Christian Leysen
Encyclopedia
Christian Leysen is a Belgian
businessman. He obtained a Commercial engineer - Masters degree in Law at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel
in 1976. There he was president of the fraternity "$olvay" in 1974-1975 http://www.solvaykring.be/nl/112/prosenioren.html. Christian Leysen developed several Belgian ventures to large international companies. He is a son of André Leysen
, and his brother Thomas Leysen
is CEO of Umicore
. Christian Leysen is married to Brigitte Guillaume and together they have four children: Caroline, Nathalie, Patrick and Denis.
, the international audit and consulting company. In 1981 he joined GB Inno BM, the largest Belgian retail group, where he was in charge of the Maxi division’s logistics and organisation.
In 1984, he founded Xylos, an information technology service provider. In 1989 he took over daily management of Ahlers, an Antwerp-based shipping company and made it a logistical and maritime service provider. In 1994, he brought Ahlers back into private ownership through a buy-out operation of Stinnes AG (Mülheim) and became Chairman of the Board.
He is President of the AXE-group (comprising Ahlers, Xylos and AXE Investments). Beside its activities in transportation and information technology, the AXE-group is also active as an investor via AXE Investments.
Leysen is a member of the board of KBC Banking & Insurance Group
, Agfa-Gevaert
and the Belgian Post Group.
He is Chairman of the University of Antwerp Management School (UAMS). He is a founding member and was the first chairman of ADM (a cluster of about 100 IT related companies) and of the Belgian Enterprise Network for Social Cohesion (actually Business & Society).
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
businessman. He obtained a Commercial engineer - Masters degree in Law at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Vrije Universiteit Brussel
The Vrije Universiteit Brussel is a Flemish university located in Brussels, Belgium. It has two campuses referred to as Etterbeek and Jette.The university's name is sometimes abbreviated by "VUB" or translated to "Free University of Brussels"...
in 1976. There he was president of the fraternity "$olvay" in 1974-1975 http://www.solvaykring.be/nl/112/prosenioren.html. Christian Leysen developed several Belgian ventures to large international companies. He is a son of André Leysen
André Leysen
André Leysen is a Belgian businessman. In 1951, he married Anne Ahlers, daughter of a shipping family from Bremen, Germany. Together they have four children: Bettina, Christian, Thomas, and Sabina...
, and his brother Thomas Leysen
Thomas Leysen
Thomas Leysen is a Belgian businessman. He obtained a law degree at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven. Thomas Leysen became Chairman of Umicore in November 2008 after having served as Chief Executive Officer of Umicore since 2000. Since April 2011 he is a member of the board of KBC Group, a...
is CEO of Umicore
Umicore
Umicore N.V. is a multinational materials technology company headquartered in Brussels, Belgium. Formed in 1989 by the merger of four companies in the mining and smelting industries, Umicore has since reshaped itself into a more technology-focused business encompassing such areas as the refining...
. Christian Leysen is married to Brigitte Guillaume and together they have four children: Caroline, Nathalie, Patrick and Denis.
Career
Leysen started his career in 1976 with Arthur Andersen & CoArthur Andersen
Arthur Andersen LLP, based in Chicago, was once one of the "Big Five" accounting firms among PricewaterhouseCoopers, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, Ernst & Young and KPMG, providing auditing, tax, and consulting services to large corporations...
, the international audit and consulting company. In 1981 he joined GB Inno BM, the largest Belgian retail group, where he was in charge of the Maxi division’s logistics and organisation.
In 1984, he founded Xylos, an information technology service provider. In 1989 he took over daily management of Ahlers, an Antwerp-based shipping company and made it a logistical and maritime service provider. In 1994, he brought Ahlers back into private ownership through a buy-out operation of Stinnes AG (Mülheim) and became Chairman of the Board.
He is President of the AXE-group (comprising Ahlers, Xylos and AXE Investments). Beside its activities in transportation and information technology, the AXE-group is also active as an investor via AXE Investments.
Leysen is a member of the board of KBC Banking & Insurance Group
KBC Bank
KBC Bank N.V. is a Belgian universal multi-channel bank, focusing on private clients and small and medium-sized enterprises. Besides retail banking, insurance and asset management activities , KBC is active in European debt capital markets, domestic cash equity markets and in the field of corporate...
, Agfa-Gevaert
Agfa-Gevaert
Agfa-Gevaert N.V. is a European multinational corporation that develops, manufactures, and distributes analogue and digital imaging products and systems, as well as IT solutions. The company has three divisions. Agfa Graphics offers integrated prepress and industrial inkjet systems to the...
and the Belgian Post Group.
He is Chairman of the University of Antwerp Management School (UAMS). He is a founding member and was the first chairman of ADM (a cluster of about 100 IT related companies) and of the Belgian Enterprise Network for Social Cohesion (actually Business & Society).