Board of Directors

The main tasks of the Board of Directors are to determine the Group’s strategy and general policy, and to monitor Bekaert’s operations. The Board of Directors is the company’s prime decision-making body with the exception of matters reserved by law or by the articles of association to the General Meeting of Shareholders. The Board of Directors currently consists of thirteen members. Their professional profiles cover different areas of expertise, such as law, business, industrial operations, finance & investment banking, HR and consultancy.

Back row, from left: Caroline Storme, Christophe Jacobs van Merlen, Celia Baxter, Henri Jean Velge, Pamela Knapp, Emilie van de Walle de Ghelcke, Colin Smith
Front row, from left: Gregory Dalle, Charles de Liedekerke, Matthew Taylor, Jürgen Tinggren, Hubert Jacobs van Merlen, Mei Ye

Composition of the Board of Directors

• Jürgen Tinggren, Chairman ⁽¹⁾
• Matthew Taylor, CEO
• Celia Baxter ⁽¹⁾
• Gregory Dalle
• Charles de Liedekerke
• Christophe Jacobs van Merlen 
• Hubert Jacobs van Merlen
• Pamela Knapp ⁽¹⁾
• Colin Smith ⁽¹⁾
• Caroline Storme
• Emilie van de Walle de Ghelcke 
• Henri Jean Velge 
• Mei Ye ⁽¹⁾

^{(1) Independent Directors}

The biographies of all members of the Board of Directors are available on the Bekaert website. 

Changes during 2019

On 8 May 2019, the Annual Meeting of Shareholders approved the nominations of Jürgen Tinggren as Chairman and independent Director and Caroline Storme as Director. 

Bert De Graeve, Leon Bekaert and Maxime Jadot did not seek re-appointment. Bert De Graeve was appointed Honorary Chairman by the General Meeting after serving Bekaert for 17 years as Chief Financial and Administration Officer, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman. Leon Bekaert and Maxime Jadot, both having served 25 years on the Board, received the title of Honorary Director. Martina Merz resigned as Director. 

Gregory Dalle, Charles de Liedekerke and Hubert Jacobs van Merlen were re-elected as Director. 

As a result of these changes, the number of Directors decreased from fifteen to thirteen.

The composition of the Board of Directors will change in 2020

Matthew Taylor has, for personal reasons, decided to retire from his position as CEO and director of Bekaert, and will vacate these positions with effect as of 12 May 2020. The Board of Directors will conduct a comprehensive search process, involving both internal and external candidates, to identify the best candidate to serve as Bekaert’s new permanent CEO. In the meantime, as of 12 May 2020, Oswald Schmid, Chief Operations Officer of Bekaert, will act as the interim CEO. As such, the Board of Directors will propose his appointment as member of the Board of Directors for approval by the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders of 13 May 2020. 

The Board of Directors of NV Bekaert SA has further announced, on 12 March 2020, the proposed appointment of two Directors of the Board.

• the proposed appointment of Henrietta Fenger Ellekrog as an independent member of the Board of Directors for a term of one year. Her appointment as an independent member of the Board of Directors is subject to approval by the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders of 13 May 2020 and will, upon approval, take effect at the close of the Meeting.
• the proposed appointment of Eriikka Söderström as an independent member of the Board of Directors for a term of one year.  Her appointment, too, is subject to approval by the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders of 13 May 2020.

The term of office of the directors Celia Baxter, Christophe Jacobs van Merlen, Pamela Knapp, Emilie van de Walle de Ghelcke and Henri Jean Velge will expire at the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders of 13 May 2020.  The independent directors Celia Baxter and Pamela Knapp do not seek re-appointment.  Christophe Jacobs van Merlen, Emilie van de Walle de Ghelcke and Henri Jean Velge do seek re-appointment.

The Board of Directors is grateful to Celia Baxter and Pamela Knapp for their substantial contributions as directors during the past years.