André Knaepen receives ‘Gulden Spoor’ for Economic Impact in Belgium

The movement Vlaanderen-Europa (trsl. Flanders-Europe) annually awards the ‘Gulden Spoor’ to recognize outstanding entrepreneurs in Flanders who have made a remarkable impact in the cultural, social, or economic spheres. This year, during the July 11th celebration of the city of Antwerp at Schoonselhof, the ‘Gulden Spoor’ for Economic Impact was awarded to André Knaepen. Knaepen was honored with this award as the founder of Cegeka, a family-owned company that operates in 19 countries and employs a dedicated team of more than 9,000 professionals. 

“I am deeply honored to receive this award. For me, this is a recognition of more than 30 years of continuous growth at Cegeka. This award is not just for me, but for everyone who has contributed to Cegeka’s success over the years: our employees, our current CEO Stijn Bijnens, and last but certainly not least, our loyal customers,” said André Knaepen, founder and Chairman of the Board of Cegeka. 

The organization praised Knaepen for his visionary leadership and his ability to turn Cegeka into an international success story. In her speech, An De Moor, chairwoman of vzw Vlaanderen-Europa, emphasized that Cegeka has experienced continuous growth since it was founded in 1992: "Cegeka persistently invests in its development and expansion, exemplifying entrepreneurship and courage. They believe that technology can play a decisive role in solving today's challenges. That is why they are very active in industries such as education, healthcare, and government. Together with their partners, they are building smart and sustainable cities and factories.” 

“There is no magic formula for our success story, but if I were to formulate one, it would be about constantly adapting, rethinking, thinking ahead and continuously investing. Investing in people and technology, with the customer always at the center. We are well-positioned to sustain our success in the years ahead, with further investments in cloud, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence,” adds Knaepen. 

The awarding of the ‘Gulden Spoor’ is part of the 11-day ‘Vlaanderen Feest!’ celebrating the Flemish holiday.