Aïda Gaye

HR manager at Ricoh Belgium and life career coach

Aida Gaye is an HR expert with over 15 years of experience in talent management, originally from Senegal, born and raised in Ghent. She combines her HR background with her passion for mindset and career coaching, helping individuals unlock their true potential. With her unique approach and strong interpersonal skills, she inspires and guides women to grow confidently and powerfully in their careers.

Aline Bugabo

Talent development officer at Projective Group

Aline supports trainees and consultants in consultancy, IT, and finance through personal development plans, individual coaching, and effective talent strategies. With a background in recruitment, Aline has witnessed many professionals hit a ceiling when neglecting personal growth. She leverages her expertise to help individuals unlock their potential and thrive in their careers.

Christelle Batupanza Ndonga

Deputy Director at the arrival center of Fedasil

Christelle Batupanza Ndonga was born and raised in Belgium with Congolese roots. She specialized in Social Adult Sciences with additional courses in Political Sciences and Psychology. Since childhood, she has been educated in Belgium, particularly on the Flemish side, which has made her fluent in Dutch, French, English, and Lingala. After years of working on the front line, she chose to translate those firsthand needs into concrete actions at a management level as a member of the leadership team. In addition to her professional career, she is actively involved in politics and participated in the past Belgian elections. She also balances her work and political activities with engagement in several associations related to invisible disabilities. Her daily motivation is to serve others in various ways, beyond borders.

Cécile Manong

Case handler at DG Competition, European Commission

Cécile is a French-American lawyer who specialises in competition law. Educated in France, the UK and the US, in addition to years of legal practice in Brussel, she brings significant experience in successfully navigating varied academic, professional and cultural spaces.

Christian Muhire

Private banker and wealth manager

Christian is an experienced professional with a proven track record at leading firms in the financial industry. He specializes in client relationships, private banking, and wealth management, bringing a wealth of expertise to his role. Christian holds a Master’s in Business Administration from EHSAL Brussels and is a Certified Private Banker for Investments (Febelfin, Belgium) as well as a Certified Life Insurance Agent (CAA, Luxembourg).

Christian Sugira

Senior fund analyst at Belfius Asset Management, finance expert at NWS NWS NWS, MNM and VRT, and podcast host at VRT Max

Christian Sugira is a Senior Fund Analyst at Belfius Asset Management, where he analyzes investment funds and explains financial topics for Rebel by Belfius to engage young audiences. He is also a financial expert at VRT, contributing to Radio 2, MNM, and VRT NWS, and co-founder and host of the Money Time podcast. With ten years of experience in the event industry, he led the Belgian branch of Vunzige Deuntjes (ID&T) and co-founded Smeltkroes Agency. Christian combines his financial expertise with social impact as a founding member of Blue Ocean vzw

Faisal Al Suhail

Justice and Home Affairs Counsellor at Belgian Permanent Representation to the EU

Faisal Al Suhail works as the Crisis Management and Resilience counsellor at the Belgian Permanent Representation to the European Union. In this capacity, he represents Belgium within the Council of the European Union in crisis meetings which have a significant impact on the EU. During the Belgian Presidency, Faisal was deeply involved in both the operational and policy aspects of this endeavor. He chaired over numerous meetings which developed Faisal’s leadership skills and allowed him to build a wide network of stakeholders. His academic background includes studies at the College of Europe in Bruges and Ghent University, focusing on international and European politics

Gökşen Çalışkan

Media & policy communications consultant, senior B2B advisor at Euroactiv

Gökşen Çalışkan, a seasoned media and communications professional with Turkish roots, brings extensive experience in EU affairs and news media. As a senior advisor at Euractiv, a leading media outlet specializing in EU policies, she focuses on strategic partnerships and policy communication, excelling at navigating complex international environments and strengthening connections with EU stakeholders. Recognized as one of Belgium’s 40 Under 40 for her leadership in communications, Gökşen also dedicates her time to volunteer work with Restless Brussels, connecting Brussels’ international community with local realities.

Hadisa Suleyman

Founder & Real Estate Agent at Estate of Mind

Hadisa Suleyman, born in Ghent in 1989 to a Ghanaian father and a Belgian mother, faced significant challenges during her teenage years, leading many to doubt her potential for success. Defying these expectations, she transformed her life through determination and resilience. In 2016, Hadisa founded Estate Of Mind Real Estate Agents, a company known for its passion for the industry and commitment to excellence. She also teaches as a real estate professor at Syntra Midden-Vlaanderen. Hadisa has further established herself as a prominent media personality. Her story has been featured in various media outlets, including De Morgen, Het Laatste Nieuws, and VRT NWS. Additionally, she has participated as a jury member on the real estate reality show Huis Gemaakt on VTM

Izzy Van Aelst

Chief Commercial Officer and Executive Board Member at Curalia

Izzy is a business strategy expert with over 15 years of experience in Commercial Growth, Business Transformation, Digital, and Data. Currently, he serves as Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) and Executive Board Member at Curalia and previously held the role of Head of Re=Bel at Belfius and Communications Director at BNP Paribas Fortis. Izzy also made significant contributions as a panelist in the previous edition of Blue Connect, sharing his expertise and insights on how to climb the corporate ladder.

