Programme - keynotes

Sofie Bracke is a Flemish liberal politician and alderman for Economy, Trade, Port and Sport of the city of Ghent. She obtained a master's degree in political science at Ghent University, which she supplemented with a master's degree in European Studies at the University of Louvain-La-Neuve.

In 2009, after the resignation of Sas Van Rouveroij, she was put forward as his successor in the Ghent College of Mayor and Aldermen and was given the competences Innovation and Work. From January 2013 to December 2018 she was alderman for Civil Affairs and Protocol and in 2019, she was sworn in as alderman for Economy, Trade, Port and Sport.

Rob Fabry is VITO's financial director. Rob started his career with Ford Motor Company, where he held various positions in their Product Development and Design Center in Dearborn. Responsible for the design-to-target strategy, he incorporated the financial targets as an attribute in the early design of vehicles and engines, to ensure that both cost and performance targets were met. His main responsibilities were the Mondeo and Fiesta vehicle lines, and emission programmes for next generations of cleaner diesel engines. Additionally, he held the position of Business Operations Manager in the aftermarket business in Germany and Finance Manager of the national sales company of Sweden.

After an international career of more than 16 years, he returned to Belgium to continue a career in Finance. Firstly, as Global Controller with Federal Mogul Corporation, a company in the automotive aftermarket business, where he supported the transition of the European HQ from Geneva to Antwerp and the expansion of sales to emerging markets.  After a switch to the chemical industry in 2014 he became Finance Director for the FMC Corporation EMEA organization, a company in the crop protection market. In this role he supported the strategy transition towards more sustainable chemistry, and the research and development of biopesticides.

Rob joined VITO in 2016 and he focusses on the ongoing transformation of VITO into a transparent, best-in-class, cost effective and well respected research institution. He also serves as board member in the VITO spin-off companies, and oversees VITO’s  Clean Vision Invest participation company.

Dirk Fransaer is Managing Director of VITO, the Flemish Institute for Technological Research, the largest research institute in Belgium in the field of sustainability and cleantech: energy, chemistry, health and materials. VITO focuses on interdisciplinary research into cleantech and pilot installations and demonstrators to de-risk research for companies and thereby strengthen the economic and social fabric. He is author and co-author of more than 30 scientific papers published in national and international journals.

Dirk Fransaer is president of the board of directors of LIBOVITO (a 100 % daughter company in China, Beijing), of VITO Middle East (Qatar) and VITO Arabia (Dubai), member of the board of directors of VITO Asia (Hong Kong), member of the board of SOV Balmatt, member of the board of Clean Vision Invest, also member of the board of directors of the Von Karman Institute for Fluid Dynamics, president of the Audit Committee and the Board of Programme Evaluation of the University of Antwerp, member of the Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium for Science and Arts, and Honorary professor Engineering at KU Leuven.

Julie is a Commercial Engineer from KULeuven and holds a master’s degree in Financial Management from Vlerick Business School. She has several years of experience as a business consultant at Arthur D Little and as a business analyst at Barco. She isa board member of the Belgian textile federation Fedustria, Textirama Foundation, and various educational institutes in Belgium. Julie's expertise lies in knowledge of fibres and sustainable yarns, as well as in circular development projects. Founder of Ariadne Innovation. Ambassador for sustainable textiles.