Thomas Leysen
Thomas Leysen is a Belgian entrepreneur who graduated from the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven with a degree in law.Career
Leysen spent a large part of his career at Umicore, which was transformed under his leadership from a metals producer to a materials technology group with leading positions in battery materials, automotive catalysts and precious metals recycling. He was CEO of the company until 2018, after which he became chairman of the board.
Leysen was chairman of the Federation of Enterprises in Belgium between 2008 and 2011.
Since 2011, Leysen has been chairman of the board of KBC Group, a banking and insurance group with activities mainly in Belgium, Central Europe and Ireland.
Leysen is also the chairman and a large shareholder of Mediahuis, a media company and leading publisher of newspapers in Belgium and The Netherlands. In addition, he is chairman of the Belgian Corporate Governance Commission. He has long been committed to the promotion of sustainability development, and as such chairs The Shift, a coalition of businesses and non-governmental organisations in Belgium.Other activities
Corporate boards
- Toyota, member of the global advisory board
Non-profit organizations
- Bilderberg Group, member of the steering committee
- European Friends of Versailles, chairman
- European Round Table of Industrialists, member
- Friends of Europe, member of the board of trustees
- King Baudouin Foundation, chairman
- Flemish Heritage Council, chairman
- Rubenianum Fund, chairman
- Trilateral Commission, member of the European Group
- Federation of Belgian Enterprises, chairman