08:30

Registration

09:00
09:30

Opening
Hanne Decoutere

09:30
09:45

Welcome
Philip Peeters, Wannes Gheysen

09:45
10:35

Keynote - Helle Bank Jorgensen
Governing in a world that no longer waits for the board (ENG)

The external environment has changed faster than boardroom practices. Crises unfold in real time. Regulation accelerates. Reputational damage spreads instantly. Yet many boards of directors are still structured, informed, and paced for a slower, more predictable world.
In this keynote, Helle Bank Jørgensen explores what is required today for boards to remain effective in a context where uncertainty, complexity, and pressure are no longer exceptional, but constant

10:40
11:20

Parallel sessions 
 

• So you have a gender-balanced board, now what? (ENG)

As more and more boards achieve gender balance, new questions arise about what truly changes around the table. This keynote explores persistent myths about women on boards and what they reveal about boardroom dynamics, influence, and decision-making. It offers board members a practical perspective on how gender balance can strengthen governance—beyond the numbers alone.
Keynote by Esha Mendiratta (Professor of International Business, Vlerick Business School). This will be followed by a conversation moderated by Marie Bellefroid (CEO of Women on Board) with Caroline Storme (CFO of UCB and Board Member of Bekaert) and Philip Maeyaert (Board Member of Federale Verzekering, Beobank, TINC, and FinFactor)

• Steward-ownership as the ultimate guarantee for long-term thinking in companies? by Peter Depauw (NL)

How do we build a future-oriented economy with companies that are independent and mission-driven? Steward-ownership can offer powerful safeguards to ensure that companies prioritize their long-term objectives over short-term profits—especially at pivotal moments. From Patagonia, The Guardian, and Ecosia to Signal and De Efteling. From mission-driven enterprises to Family Business 2.0. So what if we were to fundamentally rethink ownership? Are you ready for this paradigm shift?

• CEO and Chair: valuable partnership or unbalanced power dynamic? by MU

Who really holds the reins? The dual role of CEO-board member is inherently ambiguous. A conversation about trust, information asymmetry, closed sessions, ego, and role awareness. How can you get the very best out of your board?

11:20
11:40

Coffee break

11:40
12:30

Keynote  - Prof. Dr. Jeroen Neckebrouck 
The plan is always wrong: rethinking board decision-making in a fast-changing world (NL)

In an uncertain world, there is an uncomfortable truth: reality always deviates from the plan. Not sometimes. Not occasionally. Always. Plans are built on assumptions about a world that refuses to stand still.
This keynote is not about how boards can draft better strategic plans. It is about how boards can add value and improve decision-making when reality diverges from expectations. Drawing on practical examples and his expertise in entrepreneurship and governance, Jeroen presents a model that demonstrates how boards can create value and make better decisions under such circumstances.
The question for boards today is not whether plans will hold, but how they respond when they do not

12:30
13:00

Chairperson’s debate
Which issues will dominate the board agenda in 2026?

Boards of directors are currently navigating significant uncertainty while striving to make sustainable decisions. During this panel discussion with several chairs, we will explore their perspectives on good governance in the 21st century.

Bart De Smet (Chairman of Ageas) will engage in conversation with Ludwig Criel (Chairman of DPG Media), Kathleen Schurmans (Chair of ASAP HR), and Erik Moniquet (Chairman of Bewel).
 

13:00
14:00

Lunch & networking

14:00
14:15

Entertainment break

14:15
14:55

Keynote - Erika Eliasson-Norris
Governance with grit: why bold boards begin with better questions (ENG)

In an era of unprecedented complexity, the highest-performing boards will not be those with all the answers, but those courageous enough to ask the questions others avoid. This keynote challenges the governance community to move beyond defensive compliance and evolve toward bold, future-focused stewardship.
Drawing on decades of boardroom experience, Erika Eliasson-Norris explores what it truly means to govern with conviction: making decisions under uncertainty, embracing constructive tension, and building the collective wisdom that transforms good boards into exceptional ones

15:00
15:40

Parallel sessions
 

• ‘The changing role of a corporate secretary’ (panel discussion)

In this panel discussion, Vincent Pacheco (Diligent), Erika Eliasson-Norris (Beyond Governance), Virginie Lietaer (Etex), and Ann De Jaeger (Hyloris Pharmaceuticals) will reflect on the evolving role of the corporate secretary. They will discuss how increasing regulation, digitalization, and rising expectations around governance are transforming the function into a strategic sparring partner to the board of directors.
The panel will share practical insights on balancing compliance and value creation, as well as on the corporate secretary’s contribution to effective and forward-looking governance

• The boardroom as a driver of resilience (panel discussion)

A debate on organizational resilience featuring Herman Daems (Chair of ECGI and author of Secrets from the Boardroom), Koen Hoffman (investor and chair of several boards of directors), Liesbeth Haspeslagh (family board member at Ardo, a company committed to the regenerative economy), and Wannes Gheysen (Partner at Moore Belgium). Moderated by Pascal Paepen.

• “Narcissism, power and governance: when leadership becomes a risk” by Tine Buyl

Narcissism at the top is a hot topic. Some even argue that a touch of narcissism is essential for strong leadership. But is that really the case? In this keynote, Tine Buyl takes the audience beyond myths and opinions, diving into the scientific evidence on narcissism in leadership. Drawing on her own research, she demonstrates how narcissism at the top influences strategic choices and organizational performance—both in the short and the long term. She also highlights the crucial role of the board of directors: what tools does the board have at its disposal when corrective action becomes necessary?

15:40
16:00

Coffee break

16:00
16:40

Parallel sessions
 

• How Audit Committees and Internal Audit Drive Better Results (NL)

(Internal) audit is often perceived as the police checking compliance with rules, but nothing could be further from the truth. Modern boards of directors need strategic partners who provide them with relevant insights and information. They frequently struggle with blind spots—precisely the kind that (internal) auditors are well positioned to identify and address.
This session aims to demonstrate that (internal) audit not only contributes to sound decision-making but is a crucial partner for high-performing boards. A collaboration between IIA Belgium and Moore. Cédric Hamaekers will engage in conversation with Sofie Pollet.

• Scenario planning for non-executives

In our rapidly changing and uncertain world, traditional tools such as forecasting are no longer sufficient to guide strategy and decision-making. Today’s forecast is often outdated tomorrow. Foresight—and scenario planning in particular—offers an alternative. Jeroen Toet explains what scenario planning is (and is not), how it works, and above all how it can be used to make future-proof decisions and develop a shared language about the future within your company. Not just theory, but above all practical examples.

• Ownership as a strategic lever in family businesses

Due to the dominant ownership of a business family, family companies differ from other enterprises. In terms of governance, tensions may arise: what are the respective roles and powers of the board of directors and the owners? Traditional governance concepts do not always provide clear answers to these questions.
In this session, Jozef Lievens, together with Herman Van de Velde, explores how the business family and the board of directors can collaborate optimally within a family business.​​​

16:45
17:30

Closing keynote
Patrick De Maeseneire shares a practice-oriented reflection based on his experience as Chairman of the Barry Callebaut Group and CEO of Colosseum Dental Group. He addresses what truly matters in today’s boardroom: courageous decision-making in an uncertain world, the evolving role of the board of directors, and how innovation, technology, and global challenges such as environmental issues and geopolitics are tackled strategically.

17:30
17:45

Closing remarks
Bart De Smet, Chairman of Commissie Corporate Governance

17:45

Drinks reception with DJ