Trends and BNP Paribas Fortis highlight the performance of a Belgian financial director with this award, which was presented for the eleventh time on 1 June. Recticel won the 'Deal of the Year' award.

_{Photographer: Christophe Ketels}

Karim Hajjar, CFO of the Solvay Chemicals and Materials Group, accepted the 'CFO of the Year' award at the Brussels Expo on Wednesday evening following Ingrid Daerden from Aedifica. The 59-year-old Brit has been the financial rock in Solvay’s branding for nine years, and has helped transform the traditional chemical group into a world player in high-tech plastics.

Fighting spirit and drive

In 2013, Hajjar joined Solvay as CFO. He first worked under CEO Jean-Pierre Clamadieu, with whom he completed over fifty deals. Since 2019, Hajjar, a father of five, has been assisting Clamadieu's successor Ilham Kadri through the pandemic and other crises, and streamlining the group. As part of this streamlining, a breakup of Solvay is planned for the second half of next year. One part, provisionally called EssentialCo, would include historical activities such as soda ash and the Silica branch, which focuses on the car tyre sector. The other part, SpecialCo, will include the fast-growing special polymers for

smartphones, the composite business in the aerospace and automotive industries, among others. “A no-brainer”, says Hajjar, who has faced much hotter fires in his life. Born in Beirut, he grew up during the Lebanese civil war. His family lost everything, which formed the breeding ground for Hajjar's fighting spirit and drive.

Karim Hajjar won out over four other strong candidates: Kristiaan De Beukelaer (Media House), Maud Larochette (N-Side), Geert Peeters (Greenyard) and Johan Vankelecom (Belfius).

Recticel wins the 'Deal of the Year 2022'

For the fourth time Trends also awarded a 'Deal of the Year' award. All mergers, acquisitions and capital operations (stock market introduction, capital increase, private placement, etc.) involving a Belgian company in 2021 were eligible. The most important criterion is the financial and strategic added value that the operation created for the stakeholders.

There were five deals in the running, and the one from Recticel emerged as the winner. This major player in polyurethane solutions is active in the furniture, automotive and construction sectors and sold its Engineered Foams division to the American company Carpenter for a final net proceeds of 606 million euros. This was an exceptionally strategic operation, with which Recticel was able to avert a hostile takeover attempt by the Austrian Greiner.

Partnership

Since 2012, BNP Paribas Fortis and Trends have been putting the spotlight on the exceptional qualities of a CFO of a top 500 company in Belgium. In 2019, the 'Deal of the Year' award was created. Because rewarding and encouraging contributors to our economy is also Positive Banking.

Congratulations to the winning CFO, the team behind the winning “Deal of the Year” and to all the other candidates.

Read the full interview with Karim Hajjar, CFO of Solvay (Dutch, French), and Olivier Chapelle, CEO of Recticel (Dutch, French).

With this award, which was presented on 20 October for the tenth year in a row, Trends and BNP Paribas Fortis are highlighting the achievements of a Belgian CFO.

Ingrid Daerden of Aedifica won the award this year, succeeding Nicolas De Clercq of Kinepolis. She owes this to a miracle 2020 in which, despite corona, Aedifica raised more than 700 million euro and got a Bel-20 listing.

In addition, the Walloon biotech group Univercells received the award for ‘Deal of the Year 2021’. Univercells raised 120 million euro from a number of prestigious investors and is preparing an IPO.

Ingrid Daerden’s great track record at Aedifica

The jury named Ingrid Daerden ‘CFO of the Year’ because of her contribution to the strategic development and financing of Aedifica’s growth. Since she joined Aedifica as CFO three years ago, the healthcare real estate specialist has enjoyed remarkable growth. During that time, the 47-year-old commercial engineer paved the way for seamless financing and built her finance team into a solid foundation for Aedifica’s growth. In 2020, the healthcare real estate company became a fixture on the Bel-20, raising over 700 million euro in capital. In June this year, it raised another 286 million euro, and in September Aedifica issued a 500-million-euro bond. In times of COVID-19 this all went smoothly. The jury also saw the integration of sustainability and ESG criteria in the financial policy.

Ingrid Daerden won over four other outstanding candidates: Charles Jacques of Masthercell, Jean-Pierre Mellen of Recticel, Nadia Messaaoui of Technord and Geert Peeters of Greenyard.

Univercells wins the 'Deal of the Year 2021'

For the third time, Trends also awarded a prize for the ‘Deal of the Year’. All mergers or acquisitions and capital operations (initial public offering, capital increase, private placement, etc.) in which a Belgian company was involved in 2020 qualify for this award. Univercells received the award. The Walloon biotech group managed to persuade KKR, an American investment company, and funds linked to the foundations of Bill and Melinda Gates and Georges Soros, to enter into its capital. This complex operation earned Univercells the ‘Deal of the Year 2021’ award.

