SPEAKERS

ANDREAS VERMEIREN

Senior Insurance Consultant, Mercer

My session title:

• ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION: Scrutinising model, credit, and liquidity risk management approaches in light of greater focus on Non-Bank Financial Institutions (NBFIs) : 3:45 PM - 4:30 PM (Moderator)

ERIK LESEMAN

Consultant, Independent

Erik Leseman, CFA is the managing director of Leseman Investment Consulting, a firm providing investment advise to asset owners and asset managers, with a focus on private markets and ESG integration. He is currently on assignment at Achmea Pension & Life, building the investment function. Prior to starting his own firm, Erik had a long career at Aegon, now part of asr. He has held various positions at Aegon Asset Management (Head of Fixed Income Sovereign Desk) and Knab Bank (Risk & Capital Manager) before taking on the role as Manager CIO Office at Aegon Netherlands. At asr vermogensbeheer he led the Investment Implementation and Oversight team, responsible for selecting investment strategies and asset managers for the balance sheets of the asr group companies. Prior to Aegon, he worked at ABN AMRO Asset Management as a senior portfolio manager, and he was employed in various roles at the Central Banks of the Netherlands (DNB) and the Netherlands Antilles (BNA). Erik holds a MSc in Monetary Economics from University of Groningen and is a CFA Charterholder since 2004.

My session title:

• PANEL DISCUSSION: M&A and pension risk transfer in Benelux: navigating opportunities for scale, yield, capital efficiency and examining regulatory challenges in the insurance industry. : 1:45 PM - 2:30 PM

ERIK VYNCKIER

Former Investment Committee Chair, Foresters Friendly Society

Erik Vynckier is Board former member of Foresters Friendly Society since 2016, for whom he also chairs the Investment and With-Profits and Unit-Linked Committees following a career in banking, insurance, asset management and petrochemical industry. Erik restructured the Foresters as Interim CEO in 2019.

Erik was Chief Investment Officer (Europe) for private equity group Eli Global LLC and Chief Investment Officer for European insurance clients at Alliance Bernstein. Before, Erik managed with-profits and annuity funds at Scottish Widows Investment Partnership after managing the Group Risk Hub of Standard Life. Erik started in finance at Credit Suisse First Boston and HSBC, in equity program trading, quantitative development and asset-liability management for client balance sheets.

Erik was Chair of Research and Thought Leadership Board at the Institute & Faculty of Actuaries from 2018 until 2021. Erik has founded and served as board member of www.hpcfinance.eu and www.bigdatafinance.eu, the European initiatives from 2011 until 2019 on high performance computing and big data analytics in financial services.

Erik graduated as Chemical Engineer at Universiteit Gent (Belgium) and completed his MBA at London Business School in 2000. Prior to his MBA, Erik held R&D, production and strategy positions in the petrochemical industry in France, Belgium, Germany, the US and the UK. He is adviser to the Chemical Engineering Department of University College London on research and education.

My session title:

• ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION: Scrutinising model, credit, and liquidity risk management approaches in light of greater focus on Non-Bank Financial Institutions (NBFIs) : 3:45 PM - 4:30 PM

FRÉDÉRIC VAN DER PLANKEN

Chief Executive Officer, Whitewood Group

Frédéric Van der Planken (1977) is a Belgian entrepreneur and real estate investment executive. He is the founder and CEO of Whitewood Group, a BENELUX investment and asset management firm overseeing more than €4.5 billion in assets and employing over 70 professionals across offices in Belgium and the Netherlands.
Before founding Whitewood in 2008, Frédéric held senior positions at CBRE, where he served as Head of Capital Markets for Belgium and Luxembourg and later as International Director for Central and Eastern Europe. 
Frédéric also serves as Director on the Board of Whitewood AIFM, an investment fund manager regulated by Belgian market authorities. He holds a law degree from the University of Antwerp (UFSIA).

My session title:

• PANEL DISCUSSION: Real asset and impact investment: identifying overlooked physical asset opportunities that align with impact goals : 2:30 PM - 3:15 PM

GERBEN DE ZWART

Head of Investment Solutions, APG

Gerben de Zwart is Head of Investment Solutions at APG Asset Management since 2020.  In this current role, he leads the Investment Specialists team. In addition, his Quant Solution & Developer teams play a key role in APG's digital transformation by operationalizing (advanced) analytical information platforms to the global Investment teams and the Responsible Investment team. He is also the chief editor of the Dutch CFA-VBA Journal and a member of the advisory council of the Accountancy department of Tilburg University.
Prior to joining APG in 2010, Gerben was employed by ING Investment Management and Robeco. He earned his Master’s degree in Technical Mathematics from Delft Technical University and his Ph.D. from the Erasmus University Rotterdam. Gerben holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation. He has been published in the academic finance literature and is a frequent speaker at international conferences for both academics as well as practitioners.
In 2015 Gerben was awarded with a royal honour and appointed as a member of the Order of Oranje-Nassau.

