Inspiring Belgium: How can Belgian companies contribute to a more sustainable future?

In acknowledgement of our 40th anniversary in Belgium, McKinsey & Company hosted a series of virtual inspiration sessions on key strategic themes which are likely to shape the future of Belgium: sustainability and digital.

Below, you can view the recording of the one-hour session on sustainability, which brought together Belgian leaders and experts on sustainability: Chris Peeters — CEO and chairman of Elia Group, Max Jadot — CEO and chairman of BNP Paribas Fortis, and Nicolas Denis — partner at McKinsey & Company. Hanne Decoutere, journalist and news anchor was the moderator for the session.

In this recording, you will first see three 10-minute keynotes, by Mr. Denis, Mr. Peeters and Mr. Jadot respectively, followed by a panel debate.

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In this session

Chris Peeters

Chris Peeters became CEO of Elia Group in 2015. Through its subsidiaries Elia (in Belgium) and 50Hertz (in Germany), the Group operates 19,276 km of high-voltage connections and supplies 30 million end users with electricity. It also provides consultancy services via its third subsidiary, Elia Grid International. Since joining Elia Group, Chris has led regulatory and political negotiations for the creation of an offshore grid development and operation framework; led an internal transformation programme to prepare the group for new digital challenges and make it a key energy player in Europe; and secured a capital increase of more than €430 million.

Before joining Elia Group, Chris ran the business consulting activities of Schlumberger in Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and Russia. Prior to this, he spent 14 years at McKinsey, seven of which were as a partner, specializing in the energy sector. In the first ten years of his career, he launched an engineering firm and manufacturing company, before joining Hoogovens Aluminium as a sales and technical manager for part of Europe. Chris holds an MSc in Civil Engineering from the University of Leuven in Belgium and speaks four languages. He has a wife and four children with whom he would like to discover the world.

Max Jadot

Max Jadot has been the CEO of BNP Paribas Fortis since March 1, 2011, as well as chairman of the Executive Board. Between June 2009 and February 2011, he was a member of the Executive Committee of BNP Paribas Fortis, in charge of Corporate & Public Bank, Belgium. Prior to that, he had different functions in the retail bank in Belgium and later in France he was président du directoire and country manager of Fortis France. He earned a bachelor’s degree in law from Facultés Universitaires Saint-Louis University – Brussels in 1977, a master’s in law from KU Leuven in 1980, and a master’s in comparative law from Georgetown University Washington DC (USA) in 1981.

Max is convinced that the banking sector plays an essential role in financing the transition toward a more sustainable and inclusive economy. His conviction is reflected in the strong market leadership of BNP Paribas Fortis; the cocreation of its leading microfinance institution, microStart; a dedicated financing of social entrepreneurs; socially responsible investments; and specific sustainability-linked products for private individuals and companies—in particular for energy efficient housing, carbon reduction, circular economy, and sustainable investment products.

Nicolas Denis

Nicolas Denis is a partner in McKinsey’s Brussels office, where he supports clients in the fields of sustainable agriculture and fisheries, land use, and biotech, and also works on topics involving biofuels, biochemicals, and bioenergy.

In addition, Nicolas advises on sustainable economic development, agriculture, and food security, especially in developing and emerging countries. He works on these issues globally, but with a special focus on the Middle East and North and East Africa. Within McKinsey, Nicolas is a leader of our Sustainability Practice and our Social Sector Practice.

Outside his client work, Nicolas continues to be active in research in his field and is a regular speaker at conferences. He is also the author of a number of articles. He holds master’s degrees in chemical engineering from the Stanford University and in mechanical engineering from the Université catholique de Louvain.

Hanne Decoutere

Hanne Decoutere is a journalist and anchorwoman for the VRT in Belgium, a role for which she covers a wide range of societally relevant topics. Hanne is a very charismatic presenter and moderator with a particular interest in France. She holds degrees in law and cultural studies and has a soft spot for ballet.

Session recording

In this session