Partnership

Since 2012, BNP Paribas Fortis and Roularta have been highlighting the exceptional qualities of CFOs in Top 500 companies in Belgium. The jury’s choice is primarily determined by the strategic vision and leadership shown.

Read the full interview with Ingrid Daerden, CFO of Aedifica (FR-NL), and with Hugues Bultot, CEO of Univercells, and Vincent Vanderborght, CFO of Univercells (FR-NL).

Source: Trends

How can we turn the constraints of the energy transition into a strategic opportunity? “With rigour and pragmatism,” says our partner Climact.

"We support and advise businesses so they can take action and achieve more climate maturity. This includes addressing climate-related obligations, such as the sustainability reporting required under the European Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD)," explains Jerome Meessen, Associate Partner at Climact. "We ensure they get real added value from this, the most tangible result being a reduction in their energy bills or improved resilience of their supply chain and customers in the face of the climate transition. Our approach is both rigorous and pragmatic. Rigorous because we base ourselves on figures and use standardised methods, such as the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, for calculating a company's carbon footprint, thus avoiding the pitfalls of greenwashing. And pragmatic because we always adapt to the company's reality. "

A 5-step process

So, how does Climact support businesses and public organisations?
Jerome Meessen: "Firstly, we help them understand the effects of climate change they are or will be facing. We do this by mapping opportunities and risks, such as flooding of a production site or the risks associated with high carbon prices. We also assess their current impact, i.e., the carbon footprint of their operations. The next step is their vision for the future, in which we define sustainability goals with them, referring to the international standards of Science Based Targets initiative where relevant. We then help them develop a detailed transition plan and implement it on the ground, allowing them to define the content and details of a green energy purchase agreement, for example. Finally, we provide support for communicating their commitment, in line with the CSRD requirements."

CSRD: burden or strategic opportunity?

Many businesses are subject to the CSRD, which enters into force this year, and its reporting process. “The directive aims to provide maximum transparency on how businesses manage their sustainable transition,” says Jerome Meessen. "The reporting focuses on environmental, social and governance (ESG) aspects. "This also allows stakeholders and especially investors to get an objective idea of the progress made, as well as a company's climate ambitions and its exposure to climate change risks."
“The CSRD sustainability reporting is a significant burden for companies,” adds Jérémy Robinet, who coordinates the partnership with BNP Paribas Fortis. "You must adhere to a specific methodology and standards, fill in forms, provide indicators... But it is also an opportunity to develop a solid, well-founded transition strategy that will benefit the company, including its reputation. Businesses can save time with our support, knowing that their reporting complies with regulatory constraints and that their ESG approach creates value and is meaningful."

Climact, a partner of BNP Paribas Fortis

Climact is one of several partners selected by BNP Paribas Fortis to support its corporate customers with non-financial issues. “At the initiative of the bank’s Relationship Manager, we meet companies who want to make progress in terms of their energy and sustainable transition, more specifically for their decarbonisation strategy and to draw up their carbon balance sheet,” explains Jérémy Robinet.
Gilles Roumain, Sustainability Program Officer at BNP Paribas Fortis who oversees the partnership with Climact, says: "The collaboration with Climact allows us to provide solutions to our customers, support them in decarbonising their activities, and continue to build our expertise on these decarbonisation issues. By offering this support, we also reduce our carbon footprint."

“The companies that the bank has referred to us come from all industries,” says Jérémy Robinet. "They are larger companies, e.g., with a turnover of at least 25 million euros or a complex supply chain. This partnership has already led to fifteen collaborations, including with garage door manufacturer RE Panels.

We initially assisted them with drawing up a carbon balance sheet in line with European CSRD requirements.  Management then realised the strategic interest of our work and asked us to perform more specific analyses by product and production site. This, in turn, allowed them to identify best practices. RE Panels really appreciated our approach. We calculated the cost, gains and investment amount for each carbon footprint improvement objective. They also commended us for our rigorous alignment with international standards, a key element to avoiding greenwashing pitfalls."

Since 2019, the bank has reduced its CO2 emissions per full-time equivalent by 55%. And according to Sandra Wilikens, Chief Human Resources Officer, everyone must play their part.

Between 2019 and 2022, the bank succeeded in reducing its CO2 emissions by 55%. So how did you do this?

"Mainly by focusing on the energy efficiency of our buildings, which account for approximately 80% of our immediate emissions. We also optimised our real estate and significantly reduced business travel. We settled on a structured approach involving all departments. Since 2012, our Green Bank Platform has gathered the contact persons of each department every quarter, allowing them to present an action plan with their initiatives. They then develop a series of KPIs on energy and paper consumption, business travel, the electrification of the vehicle fleet, waste management, etc. Because measuring is knowing."

The target was to achieve a 42.5% reduction in emissions compared to 2012 by the end of 2025. A goal we have since achieved. What else is in the pipeline?