My session title:

• ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION: Developing operational efficiencies: lowering the cost of operating, utilizing AI, and creating high performance standards : 4:30 PM - 5:00 PM

HENRIK MATSEN

Partner, Henry Costa Partners

Henrik is a Co-Founder and former Member of the Management Executive Committee of Athora, the European life insurance affiliate of Apollo Global Management. From its formation in 2014 as a subsidiary of Athene (the US life insurance subsidiary of Apollo) until his departure in 2023, Henrik held multiple group management roles and directorships of multiple operating insurance entities across Europe and Bermuda.
During his time with Athene and Athora, the business raised in aggregate approximately €6.75bn of equity capital, and grew into a meaningful European life insurer with close to €100bn of assets under management.
Prior to this, he was Co-founder and Director of RMR Advisors Ltd, an investment and advisory firm which provided insurance related advisory services to Apollo, Athene and their affiliates from 2012 until the creation of Athora. RMR Advisors Ltd was acquired by the NYSE listed Athene Holding Ltd in October 2016.
In addition, Henrik was the Founder and Chairman of a digital non-life insurance price comparison website in the Nordic region named Kasko. Kasko raised capital from institutional and private investors through several capital raises between 2014 to 2019. He also established a joint venture with the UK financial product and market intelligence provider Defaqto in the Nordic region at the time.
Henrik previously had an Advisory background at UBS in its Financial Institutions Group Investment Banking division, and in FICC Structuring. Henrik holds a B.Sc. degree from the Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration (NHH) in Bergen, Norway.

My session title:

• PANEL DISCUSSION: M&A and pension risk transfer in Benelux: navigating opportunities for scale, yield, capital efficiency and examining regulatory challenges in the insurance industry. : 1:45 PM - 2:30 PM

IDO ESMAN

Senior Manager Investment Management, Achmea Mortgages

Ido Esman (1969) is Senior Manager Portfolio Management at Achmea Mortgages, where he leads Dutch mortgage portfolio strategies and commingled funds. Before joining Achmea in 2018, he held senior roles at ING, focusing on structured finance and institutional investments. Ido brings deep expertise in mortgage and real estate investing, with a strong track record in developing solutions for international institutional investors.

My session title:

• ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION: Scrutinising model, credit, and liquidity risk management approaches in light of greater focus on Non-Bank Financial Institutions (NBFIs) : 3:45 PM - 4:30 PM

JAN DE BONDT

Executive in Residence, Vlerick Business School

Jan De Bondt worked for 26 years as a Fixed Income Sales professional in Brussels, Frankfurt and mainly in London. After building profitable businesses at Goldman Sachs, Merrill Lynch, Lehman Brothers and Société Générale, he left the execution part of the business in January 2017. He started Kossaat Consulting and Connecting in 2017, providing advisory work to corporates and financial institutions on funding, regulation and business development.

Jan is a natural networker who is able to seamlessly connect parties and functions as a sounding board for a variety of business objectives and challenges.

In 2021 Jan became an independent director at the financial committee of Ethias Pension Fund. He has been a non-executive Director at Upgrade Estate since September 2021.

He co-founded Vlerick’s Executive Asset Management Programme in 2018, and remains its co-director.

My session title:

• ‘TALKING TABLES’: DISCUSSING MARKET TRENDS AND IMPACTS - Developing the portfolio and accessing new alternatives and risk assets – financial engineered solutions, trade finance, direct lending, infrastructure debt, and new opportunities : 12:05 PM - 12:25 PM
• PANEL DISCUSSION: Real asset and impact investment: identifying overlooked physical asset opportunities that align with impact goals : 2:30 PM - 3:15 PM (Moderator)

JORIS LAENEN

Chief Investment & Life Officer, Ethias

Joris Laenen is an experienced professional in the insurance and financial sectors. He has managed Life and Asset Management activities, relaunched B2C life-insurance, and diversified investment portfolios. Joris has led teams of up to 200 specialists and has extensive experience in fund management, strategy development and innovation in fintech and Insurtech markets. He has held key positions at Belfius Bank and Belfius Investment Partners NV. He is currently a member of the management board of Ethias SA, the 3rd largest insurance company in Belgium. He also has several mandates as a board member in different companies active in the energy sector.

My session title:

• PANEL DISCUSSION: Real asset and impact investment: identifying overlooked physical asset opportunities that align with impact goals : 2:30 PM - 3:15 PM

LEONARD SCHOKKER

Founder, QuipuCFO

Leonard Schokker is founder of QuipuCFO (named after the Incan recording system), a research initiative developing systematic frameworks for modern finance transformation, while also working as a freelance finance professional. He synthesizes academic research with practitioner insights to create actionable implementation guides for CFOs navigating AI adoption and strategic change.
With 25 years of experience across asset management, insurance, and banking, Leonard combines deep regulatory expertise (IFRS 9/17, Solvency II) with advanced AI-assisted analysis capabilities. He has developed proprietary AI tools with institutional-grade quality controls and created research frameworks that transform complex analysis into clear, actionable insights.
Currently authoring the CFO Playbook series, Leonard transforms complex financial challenges into systematic, actionable methodologies.

