Prof. dr. Dirk Buyens has been CEO at Great Place to Work® in Belgium since 2003. Dirk is Professor of Human Resources and Partner of Vlerick Business School. He obtained his PhD in Industrial and Organisational Psychology at Ghent University and holds an MBA degree from KU Leuven. He was a doctoral fellow at the IR Center of the Graduate School of Management at the University of Minnesota (USA). Dirk lives in East Flanders with his wife and children. He loves to spend time with his family and friends.
Astrid joined the Great Place to Work® team in 2022, bringing years of experience in the Research For Business activities of Vlerick Business School. As manager, together with a great team of GPTW associates, she services clients to help them become Great Places to Work. Astrid holds a university degree in Business Economics (Ghent University). Having been responsible for Vlerick’s Centre for Excellence in Strategic Talent Management, she has a solid expertise on topics such as boosting employee engagement, maximizing human potential, and helping organisations become attractive employers. Astrid loves to dance ballet and spend time with family and friends in her leisure time.
Jessica joined the GPtW team in 2021 and is responsible for supporting the team with all kinds of administrative matters such as invoicing queries, event, and team meetings. Jessica, originally from Liverpool, England, holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and has several years of experience working within administrative and healthcare environments. She has worked and travelled in various countries but now calls Ghent, Belgium, her home. She loves exercising, socialising, and trying new recipes in the kitchen.
Sara joined the Great Place to Work team in 2022 as Business Developer. After being a programme advisor for Vlerick’s Degree programmes for over 10 years, she is ready to help any company explore the world of Great Place to Work and our products. Sara holds a Masters’ in Clinical Psychology and a Masters’ in Multilingual Business Communication, both from Ghent University. In her leisure time, Sara enjoys spending time with her family, travelling or discovering interesting arts & crafts for upcycling.
Silke Meulemans joined Great Place to Work® as a Project Coordinator. She is responsible for the coordination of the Best Workplaces lists in Belgium, and she supports clients on their journey towards becoming a great workplace. Prior to joining Great Place to Work®, Silke was a learning & development manager in the retail sector. Silke graduated from KU Leuven with a Master in Sociology and a Master in Management. In her free time, Silke loves to cook and travel with friends and family.
Fien joined Great Place to Work® as a Project Coordinator in 2021. She is responsible for the coordination of the Best Workplaces lists in Belgium and supports organisations on their journey towards becoming a great workplace. Fien holds a Master in I&O Psychology and has previous work experience as a wellbeing advisor. Next to her professional interests, she has been an active youth movement leader in the past. In her leisure time, Fien loves to cook, to catch up with friends and to improve her interior design skills.
Marie joined Great Place to Work® as a Customer Success Manager in 2022. Her main focus is to support organisations on their journey towards becoming a great workplace. Additionally, she is responsible for the coordination of the Best Workplaces lists in Belgium. Marie holds a Master in Theoretical and Experimental Psychology and jumped right into the Great Place to Work® team. Next to her professional interests, Marie loves to paint, to cook, and design her own clothes.
Kimberly joined the Great Place to Work® team as a Marketeer in 2022. After her 10-years journey at Vlerick Business School as programme assistant and project coordinator, she is ready to grow the Great Place to Work’s brand awareness and roll out the communication strategy on all different channels. Kimberly will support clients in leveraging the added value of attaining a Great Place to Work certification and Best Workplaces award. Kimberly holds a Bachelor in Business Management - Marketing. In her leisure time, she enjoys spending time with her family, travelling (including a “mom-cation” when needed), and organising small events for friends and relatives.
Manon joined the Great Place to Work team in the beginning of 2023. Her responsibility is to guide and support companies on their journey to becoming a great place to work. She obtained a master's degree in Industrial and Organizational Psychology in 2022 and has a first work experience as an HR consultant. Manon is trilingual and will therefore take care of our French-speaking clients. Manon loves to learn, both in her personal and professional life. She learns to play new genres on the piano, likes to discover new places, likes to be challenged artistically or culinarily and loves listening to different types of music and podcasts about science, people, culture, etc.
Veroniek De Schamphelaere has more than 10 years’ experience in Great Place to Work's® research. Veroniek is Manager at the HRM Centre and Lecturer at Vlerick Business School. She holds a university degree in Applied Economic Sciences (Ghent University). As an HR expert with extensive practical experience, Veroniek advises organisations on their HR development processes. Her leisure activities include reading, travelling and spending time with friends and family
We believe that every organisation can be a Great Workplace™!