Career Biography

My legal journey began in 1998 at the Ghent Bar, where I immersed myself in the legal community and actively contributed to the ‘Commissie van de Stagiairs’ and the Vlaamse Conferentie. These experiences shaped my commitment to supporting young professionals and fostering collaboration within the profession.

In 2007, I joined Robert Half BV as Legal Counsel. Over the past 18 years, I’ve grown with the organisation and now serve as Director Legal, responsible for the Benelux and France regions. In this role, I lead a talented legal team and provide strategic guidance across a wide range of areas, including commercial law, labour law, temporary employment, consultancy, training, etc. I also work closely with senior leadership to support decision-making and ensure compliance in a fast-changing international environment.

I thrive on tackling complex challenges and finding practical solutions that balance legal rigor with business needs. Two milestones stand out: steering the company through the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and successfully launching a new legal entity, projects that demanded resilience, adaptability, and strategic thinking.

Building strong teams and creating structure in dynamic environments is at the heart of what I do. My goal is always to combine legal expertise with leadership to deliver results that make a real impact on the business.

What are the key projects that you have been involved in over the past 12 months?

Over the past year, I have been involved in several strategic and high-impact legal projects across multiple jurisdictions. One of the most significant was supporting the acquisition of a company in France, which required close coordination with external counsel and internal stakeholders to navigate complex regulatory and contractual frameworks.

In parallel, I led the legal analysis and planning for the implementation of various new legislative developments, both at EU and local levels. These included the new collective labour agreement (CAO) for temporary workers in the Netherlands, the EU Pay Transparency Directive, chain liability regulations, and upcoming legislation around artificial intelligence and ESG compliance. Each of these required a tailored approach to ensure operational readiness and legal alignment across our business units.

Another key initiative was the selection and rollout planning of a new Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) system. This project is aimed at improving contract visibility, standardisation, and efficiency within the legal function, and is closely linked to our broader digital transformation strategy.

Finally, I’ve been actively involved in supporting our newly launched start-up, providing legal guidance on corporate structuring and commercial contracting, while ensuring agility and compliance in a fast-moving environment.

What do you think are the most important attributes for a modern in-house counsel to possess?

A modern in-house counsel must go far beyond being a legal expert. Today’s corporate legal environment demands a strategic mindset, digital fluency, and strong communication skills.

It’s essential to understand and speak the language of the business — not just to identify legal risks, but also to translate those risks into actionable insights and opportunities that support growth and innovation.

In-house counsel must be proactive contributors to the company’s strategic direction, capable of aligning legal priorities with broader business goals.

Equally important is the ability to work cross-functionally. Legal teams no longer operate in isolation; collaboration with departments such as IT, HR, finance, and sustainability is critical.

Ultimately, the modern in-house counsel is a strategic partner, a risk manager, a communicator, and a change enabler — all in one.

Based on your experiences in the past year, are there any trends in the legal or business world that you are keeping an eye on, of which you think other in-house lawyers should be mindful?

One trend I find particularly interesting — and often underestimated — is the shift in mindset brought by the new generation entering the workforce. Their expectations around transparency, purpose-driven leadership, and ethical business practices are reshaping how companies operate, and legal teams need to adapt accordingly.

This generation is more vocal, digitally native, and socially conscious. They challenge traditional hierarchies, expect faster decision-making, and value authenticity over formality. For in-house counsel, this means rethinking how we communicate legal risks, how we draft policies, and how we support leadership in building trust and credibility, not just externally, but also within the organisation.

It’s not just about compliance anymore; it’s about culture, values, and engagement. Legal teams that understand this shift and align their approach accordingly will be better positioned to support sustainable and resilient organisations.

What is a cause, business or otherwise, that you are passionate about?

I care deeply about promoting health and well-being in the workplace. Over the years, I’ve seen how sustained performance depends not just on skills or strategy, but on physical and mental resilience. Creating space for recovery, balance, and open conversations around health is something I actively support.