Louis Jonckheere is taking over from Frans Muller as Chairman of Vlerick Business School
Rudy Provoost to be the new Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors
On 27 May 2025, the Board of Directors of Vlerick Business School decided to nominate Louis Jonckheere and Rudy Provoost as Vlerick Business School’s new Chairman and Vice-Chairman respectively. Louis Jonckheere will be replacing Frans Muller, who was appointed Chairman in July 2019. In turn, Rudy Provoost will take over from Louis Jonckheere, who has held the role of Vice-Chairman since May 2021. Both have been board members in the past.
The Board of Directors would like to thank Frans Muller for his dedication and positive impact on Vlerick. His passion for education and his expertise with the international food retail market and with digital transformation has enabled him to further internationalise Vlerick alongside the Dean, Marion Debruyne, and to launch several new programmes.
Frans Muller, CEO of Ahold Delhaize: “Since joining the Board in 2017 – and especially as its Chairman since 2019 – I have come to know Vlerick even better as a unique and forward-looking business school. My passion for education has been nourished here again and again, in everything from the strength of the MBA and executive programmes to the incisiveness of the academic research. It has been a pleasure to work with a strong, international Board of Directors who brought such rich insights to the job. I would also like to express my compliments to the management team and the faculty for their resilience in challenging times and the consistent implementation of a clear strategy. The students at this business school have chosen Vlerick as their springboard, as a place to grow and enter the world with ambition. They are here to challenge and innovate. That's great, because the world needs courageous leaders. I wish Louis Jonckheere – the Vice-Chairman, an alumnus and entrepreneur – every success in his new role. Vlerick is in good hands.”
Entrepreneur Louis Jonckheere is an alumnus of Vlerick Business School, where he obtained a Masters in General Management in 2009. Louis started his professional career at Netlog. He co-founded his first company, In the Pocket, in 2010, and he is still a member of its board. A year later, he founded Showpad with Pieterjan Bouten. He is currently the co-founder and CEO of the iconic Wintercircus in Ghent, a place where entrepreneurs and changemakers come together. Louis Jonckheere has been a member of the Board of Directors and General Council of Vlerick Business School since 2017, and Vice-Chairman since 2021. He will now become Chairman of both the Board of Directors and the General Council.
Louis Jonckheere, CEO of Wintercircus: “Vlerick has shaped me as an entrepreneur and leader. So it feels special now, as the Chairman, to be able to contribute to the mission that once helped me take my first steps: to prepare entrepreneurial leaders who make our economy stronger, more innovative and more international.”
Rudy Provoost is an alumnus of Vlerick Business School (PUB 1983). He is a versatile entrepreneur and director with more than 20 years of international experience in a range of sectors. He has also been the CEO of Philips Consumer Electronics, Philips Lighting and Rexel. At present, he is the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Jensen-Group and an independent director at Pollet Group. Through his own company YquitY, he is also a consultant in strategy, leadership and organisational development. He has been the Chairman of VOKA since the end of 2022. He has been a member of the Board of Directors of Vlerick Business School since September 2009 and Chairman of the Audit Committee since May 2020.
Rudy Provoost, Chairman of VOKA: “Vlerick Business School is one of the leaders of the field in Europe, and it has been a beacon of entrepreneurship and leadership for many years. More than ever, wealth creation depends on the strength of the business community, and its ability to stand out as well as its talent development are key. From that perspective, I am looking forward with enthusiasm to making a contribution as the new Vice-Chairman, building a future with the rest of the team.”
Marion Debruyne, Dean of Vlerick Business School: “I am very grateful to Frans for his commitment to the school and his constant availability for input and advice. I am looking forward to keeping up the good work with Louis Jonckheere and Rudy Provoost, two alumni who care deeply about the school and who are committed to further developing Vlerick as a leader in Europe and a home of entrepreneurial leaders.”