CURRICULUM VITAE
Kris Poté
GENERAL INFORMATION
- Born 13.04.1962 in Gent. Residence: J. Jacminstraat 182–184, 1500 Halle, Belgium; tel. +32 (0)2/361 08 81 or +32 (0)497/05 36 96. E-mail: kris.pote@capgemini.com or potekris@outlook.com
- Married since 1986 to Dr Veerle Vergauwen (general practitioner and physician authorised to practice at the AZ Sint-Maria Hospital in Halle). Father of Dieuwertje (°1989), Alwientje (°1990), Jelto (°1993), and Rigo (°2000).
EDUCATION AND TRAINING
- Latin–Greek humanities (OLV College, Halle)
- Intensive and experienced professional and home user of IT since 1984 (Microsoft, Apple, Salesforce, SAP, etc.). Experience with dial-up links (Lync, Google, Skype), remote working (VPN), social media, apps, and the like.
- Holder of four university degrees: Licentiate in Roman Philology (currently ‘Master of Letters and Philosophy’); Licentiate in Public Management and Management Science (currently ‘Master in Public Management’); Baccalaureate in Thomistic Philosophy; qualified as teacher for non-university education (all degrees awarded by KU Leuven). Useful extracurricular experience during university career: free-lance contributor to the Gazet Van Antwerpen, Het Volk and De Standaard; employee of the BRTN (now VRT) under the terms of a framework contract; free-lance presenter and programme maker at Radio Victoria (local broadcaster in Halle).
- Highly fluent in written and oral Dutch, French, and English. Strong grasp of the rudiments of German and Spanish.
- Various management courses and management training programmes: Holden, CBE, Huthwaite, Powerbase Selling, Stichting Marketing, Gartner, IDC, UBA, C², Pierre Audoin Consultants, leadership development, boardroom presence, etc.
PROFESSIONAL CAREER
- Military service as a military journalist for Vox, the weekly publication of the Belgian armed forces (1985-86). Useful experience and results: learning the craft of journalism; developing a network of contacts in the Belgian armed forces; author of approximately 120 articles on various subjects published in Vox.
- Administrative Director of the Koninklijke Belgische Atletiekbond/ Ligue Royale belge d’Athlétisme (KBAB/LRBA) (1986), responsible for meeting and event organising, accountancy, external relations and serving as general secretary for the KBAB/LRBA Board.
- Attaché in the office of Theo Kelchtermans, the Flemish minister responsible for education and training (1986–1987). Useful experience and results: development of a network of contacts with public officials and politicians with responsibility for extra-curricular educational programmes (such as culture and sports at school); organiser of events and conferences; author of the book Cultuur op School (published by ACCO).
- Chief of Press in the office of Hugo Weckx, the Flemish minister responsible for public health and Brussels affairs (1987–1990). Useful experience and results: development of the Belgian and Flemish press network; further development of a network of contacts among politicians and pubic officials; ghost writer for ministerial speeches; stand-in for the minister and principal private secretary for protocol purposes; general press policy; spokesman; generating and defending press releases; crisis communication ; relationships with the Inspector of Finances, Parliament and the Treasury; broad experience as a communications advisor; organising a wide variety of activities.
- General Director of the CJP – Cultureel Jeugd Paspoort (‘Cultural Youth Passport’) (1990–1993). Useful experience and results: redevelopment of the CJP with a 35% annual increase in turnover; personnel recruitment and HR for a team of 10 people; financial policy of a ‘culture SME’; conducting top-level negotiations with companies (sponsors and suppliers) and the government; devising and implementing a targeted marketing policy to boost CJP sales to persons younger than 26; development of a European network of youth cards; tuning the CJP commercial policy; conceiving and detailing events (‘Plamuur’ culture day, CJP pop promenade, etc.); chief editor of the CJP magazine Snippers.
- Marketing Communications Manager at EDS Belgium (1993–1995). Useful experience and results: developing the MarCom policy of EDS Belgium ‘from scratch’; developing customer events (such as a golf tournament, seminars, high-class receptions, etc.); generating and following up on commercial leads; intense contact with the economic and IT press; developing concepts such as B2B marketing and one-to-one marketing for EDS.
