in high-value, high-pressure settings. Results-driven committed to fostering innovation and driving teams to explore creative solutions.

Transformations don’t fail because the strategy was wrong. They fail because the organisation didn’t understand what was decided, or why. That conviction shapes how I lead. I’m the Global Chief Transformation & Technology Officer of Fracht Group, a Swiss-founded, family-owned international freight forwarder with €2B+ revenue, 2.960 people, and 150+ offices across 70+ countries. My mandate from our Group CEO is to define and drive Fracht’s digital future across all sister companies. Strategy, architecture, investment, and governed execution.

The model I’m building is simple to say and hard to do. One Platform, Autonomous Regions. Shared platforms and standards owned by Global IT. Local operational autonomy preserved. Every entity connected, none overruled. I lead teams that turn ambition into real outcomes. For me, technology is only valuable when it gives people clarity, makes their work meaningful, and helps the business make better decisions. I expect judgment, ownership, and honesty. In return, I give direction, trust, and room to grow.

I look for the same in partners and customers. Relationships built on clarity, commitment, and long-term value. Not transactions. I lead with clarity, build for the long term, and believe transformation takes time but progress is daily.

Amit Potnis is an accomplished technology executive and Chief Information Officer at Lutosa Foods, where he leads the organisation’s digital transformation agenda and leverages technology to drive business growth, productivity, and operational excellence. His focus spans AI and automation, infrastructure modernisation, enterprise applications, data and analytics, and manufacturing technology.

At Lutosa, Amit is driving initiatives to automate manufacturing processes, modernise infrastructure and networks, and strengthen the organisation’s use of data to support faster, more informed decision-making. His leadership also encompasses major transformation programmes across MES, LIMS, CRM and SAP S/4HANA, with a strong focus on improving operational efficiency, customer engagement, and user experience.

Amit is passionate about translating technology investment into measurable business value and building scalable digital capabilities that support Lutosa’s continued growth and transformation.

With over 31 years of leadership experience in complex IT environments, Christophe has a proven track record of leading strategic transformations and building high-performing, future-ready ICT organizations across international companies. 

He combines strategic vision with hands-on execution, helping organizations optimize operations, accelerate digital transformation, and leverage emerging technologies to achieve measurable business outcomes. As a trusted advisor to C-level executives, he aligns technology, people, and business strategy to deliver sustainable growth and operational excellence. 

Christophe is recognized for his collaborative leadership style, strong people management skills, and ability to translate strategy into tangible results. He currently serves as Chief Information Officer (CIO) at Melexis. 

Piet De Ceuleners is a visionary, people-centric IT leader and digital transformation executive with over 30 years of experience driving organizational growth, strategic change, and technological modernisations. He specializes in bridging the gap between high-level business strategy and pragmatic operational execution, with a strong focus on building high-performing, future-ready organizations.
Throughout his career, including executive roles at Melexis and Digipolis, and currently steering the post-merger IT integration and Target Operating Model as CIO a.i. at Aedifica, Piet has consistently focused on the human side of digital evolution. He has scaled and coached multidisciplinary global teams across software development, data, and infrastructure, evolving team structures to foster clear ownership, cross-functional collaboration, and continuous learning.

A strong advocate for value-driven technology, Piet has spearheaded major corporate AI, automation, and data initiatives. From establishing enterprise data analytics platforms on cloud architectures to deploying practical AI models for automated quality controls and smart factory programs, he emphasizes balancing cutting-edge technology with human judgment, clear data governance, and robust organizational accountability.
As a board member at BELTUG and CIONET advisor, Piet actively contributes to shaping the future of IT leadership in Belgium.

Joris Verdickt is Vice President, Secure Power & Datacenters for Belgium and the Netherlands at Schneider Electric, a role he has held since May 2026 . He leads the company’s efforts to help organizations build resilient, efficient, and sustainable digital infrastructure, supporting the growing demands of AI, cloud, and data center transformation.
With more than 20 years of experience in the IT and digital infrastructure sector, Joris has built a strong track record in executive leadership, business development, strategic marketing and partner ecosystem management. Since joining Schneider Electric in 2008, he has held several senior leadership positions across Belgium, Luxembourg and Europe, including Vice President of Marketing.
Throughout his career, Joris has worked closely with customers, partners and industry stakeholders to support the development of resilient, energy-efficient infrastructure that enables digital transformation at scale. His areas of expertise include secure power, data centers and enterprise end-user strategy, with an emphasis on collaboration, innovation and sustainable growth.

Driven by the Kaizen philosophy of continuous improvement, I believe that meaningful transformation is achieved through consistent progress—getting 1% better every day. Over the last 20 years, I have led enterprise-wide business, technology, and digital transformations across financial markets, banking, insurance, e-commerce, and B2B distribution in Europe and Asia.

