Alychlo bids farewell to first team member and CEO Pieter Bourgeois

Pieter Bourgeois was the first team member to join Marc Coucke’s family office as an investment manager in 2015. “The years at Alychlo are among the most formative and rewarding of my career,” Pieter commented on the departure. “From the very beginning, Marc gave me the confidence to grow, to be entrepreneurial, and to help build something exceptional. I am incredibly grateful to him for that.”

Since joining, he has helped grow Alychlo’s portfolio to approximately 40 investments across the environment and sustainability, healthcare, technology, real estate, and leisure sectors.

“Pieter is not just a colleague who is leaving — he is someone who helped shape the soul of Alychlo,” said Marc. “His financial sharpness, his ability to navigate complex files and his tireless dedication have been instrumental in making Alychlo what it is today.”

Pieter was promoted to CEO of Alychlo in 2022 and decided to focus more on the company's long-term strategy through investment. Some of the projects he was involved in include the initial public offerings (IPOs) of EKOPAK Sustainable Water and EnergyVision, the start-up and expansion of Sanglier Durbuy Adventures (sda), the growth of Pairi Daiza, the merger of SnowWorld, as well as the international expansion of OKU Hotels.

Read more:

• EnergyVision announces IPO on Euronext Brussels to fund expansion
• Alychlo takes full ownership of MaisonRouge and its holding company
• Alychlo acquires all CIM Capital shares in Zoute Grant Prix

“What we have achieved together with the fantastic Alychlo team makes me immensely proud. It was an honour to work with them as well as the numerous top performers in our portfolio companies,” Pieter said.

The start of Pieter’s transition
Pieter stepped down as Alychlo’s CEO in April already and took charge of the company’s listed holdings, such as e-invoicing specialist Banqup (formerly Unifiedpost), Sophia Genetics, beverage company Fountain, and British Animalcare, as well as water treatment company Ekopak, luxury yacht builder The Italian Sea Group, and EnergyVision.

Responsibility for the unlisted holdings (including all activities in Durbuy, the holdings in Smartphoto, RSC Anderlecht, Pairi Daiza, and so on) went to Els Degroote, who has been working at Alychlo for four years.

Once Pieter leaves, Marc will assume leadership of Alychlo as founder, supported by Koen Hoffman (appointed a month ago) as director.

Pursuing his industrial heart
From 1 September 2026, Pieter will be working with Koramic Investments founder Christian Dumolin as part of a “careful” transfer of responsibilities until January 2028, when Pieter takes over as CEO of the family office and Christian becomes executive chairman.

The company’s portfolio includes numerous industrial companies, as well as enterprises active in visual communication, electronics, and marketing. Together, these account for more than 5,000 employees in some 20 countries and generate an annual turnover of over 700 million euros.

“For an industrial engineer like me, joining the West Flemish family office with an industrial heart and a real long-term vision feels a bit like coming home,” Pieter said.

More M&A on the horizon
Pieter began his career in the financial sector and, after obtaining his MBA from the Solvay Business School, joined the payment company Banksys, which later merged into Atos Worldline. He spent the next five years at the logistics company DHL, where he became financial director of the Luxembourg division.

Pieter gained his first experience in mergers and acquisitions while working at the building materials wholesaler YouBuild, right before joining Alychlo. When he takes up his new role at Koramic Investments, he will also be in charge of the company’s acquisitions, which focus primarily on minority stakes in unlisted companies.

“On to the next chapter – with a lot of enthusiasm!” Pieter concluded.

Find out who else is making moves in the M&A industry.