"We have no intention of resting on our laurels until 2025. Because there is no time to waste if we want to be carbon neutral by 2050. Our new headquarters at Montagne du Parc in Brussels is a good example of energy efficiency, but there is still a room for improvement in the rest of our real estate. We will improve the energy efficiency of the various regional offices, install solar panels in more than 80 branches, and LED lighting will become standard in all our buildings. These efforts must allow us to reduce our CO2 emissions by another 7%."

How much progress have you made in terms of the electrification of your fleet?

"We are making a sustained effort to electrify our fleet, and I think we are on the right track. At the end of 2022, just under 30% of our fleet of leased company cars was electric – 100% electric and plug-in hybrids. In the third quarter of 2023, these cars accounted for 95% of new orders. This was largely due to the new car taxation. But for employers, it doesn't stop there. They must deal with a complex tax framework, including the reimbursement of electricity costs. Some of our staff members also face obstacles, for example, because they have difficulty accessing a charging station. I intend to organise a mobility roundtable this year. The aim is to bring governments, operators, start-ups and companies together. Because we have to move forward and are all in this together."

How do you ensure sufficient employee engagement?

"With a lot of communication. You need to explain what you are doing and why. That is the only way to get people to cooperate. We have a network of more than 200 EcoCoaches within the bank. The sustainability compartment of CBA 90 also inspires. We set six specific objectives each year. If we achieve at least three, all staff members receive a bonus at the end of the year. To date, this has been a success. We also have other incentives. With our “Green Fuel Consumer Plan”, we reward staff members who have a company car but use it sparingly. We are also launching many campaigns to promote soft mobility, such as walking, cycling and public transport. The decision to base our offices in cities is also positive. At the end of 2022, 79% of the employees working in Brussels used public transport to get to work. Outside cities, 60% of employees do this."

Finally, can you think of any issues that need to be addressed urgently?

"Digital pollution is often underestimated. To give you an idea: sending 100 mails emits just as much CO2 as driving twenty kilometres. That’s why we organise an internal campaign every year to raise awareness among our staff members and give them tips on how to reduce their digital footprint. Regularly cleaning up your mailbox, sending links instead of files, deleting outdated files: all little things. But if our 11,000 colleagues do this daily, we can make a big impact. Every effort counts!"

The bill to introduce this obligation in Belgium has been submitted to the Federal Parliament. If the draft bill is approved, B2B e-invoicing will become mandatory from 1 January 2026. Our experts explain why Belgium wants to introduce these new rules, what the implications are for your company and how we can better support you.

“The bill is consistent with international developments and initiatives at the European level,” says Nicolas De Vijlder, Head of Beyond Banking at BNP Paribas Fortis. "Europe's ambition is a harmonised digital standard. Structured e-invoicing between companies will also reduce the administrative burden of invoicing, enabling companies to work more efficiently and increase their competitiveness. The automation of VAT declarations will also help governments prevent tax fraud and adjust economic policies based on more qualitative data.”

Evolution rather than a revolution

“The new legislation is an evolution rather than a revolution,” adds Erik Breugelmans, Deputy Managing Director at BNP Paribas Factoring Northern Europe. "Digitalisation is becoming pervasive at all levels of society, as we have seen with the increase in electronic payments, as well as the additional obligations in recent years regarding electronic invoicing to the government. In this sense, the bill for mandatory electronic invoicing between companies is a logical next step. Our bank is happy to contribute to this process, although we do not intend to offer the same services as accounting software or fintechs. However, we are happy to help our customers with payments and financing."

The impact on businesses

“Customers need to be aware that the new regulations will have an impact on their internal and external processes,” continues Erik Breugelmans. "The majority of Belgian companies mainly serve an international market, which means that the introduction of electronic invoicing will be more complex for them than for companies operating in the domestic market. As the legislation will be introduced in one go, they need to start preparing now."

“The new rules will affect a company’s accounting department as well as its IT department,” emphasises Nicolas De Vijlder. "The procedural requirements are key, otherwise the automated process will not work. However, one of the main benefits of advanced automation is that everything can be done faster and more efficiently. The time between sending an invoice and paying it will be shorter and cash flows more predictable. In addition, it will also reduce the risk of error and fraud, as all transactions will pass through a secure channel."

Ready to offer you even more and better support

“Thanks to the far-reaching digitisation resulting from the new regulations, we will be able to further optimise payments,” concludes Erik Breugelmans. "As a bank, we need to finance our customers’ receivables as quickly and efficiently as possible, so that they have easier access to their working capital. In addition, because we have already gone through an entire process in terms of large-scale automation, we will be able to adapt quickly to the new rules. We can also draw on the expertise of the BNP Paribas Group, which is currently developing an e-invoicing solution for large companies."

Want to know more?

Listen to the episode on B2B e-invoicing :

• French version
• Dutch version