My session title:

• ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION: Developing operational efficiencies: lowering the cost of operating, utilizing AI, and creating high performance standards : 4:30 PM - 5:00 PM (Moderator)

LIN QU

Partner, Insurance Investment, Aon

My session title:

• FIRESIDE CHAT: A practitioner's view on asset allocation and investment framework design to drive best returns per unit of solvency capital : 10:15 AM - 10:45 AM (Moderator)

MARCEL JEUCKEN

Managing Director, SustFin

Marcel Jeucken has more than 25 years of experience in finance and sustainability, from executive firm-wide management to hands-on implementation, research, sales, marketing, strategy, and communications. From 2006-2017 Marcel was Managing Director at PGGM Investments (the Netherlands). Since 2018 he is fully dedicated to clients he supports or assists through SustFin, including at ABP, SPMS, PNO Media, Pensioenfonds Vliegend, Pensioenfonds Detailhandel, Anthos, Pinebridge Investments, VGZ, Bouwinvest, Patrizia, Principles for Responsible Investment, Federation of the Dutch Pension Funds, TKP Investments, Triodos Bank, ABN AMRO, Sustainalytics, MSCI, Credit Suisse, Federated Hermes Investment Management. Marcel holds or has held advisory, executive or supervisory roles at investor organisations like PRI (Principles for Responsible Investment), Eumedion, IIGCC (Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change) and ICGN (International Corporate Governance Network).

Marcel Jeucken is an analytical, strategic, and problem-solving thinker, is pragmatic and performance-oriented, and brings deep experience, a broad global network and management experience to any project or interim assignment.

My session title:

• ‘TALKING TABLES’: DISCUSSING MARKET TRENDS AND IMPACTS - Beyond ESG and the dawn of a new era in socially responsible and sustainability – maintaining the fiscal aim focus. : 11:45 AM - 12:05 PM

MIKE STRZELECKI

Managing Director, Senior Portfolio Manager, Manulife Investment Management

Mike is responsible for business development activities with a focus on capital formation for the firm’s global timberland strategy. He is also involved in new timberland product development and is a member of the Timberland Strategy Team. In addition, he manages investment portfolios and large institutional client relationships. Prior to joining the firm, Mike was a partner at Global Forest Partners, where he was directly involved in portfolio management, valuation analysis, and investment research. Previously, Mike was an equity research analyst at Merrill Lynch, where he covered the forest products industry. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation and is a member of the CFA Society Boston.

My session title:

• FIRESIDE CHAT: Harnessing Natural Capital: Investment Opportunities and Sustainability Benefits : 10:45 AM - 11:15 AM

NEAL HEGEMAN

Head Investment Strategy & Research, a.s.r.

My session title:

• FIRESIDE CHAT: A practitioner's view on asset allocation and investment framework design to drive best returns per unit of solvency capital : 10:15 AM - 10:45 AM

NIC WESSEMIUS

Managing Director , FMO IM

My session title:

• PANEL DISCUSSION: Real asset and impact investment: identifying overlooked physical asset opportunities that align with impact goals : 2:30 PM - 3:15 PM

NOEL HILLMANN

Chief Executive Officer, Clear Path Analysis

My session title:

• Chair's Opening Remarks : 9:25 AM - 9:30 AM
• FIRESIDE CHAT: Harnessing Natural Capital: Investment Opportunities and Sustainability Benefits : 10:45 AM - 11:15 AM (Moderator)
• PANEL DISCUSSION: M&A and pension risk transfer in Benelux: navigating opportunities for scale, yield, capital efficiency and examining regulatory challenges in the insurance industry. : 1:45 PM - 2:30 PM (Moderator)

XAVIER DEBRUN

Former Member, European Fiscal Board

Xavier Debrun heads the Economics and Research Department of the National Bank of Belgium and is a member of the European Fiscal Board. After obtaining a Ph.D. in international economics from the Graduate Institute in Geneva, Xavier spent most of his 20-year professional career in the Fiscal Affairs and Research Departments of the International Monetary Fund. He has regularly taught in academic institutions, including the University of Geneva and the Catholic University of Louvain. His research interests focus on international policy coordination, the economics of currency unions, and macro-fiscal issues, including debt sustainability assessments and the stabilizing role of fiscal policy. He led many technical cooperation missions for the IMF in relation to the design and operation of fiscal policy rules, budgetary forecasting, and the introduction of independent fiscal institutions.

My session title:

• KEYNOTE PRESENTATION: Macroeconomic outlook in the Benelux and beyond: how insurers can navigate uncertainties : 9:30 AM - 10:15 AM