- Member of the Executive Committee of EDS BeLux, responsible for marketing and communications in Belgium and Luxembourg and employer representative in the works council of EDS Belgium NV (1995–1999). Useful experience and results: responsible for all activities related to marketing, external and internal communications and PR for EDS in Belgium and Luxembourg; publisher of the staff magazine EDSetera; spokesman; implementation of the value-based marketing methodology; generating, following up and final negotiation of commercial deals; employer representative of EDS in the works council; managing various bid teams; managing takeover and merger talks with other companies; responsible for job market communications (‘Vacature Award’ for the best personnel recruitment and personnel advertisements in 1997–98); fulfilling a policy role with joint responsibility for rapid, controlled growth of EDS in Belgium (turnover of BEF 2.8 billion in 1994 with 400 employees, turnover of more than BEF 6 billion in 1999 with 1200 employees).
- See above, with the addition of: member of the ‘global marketing communications team EDS EMEA & EDS Corporate’ (since 1995) and Director of Marketing & Communication BeNeLux (since 1996). Useful experience and results: expanding the scope of responsibility to the Netherlands with the development of a team in the Netherlands (based in Utrecht); broad international IT marketing experience; project development for marketing and communications in (among others) the United States, Sweden, Austria, Spain, the United Kingdom and the Benelux; creation of international brand awareness; responsible for a team of ten highly trained employees; extensive contacts in the international IT world.
- Administrator-Director at Ernst & Young Consulting (as from 1.12.1999), with the following responsibilities: all marketing, communications and sales processes. Useful experience and results: developing, maintaining and measuring the customer portfolio; integration with partner companies; devising marketing and start-up programs for customers in connection with e-commerce and e‑government; web marketing; directing a European marketing team; developing marketing & sales planning; improving culture & growth programs and internal communication; directly available for working with customers in connection with marketing & sales consulting; general management of E&Y Consulting. Reporting line: directly to the managing partner. Legal form: Kris Poté BVBA management partnership.
- Vice-President and member of the Executive Board at (successively) Cap Gemini Ernst & Young Belgium/Luxembourg (as from 23.5.2000) and Capgemini Belgium/Luxembourg (as from 23.5.2004), with the following responsibilities: all communication and marketing activities (with an offshore team in India), brand management, CSR, business development (sales processes and ABM) and sales support, direct marketing, alliances and business partners, change management, internal communications, knowledge management, relations with the government, ‘thought leader’ for e‑government and strategic policy, e-marketing, executive trainer in media relations and in communication, in the lead for the “Employee Stock Ownership Plan” (capital raises at Capgemini Belgium), and pioneer in offshore marketing (Marketing & Communications Outsourcing Services in India – Mumbai, Bangalore, Kolkata). Supervisor responsibility for the Communication & PR Department of Capgemini Nederland (2004-2006). Member of the Capgemini Global Marketing and Communications Network. Also active throughout Europe in direct customer mandates as a strategic consultant and change manager, including Eureka, the European Parliament, Inbev, the Ministry of the Flemish Community, Unilever, Alcatel, Alken Maes, Yamanouchi, FOD Social Affairs Belgium, etc. Since 2009 CSR officer, with responsibilities in the field of mobility, for the ISO 14001 standard, and the Roularta/Capgemini “Bedrijfsliteratuurprijs”. To learn more about Capgemini, surf to www.capgemini.com or www.be.capgemini.com.
PUBLICATIONS
- Author of various articles, blogs and open forums in De Standaard, De Morgen, De Tijd, Trends, Tendances, Computable, L’Echo, DataNews, Smart Business, and other ICT and management periodicals (always involving topics related to marketing, communications, ICT and the like). Also the free-lance author of the ‘Manager aan Dis’ column at www.topchef.be, which deals with culinary topics (until 2009).
- Author a(with Didier Borremans) of De Glimworm, licht op doeltreffende communicatie, published in 2003 by ACCO, ISBN 90 334 5292 8. Author of E‑Gov in Belgium : verzamelde opinies rond e‑government, © Cap Gemini Ernst & Young, 2003. Author of Cultuur op school, published by ACCO in 1989, ISBN 90 334 1922 X. Publisher of Kievit, een omwenteling op een IT afdeling in 365 dagen, 2006, ISBN 90 810365. Chief editor of Praktijkgids Sportmanagement (published by Kluwer) from 1992 to 1995, and author of articles about sports marketing, sports sponsoring, and other topics. Blogger of “The Blog Parade 2013”, an E-book on consulting and technology and “(b)Logboek ‘17”, an E-book on business issues.
