Entrepreneurs from Roeselare take an inspirational tour of companies on Entrepreneur’s Day. At agricultural machinery Dewulf, the CEO of Gimv was invited as a speaker, but a little later the design of the invitation actually turned out to be different. Koen Dejonckheere receives the ‘Durver and Doener’ prize. “I didn’t expect that at all. I am West Flemish through and through. It is in this DNA that I was indeed raised, where I also have my network and that is a great pleasure.”
18 years at the helm
He has been at the helm of Gimv for eighteen years. Partly thanks to him, companies such as Televic and Citymesh, but also Barco and Kinepolis, are leading. He welcomes the fact that the entrepreneurial spirit has never been as high as it is now. One in eight Flemish people is an entrepreneur as their main occupation. In our province it is even slightly more. “I am very proud of that. It underlines how important West Flemish DNA is. We are all daredevils and doers. That runs deep. But what I think is even more important is that it mainly concerns young people. I think that is very hopeful and perhaps also a bit of what Pippi Longstocking always said: I have never done it, but I think I can do it. So that mentality of: I dare and I will do it.”