

Vlerick HR Day 2025
HR practitioners meet HR academy
The Vlerick HR Day is returning for its 20th edition! Get on top of the newest HR trends and grow your network. And... we have over 50+ academic speakers and practitioners lined up to share their insights and experiences with you.
We look forward to welcoming you to our Ghent Campus on Wednesday, 11 June 2025!

Want to get a flavour for the Vlerick HR Day? Watch the video to get a feel for the energy, atmosphere and connection you’ll experience at this must-attend event. Join us for expert insights, networking, new approaches – and fun. You’ll leave energised, and ready to make an even greater impact in your organisation.
Keynote speakers

Prof Dr Koen Dewettinck
Vlerick Business School
The People & Culture Movement of HR

Prof Dr Frederik Anseel
Dean UNSW Sydney Business School
Super-Diversity and Global Talent: Lessons from Down Under
Professor Frederik Anseel explores the Anglosphere approach to diversity and inclusion, sharing what has worked, what hasn’t, and what organisations can learn from Australia’s experience with super-diversity.

Prof Dr Karolien Notebaert
Science & Leadership Academy & Goethe Business School
Hack Your Brain! HR Strategies to Support Lasting Performance
How can we support healthy performance? Professor Karolien Notebaert shares practical tips and strategies rooted in neuroscience to help individuals and organisations thrive!

Lucas De Man
CEO Company New Heroes and Biobased Creations
The Accountability Revolution: Overthrowing Sustainability's Reign
The world is on fire! As the tension between People, Planet, Profit unfolds, how can we equip ourselves with the skills to navigate this transformation? Lucas De Man explores how HR can create space for new ways of thinking and drive change.
Detailed programme
9.30 AM
Registration & welcome coffee
10.10 AM
10.40 AM
11.30 AM
12.00 PM
1.30 PM
Lunch & networking
3.00 PM
3.45 PM
Coffee break
5.15 PM
Reception & networking
Lunch & Learn
Optional: participate in a sponsored lunch & learn session!
Session 1 (Attentia): It takes two to tango: No HR without well-being!
Ella Haemers & Hannelore Blondia
Description:
Your HR team expertly handles everything—from recruitment to payroll. But how do you prevent absenteeism from disrupting your organisation? Careers are getting longer, and pressure is rising. Resilience is key. So, which preventive actions work? And how can HR focus on what really matters?
Session 2 (Loyens & Loeff): Arizona and Employment Law – 10 key take aways
Kris De Schutter
Description
The new government has announced significant changes to workplace flexibility, working hours, salary components, and career development as a whole. We will delve into the details of these new measures and opportunities. Additionally, we will explain how unchanged principles, when combined with other elements, could lead to further opportunities.
Session 3 (Indeed): The power of skills-based recruitment
Alvera Lubbers
Description
Are you missing out on exceptional candidates by focusing solely on diplomas? There's a wealth of talent out there that can meet your organisation's needs perfectly. Skills-based recruitment allows you to discover matches you might have overlooked. These unexpectedly strong candidates can be the key to solving the tight labour market, not through CVs and diplomas, but by recognising real skills.
How can you make this shift? What defines a 'suitable candidate'? And what can skills-based recruitment truly deliver to your organisation?
In this session, you will learn:
- Why traditional recruitment methods fall short
- The barriers to implementing skills-based recruitment
- How skills-based recruitment can help you attract the right candidates and enhance your employer brand
Session 4 (Oracle): Keep pace with innovation: discover how AI Agents transform HR service delivery
Peter Hoedemans and Lennaert Dorlas
Description
AI has been part of HR for over a decade. But now, a new wave is here. AI Agents, working alongside Generative AI, are transforming how HR teams deliver services. Yet many HR professionals are still unaware of the impact these smart tools can have on their service models, employee experience, and even their organisation’s bottom line.
Since GenAI hit the spotlight, platforms like ChatGPT have wowed us with their potential. We've seen HR departments rapidly adopt these tools to streamline tasks and unlock new opportunities.
Now, AI Agents are entering the scene, bringing a powerful combination of technologies that take meaningful automation to the next level. These Agents are ready to go and can have an immediate and significant impact.
In this session, you’ll explore:
- What AI Agents are—and how they differ from GenAI
- How they enhance the HR service delivery model
- Real opportunities for implementation
- Key dos and don’ts to get the most value
Session 5 (o2o): Mobility budget: the key to sustainable mobility?
Caroline Van Even
Description
Mobility is a hot topic in 2025. With the government set to expand the mobility budget to all employees, it raises important questions. Is this the right incentive for employees? And does it really support sustainable mobility?
Join us to explore how the mobility budget works — and discover what you can do as an HR manager to make the most of it.