My focus is on turning strategy into execution—aligning business objectives, operating models, technology platforms, data capabilities, and people to deliver measurable outcomes. I have built and led international organizations of up to 250+ professionals, managed multi-million euro transformation portfolios, and delivered large-scale modernization programs across complex and regulated environments.

Throughout my career, I have partnered with boards, CEOs, and executive teams to reshape business models, modernize technology foundations, improve customer experiences, and accelerate growth. My experience spans enterprise transformation, technology leadership, digital platforms, data & AI, enterprise architecture, and operating model design. I believe sustainable transformation is not about disruptive change alone, but about building the culture, capabilities, and discipline to improve continuously—one step, one decision, and 1% better every day.

Specialties: Team Leadership, Vision, Management Consulting, Finance Management, Program Management, Outsourcing, Relationship Management, Crisis Management, Transformation, Strategic Thinking, Problem Solving, Agile, Product Based Organization, Customer Focus

Cedric Plettinx is a forward-thinking IT executive focused on connecting technology strategy with business priorities across complex international environments. As Regional IT Director for BeNeLux, Germany & Nordics at Yusen Logistics, he is responsible for shaping and executing regional IT strategy, overseeing technology operations and projects, and ensuring the technology agenda supports business growth and operational efficiency.

With an innovative mindset and a passion for technology, Cedric has extensive experience leading diverse teams and driving transformation in pursuit of measurable value. His collaborative approach to leadership, combined with a strong focus on continuous learning and knowledge sharing, enables him to bring together people, technology, and business priorities to deliver meaningful and sustainable outcomes.

Wannes Rosiers is Head of IT & Development at Weareone.world, where he leads the evolution of the technology platforms behind one the world’s most iconic entertainment brands: Tomorrowland. Spanning customer-facing experiences and critical operational platforms, he works at the intersection of technology, product, and organizational scale.

He is passionate about turning complexity into simplicity, whether through technology architecture, or team design. His work focuses on building scalable platforms, establishing clear ownership, and enabling organizations to grow sustainably without sacrificing agility.

I have built my career on connecting strategic vision with deep technical execution, leading multidisciplinary teams to turn strategy into results. I see technology not as systems and code, but as an intelligent environment that reflects how an organisation really works. I’ve helped organisations move from fragmented technology setups to connected ecosystems. These form a digital backbone, enabling an AI-first operating model where insight, automation, and human expertise work together for better decision making and continuous improvement.

Whether guiding public institutions through digital transformation, steering global consultancies toward new value streams, or helping high-growth ventures scale, my focus stays the same: aligning technology and human experience with the organisation’s long-term mission, building capability, and making change stick. I co-founded AI Community Belgium and grew it to more than 5,000 members, organising over 100 events since 2014. I also led Deloitte Belgium’s Advanced Analytics Lab, shaping data strategies and delivering transformations.

With over 6 years of experience in leading information management, business intelligence, and analytics at Volvo Group Trucks Operations, I am passionate about delivering data-driven solutions that enhance operational efficiency and customer satisfaction. I have a proven track record of implementing and developing the process management methodology, and corresponding measurements, for the supply chain processes within the company, with the help of a cross-functional team of data analysts, data scientists, and data engineers.

As the Head of Information Management, I am responsible for maintaining the quality and safety of the company’s data, managing access to the information, and identifying the organization’s business needs to design and deploy technology solutions. I also develop and maintain an information management strategy, supported by business information architects and enterprise architects. My goal is to make the data and processes more tangible and relatable than drawings on a sheet of paper, and to empower the users to effectively fulfill their operational responsibilities.

Filip Maertens is Head of the Crisis Management Office & Operational Resilience Awareness at Euroclear, where he leads the organisation’s crisis management framework, executive exercises, and operational resilience awareness initiatives. Since joining Euroclear in 2004, he has led teams across operations, operational risk management, and resilience. Throughout his career, he has partnered with senior leaders and advised executive committees, boards, and regulators on managing operational risk and enhancing operational resilience. 

As Island’s EMEA CTO, I help organizations navigate the fast-growing Enterprise browser space, drawing on deep experience across security domains including Endpoint Security, EDR, DLP, Cloud Security, Threat Intelligence, and more. I’ve run numerous C-level roundtables, keynoted for Island, and taken part in many industry Gartner-style events. As cybersecurity evolves and hybrid work becomes the norm, I’m passionate about championing a modern, platform-driven approach that helps businesses adapt with confidence.

Jochen Raymaekers is a Principal Solution Architect at Ping Identity, and is helping business solving complex IAM issues in the Northern Europe territory. Over the past 10 years, Jochen has performed full IAM implementations, from developer to architect, security architecture reviews, security assessments, and penetration tests of different systems and devices.