VITO accelerates CEO transition

Mol, 24th May 2023 - The Board of Directors of VITO and its CEO, Dirk Fransaer, have mutually agreed to terminate their collaboration today, with immediate effect, instead of the originally planned date of 31st August. At the request of the Board of Directors, the new CEO, Inge Neven, will immediately assume Dirk’s responsibilities, including the discussions regarding a new management agreement. VITO would like to sincerely thank Dirk Fransaer for his contribution as CEO over the past 22 years.

On 17th February, VITO announced that Inge Neven will become the new CEO of the organisation from 1st September 2023. In the meantime, she had the opportunity as an external collaborator to get acquainted with several teams and various important projects that VITO is working on.

VITO is currently in a crucial period, as negotiations are underway for the new management agreement with the Flemish Government. This agreement will largely determine the direction VITO will take in the coming years. Given the importance of this agreement, both parties believe it is better for the new CEO to assume responsibility for these discussions as soon as possible, as she will also be responsible for their implementation in the years to come.

VITO sincerely thanks Dirk Fransaer for his exceptional commitment and the contribution he has made during his 22 years of leading the institution. "Dirk has been a crucial figure for VITO. Thanks to him, VITO has significantly strengthened, and our research organisation has been able to fulfill its economic and societal role to the fullest," says Ingrid Vanden Berghe, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of VITO. "We sincerely thank Dirk for his motivation and strong commitment. Thanks to his contribution VITO has successfully completed numerous projects and established such strong partnerships. We wish Dirk all the best in his future projects."