- Published five poetry collections under the pseudonym Pieter Delen: De Dageraad Achterna (1993), De Zingende Republiek (1996), Code Onbekend (1998), In De Herbergen (2007), and Gelegenheden (2012).
EXTRA-PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
- Former Managing Director (from 2001 to January 2005) of the general partnership VOF Poté & Partners, management of Sportcafé De Bres in Halle and other hospitality industry enterprises. Thorough knowledge of hospitality industry activities and partners.
- Member of the Board of Directors of the semi-governmental body BLOSO (from 1991 to 1999); member of the board of directors of the Gewestelijke Huisvestingsmaatschappij Zennevallei (from 1995 to 2001).
- Founding Chairman of the Flemish Sports Federation (VSF) from 1989 up to and including 1992; board member and treasurer of the Flemish Athletics League (1989–1992), and successively Member of the Executive Committee of the Royal Belgian Athletics Union (1986–1992).
- Co-president of C², the Belgian association of communications professionals (2016- ?), see also www.csquare.be
PUBLIC OFFICES
- Member of the Municipal Council of Halle (from 1989 to 2001). From 1994 to 1998, party leader / member of the Municipal Council of Halle and CD&V Chairman; now honorary president of CD&V Halle. Useful experience and results: negotiating; participating in pubic debates; electoral toughness; conciliation of differing positions; deep knowledge of public management and public finance; knowledge of ordinary and extraordinary budgeting techniques; administrative simplification; advising members of parliament and the national chairmen regarding communications; e-government; many contacts with high-level government organisations and consulting agencies.
SPORTING ACHIEVEMENTS
- Former Belgian champion in 200m and 4 x 200m (1980 & 1982); also former university champion in 100m, 200m and relay. Still active in sports (mainly endurance running). Former playing member and team captain of SK Halle youth provincial categories and second team (football); former player of ZVT Pallas Halle (KBVB FUTSAL indoor football)
NETWORKING
- Member our board member of various associations – member of Stichting Marketing; honorary chairman of the Stichting Zaalvoetbal Halle VZW; member of De Warande, active member in Agoria ICT as member of the Agoria ICT Advisory Board ; president of the board of the Belgian Public relations Center (3C) ; co-president of C², honorary president of CD&V Halle ; and member of UBA.
- Regular speaker (formal and informal) at seminars and conferences: I.I.R.; guest lecturer at Boston University (MBA); Vacture; guest lecturer at EHSAL (licentiate in applied economic science); Chamber of Commerce; VOKA Brussels, Halle and Vilvoorde; Instituut voor Permanente Vorming van de Middenstand; company celebrations; Rotary Club and other service clubs; company visits and seminars; VMA; 1997 General VEV Congress on innovative business practices; political and other conventions; Nolan Norton Institute (Amsterdam); guest lecturer at VLEKHO (Master of Applied Informatics); poetry events – with the following areas of responsibility: information technology, finance, economics, marketing, communication, business management, public administration, sports, and literature.
- Personal network: an extensive network of contacts with decision makers throughout Flanders, Belgium and Europe, especially in the business world (further information on request) and the political world. Find his profile on Linked In, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
- Other interests: Internet and socialmedia, business management, family, politics, sports, literature, general knowledge, history, and gastronomy (amateur and home chef).
QUOTE AND MOTTO
- Quote from a Berenschot assessment report on 26.05.1998: ‘Academically schooled personality, with skills at senior management level and an extensive personal business network. Capable of leading, team player, good problem solving skills, stress resistant and capable of functioning well in a continually changing environment.’
- Motto: ‘Nulla via tenaci invia est’
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Kris Poté, Vice President, Capgemini Belgium NV/SA, Bessenveldstraat 19, 1831 Diegem, Belgium.
- E-mail: kris.pote@capgemini.com or potekris@outlook.com
- Mobile: +32 497 05 36 96
- Phone & fax: +32 2 708 10 27 and contact Liesbeth Timmermans, executive assistant
- Additional information on Capgemini: www.capgemini.com or www.be.capgemini.com