Jason-Louise Graham

Chief of staff & business control lead for ING Communications

Jason-Louise is a driving force for organizational transformation, known for uniting teams and bridging cultural gaps to deliver results in Belgium’s finance landscape. Dedicated to improving the financial sector as both an employer and impactful actor in society, Jason-Louise is cofounder of the Multicultural Bankers Belgium and steering the NextWaveFinance initiative with Belgian Finance Center. Both these initiatives captures the needs and priorities of workforces/ society  and then identifies opportunities for financial companies to act more responsibly. Recognized for her impactful leadership, Jason-Louise became part of Belgium’s 2024 40Under40 list for societal impact makers and also became part of the Roots Inspire Diverse Leaders in Finance Program.

Jawad Ammar

District manager at P&V Groep

Jawad began his career in insurance as a claims manager. Three years later, he became the youngest team leader in the company, gaining the opportunity to develop further as a people manager. After his experience in claims management, Jawad transitioned to team leader in production to explore the other side of the business. Currently, he completes the circle by working in a commercial role.

Kalvin Soiresse Njall

Member of the Brussels Parliament, former President of the Francophone Brussels Parliament 

Kalvin is a Belgian politician of Togolese and Cameroonian origin who arrived in Belgium in 2004. A member of the Ecolo party, he serves as a deputy in the Brussels Parliament, focusing on health issues and the fight against discrimination. He has also held the position of President of the Francophone Brussels Parliament. In addition to his political and community work, Kalvin is a poet and has published literary works, including "Les Bureaux Paternels".

Linh Truong

Principal legal counsel at Medtronic Belgium

Born in Vietnam and raised in Brussels, Linh was admitted to the Brussels Bar in 2013. She began her career as an attorney at law, where she spent 10 years in local and international law firms. In pursuit of new challenges, Linh transitioned to the corporate sector, joining Sandoz Belgium as Head Legal and, more recently, Medtronic Belgium as Principal Legal Counsel. In her various roles, Linh has consistently been providing strategic counsel and leveraging her ability to solve problems creatively

Nadine Ineza

Digital & data product manager

Nadine is an electronics and ICT engineer and a freelance consultant specializing in Digital Transformation and AI. With over seven years of experience in cognitive automation, she has taken on roles as a programmer, functional analyst, and business analyst, focusing on technologies like computer vision, NLP, and RPA. In addition, Nadine has spent two years managing competencies alongside her consulting work.

Pascaline Maholo

Global medical affairs reviewer & founder of Ndaki

Pascaline began her career in food technology as an R&D project engineer for a startup developing a model using near-infrared spectroscopy. She later transitioned to consulting, taking on various medical roles at pharmaceutical companies. Currently, alongside her medical consulting work, Pascaline is the founder of NDAKI, a tech startup focused on creating an information-driven platform for black haircare product data.

Paul van den Bulck

Partner at AKD and former President of the Royal Belgian Football Association 

​Paul, a distinguished legal expert with Congolese roots, brings a wealth of experience at the intersection of governance, leadership, and legal expertise. As a partner at AKD, he advises clients across industries like healthcare, technology, and sports, earning recognition for his technical proficiency and collaborative approach, including accolades from The Legal 500. Beyond his legal practice, Paul serves as an arbitrator and mediator for esteemed organizations such as Cepani and the Centre de Médiation et d'Arbitrage de Paris. A former professor at institutions like Université de Strasbourg and Panthéon-Assas, and past President of the Royal Belgian Football Association, Paul continues to champion good governance and progressive change in football management.

Piet-Francis Imandt 

Senior account executive at Lightspeed

With 7+ years in the payment industry, Piet specializes in building strong relationships, understanding client needs, and delivering tailored solutions. Fluent in multiple languages, Piet thrives in diverse environments and focus on achieving exceptional results.

Vicky Sheikh

Lawyer at Loyens & Loeff, law professor at EPHEC, teaching and research assistent at UCLouvain and activist at Avocall

Vicky Sheikh is a tax lawyer at Loyens & Loeff, an international law firm renowned for its expertise in cross-border taxation. In addition to his legal practice, Vicky is deeply committed to academia. He serves as a Law Professor at EPHEC and as a Teaching and Research Assistant at the Université catholique de Louvain (UCL). His academic journey is distinguished by his LL.M. in International Taxation from New York University, and his hands-on experience at the United Nations, where he contributed to impactful projects in the Financing for Development Office

Wilson Kabera

Managing director, former Deloitte consultant, media personality & community builder

Wilson Kabera is a seasoned business professional and entrepreneur, currently serving as managing director of his own venture in Belgium. With a strong background in consulting, he spent over five years at Deloitte Belgium, where progressed from junior consultant to consultant, gaining expertise in strategy, operations and business transformation. Beyond his corporate career, Wilson is also recognized as a media personality, with notable appearances in Buitenspel, Taboe, and het Leven in Kleur. In addition to his professional pursuits, he is a dedicated community builder, actively supporting initiatives like the Belgian Football Association's Come Together campaign against discrimination. Through his diverse career, Wilson continues to make an impact across business, media and social advocacy.