Karel Baert, who has been CEO of Febelfin since April 2020, will leave the sector federation as he has reached the statutory retirement age. To ensure continuity within the federation, he will remain with Febelfin until the end of December following the official handover on 1 November, supporting his successor with the strategic transfer of ongoing matters.

Ruben Lecok combines a strong background in economics and public policy with extensive experience in managing complex transformation and strategic projects. He holds a Master’s degree in Economics and a Master’s degree in Political Science from KU Leuven. He is currently a Partner at Boston Consulting Group (BCG). Previously, he served, among other roles, as Chief of Staff to Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, held various positions within the federal and Flemish governments, and worked as an economist at the National Bank of Belgium.

The Board of Directors is confident that Ruben Lecok has the right experience, vision and ability to bring people together to take over the leadership of Febelfin.

Michael Anseeuw, President of Febelfin, comments on the decision:

"On behalf of Febelfin’s Board of Directors, I would like to sincerely thank Karel Baert for his commitment and leadership over the past years. Under his leadership, Febelfin has continued to develop into a modern federation that plays a constructive role in the public debate and in supporting its members.

At the same time, I am delighted to welcome Ruben Lecok as our new CEO. Ruben combines strategic insight with in-depth knowledge of policy and economics, as well as a strong ability to build bridges between different stakeholders. This is particularly valuable at a time when the Belgian financial sector faces major challenges, but also unique opportunities to help shape the future of our country. Together, we want to build a strong and future-oriented financial sector that contributes to Belgium’s prosperity. I am convinced that Ruben is the right person to lead Febelfin through this next phase."

Ruben Lecok comments on his appointment:

"I am honoured by the confidence placed in me by the Board of Directors and look forward to joining Febelfin soon. The financial sector plays an essential role for households, businesses and society as a whole. It supports investment, innovation, entrepreneurship and the sustainable transition of our economy. I want to build on the strong work carried out over the past years and look forward to tackling the challenges of today and tomorrow together, while further strengthening the position of the Belgian financial sector."

Karel Baert, CEO of Febelfin:

"These have undoubtedly been particularly intense, but also incredibly rewarding years. From joining Febelfin during the COVID-19 crisis, through the economic and geopolitical challenges, to our joint fight against online fraud, time and again I have seen just how strong our sector can be when we work together. I am grateful for the excellent cooperation with our members, the public authorities and the talented Febelfin team. I hand over Febelfin to Ruben Lecok with confidence and wish him every success in this exciting next phase. I am convinced that he is exceptionally well placed to build on the strong foundations that have been laid over the past years together with our members, employees and stakeholders."