Interested in representing your organisation on this conference? Discover more about our sponsor opportunities for this Vlerick HR Day or contact sien.garre@vlerick.com.
Speakers

Prof Dr Tatiana Andreeva
Maynooth University

Prof Dr Xavier Baeten
Vlerick Business School

Johanna Bernhardt
Talent Lead PepsiCo

Filip Blommaert
‘Chef Blom’ Ex-Special Forces Operator

Dries Boodts
Director Belgian Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre

Bert Brugghemans
Chief Fire Officer Brandweer Zone Antwerpen

Prof Dr Dirk Buyens
Vlerick Business School

Katrijn Clement
VP HR Unilin

Kathleen Criel
HR Director GSK

Prof Dr Bart De Langhe
Vlerick Business School

Prof Dr Katleen De Stobbeleir
Vlerick Business School

Prof Dr Ans De Vos
Antwerp Management School

Liese De Wit
HR Country Lead BNL & CH Veepee

Bram Dehaene
P&O Country Head Siemens

Christophe Demaerel
Chief People & Communications Officer Tractebel – Engie

Els Den Haerynck
HR Manager Comp&Ben Sweco
Dr Tania Desmet
Medical head of Emergency Medicine UZ Gent

Prof Dr Koen Dewettinck
Vlerick Business School

Karen Donders
Algemeen Directeur Publieke Opdracht, Talent & Organisatie VRT

Dr Lonneke Frie
Senior Researcher THUAS | Nyenrode Business University

Sandra Goettsch
Directeur HR People PostNL

Jan Heyvaert
Chief Human Resources and Sustainability Officer AG Insurance
Elly Huysmans
Co-CEO Glowi

Marc Josephus Jitta
CEO Alken-Maes

Virginie Kaye
HR Country Lead Hewlett Packard Enterprise Belgium

Myra Latuheru
CHRO Indaver

Jean-Paul Lucassen
Lead People Analytics Royal Schiphol Group

Maite Mendizabal
Lead Skill Academy Deutsche Telekom

David Muylaert
Global Head of People Experience – Production Volvo Cars

Steve Muylle
Vlerick Business School

Lorin Parys
CEO Pro League

Prof Dr Carine Peeters
Vlerick Business School

Prof Dr Neveen Saied
Vlerick Business School

Wietske Sijbrandij
People Business Partner PepsiCo

Jan Van Acoleyen
Human Capital Lead Proximus Group

Muriel Van Antwerpen
CHRO ISS Facility Services

Illya Van den Borre
Senior VP HR & Corporate Affairs Delhaize

Wendy Van Dijck
HR Director BeFraLux G4S

Erika Van Tielen
Moderator

Eline Vandenbroeck
HR Talent Manager Sweco

Véronique Vansteelandt
CHRO Luminus

Dorien Veraart
HR Manager Comp&Ben Elia Group

Prof Dr Paul Verhaeghe
Emeritus Ghent University

Judith Weerts
VP Talent, Leadership & Culture KPN

Philippe Witpas
COO skeyes

James Zackheim
Head of Corporate Strategy UCB



