Executive Committee of Board Members
Peggy Scherpenberg
Chairwoman
Peggy has nearly 20 years of global experience in advertising, marketing, and events. During her career, she has had the privilege of leading brand teams, managing high-profile global clients, and organising large-scale events hosting over 45,000 spectators.
In 2023, she was awarded the Outstanding Leadership Award at the Marketing 2.0 Conference, which was a nice recognition of the impact she has made on the industry so far.
She consults companies on branding and marketing strategy, helping them define, refine, and activate their brand presence.
François Goethals
Vice Chairman
François leads the Customer Strategy & Experience (CX) team at Deloitte Digital Middle-East, specialising in delivering technology-driven omnichannel customer experiences for government and private sector clients.
He empowers his clients to collect and transform customer insights into impactful strategies, driving human-centric digital and organisational change for sustainable business growth.
Before joining Deloitte, he was an entrepreneur who expanded Brandfirst Interactive, a digital agency acquired by Deloitte Digital in 2018.
Karim Boutaour
Board Member
Karim is a dynamic executive leader who holds an experience of more than 25 years in areas like Marketing Strategy, Digital Business Transformation, Cost Optimisations, Product Development, Sales Leadership, Strategic Planning, Integration & Program Management and Business Development in the realm of Automation, Smart Cities, IoT Solutions, and Product Innovation.
Thomas Deville
Board Member
Thomas serves as the General Manager Middle East, Africa, Asia at IDtech, a Belgian manufacturer of access control and alarm management systems.
With over 15 years of experience in the region, he has contributed to the construction and security of critical infrastructure - government buildings, energy facilities, datacenters, and transportation hubs.
Thomas holds a Master of Science in Business Administration from Kedge Business School and an Executive MBA from INSEAD.
Christophe Moons
Board Member
Christophe has over a decade of experience in marketing and communications, including serving as Deputy Editor-in-Chief at DPG Media.
He has collaborated with prestigious organisations such as BNP Paribas, Renault, and Luxilon, crafting compelling narratives and impactful campaigns.
In addition to managing Belgium's largest tennis news platform, Christophe oversees PR and communications for athletes and academies and serves as the Community Manager for We Are Tennis Belgium by BNP Paribas.
Beyond his corporate work, he is passionate about coaching individuals to achieve digital excellence.
Elena Blaton
Event and Business Development Director
Elena is responsible for the day-to-day operations and activities of the Belgian Business Council Dubai. She serves as the main point of contact for members and partners and plays a key role in translating the Board’s vision into concrete initiatives and events.
She began her UAE journey at Flanders Investment & Trade Dubai during EXPO 2020, where worked on economic and diplomatic missions, promoting trade and investment between Flanders and the UAE.
She later deepened her experience in UAE market entry, business setup, and local compliance through a role at a well-established UAE corporate services firm. During this time, she was already an active member of the Council, serving as Young Professionals Advisor to the Board.