Founding members

Lise Coirier (°1971) Board member
Graduated in marketing and finance in 1993 at the European Business School in Paris and in 2000 obtained a Master's Degree in Art History and Archeology at the Université Libre de Bruxelles. Lise currently manages Pro Materia asbl (created in 1999) in which capacity she co-edits 'Design Book Made in Belgium' and produces exhibitions such as 'Origines et Originalités: 30 designers bruxellois s'exposent'; 'Une nouvelle Belgique: nouvelles idées, nouveaux matériaux', the latter exhibition in co-operation with VIZO and CIVA (Fondation pour l'Architecture, Brussels). Furthermore Lise free-lances as a journalist for 'Echo de la Bourse' covering different design subjects.Lise is member of the board of Yellow Design Foundation and fluent in French, English and Dutch and has a good knowledge of Italian, German and Spanish.

Michael Cravatte (°1972)

Christian Dugardyn (°1947) Board member
Graduated as an architect at the KU Leuven in 1971 and obtained a further Master's degree in 1973 in Town development and urban planning at the same university. Christian Dugardyn is currently in charge of building projects (agencies and headquarters) on behalf of ING. In this capacity he cooperates with Mario Botta (ING headquarters in Geneva), S.O.M of New York (ING-headquarters in Brussels), etc
Furthermore Christian is a current and active member of the Board of de Singel (Antwerp) as well as of the Flemish Institute for Architecture and Yellow Design Foundation. Christian Dugardyn is fluent in Dutch, French and English.

Axel Enthoven (°1947)
Axel Enthoven is designer and founding partner "enthoven associates design consultants".
He is Head of Department Man & Mobility, Design Academy, Eindhoven, The Netherlands

Jean-Louis Le jeune (°1946)

Anne Leemans (°1959) Board member
Graduated in 1981 as an interpreter at the Higher Institute for Translators and Interpreters in Ghent. She started her professional career teaching Spanish in the Netherlands and in 1984 became a staff member of Europalia Espana in Brussels dealing with Spanish literature and theatre. In 1987 she joined an independent PR-firm to head their arts division and program events in cooperation with the Palais des Beaux Arts and the Monnaie up until 1989 when she joined Total Design in Amsterdam to later head their Belgian operations.
In 1999 Anne co-founded and became the managing partner of Fontana identity and design, specialising in corporate and brand design. Anne is mentor within Sofia, an ESF-funded information program for women in managerial positions coordinated by the University of Limburg, a member of the stearing groups 'Women & Management' and 'Girls and ICT'.
Anne is board member of Yellow Design Foundation, member of the editing board of Kwintessens-design magazine and is fluent in Dutch, English, French and Spanish. She has a passive knowledge of German.

Paul Lievevrouw (°1950)
Graduated as an architect in 1977 Paul Lievevrouw pursued his education at the College of Europe and in 1995 obtained a Masters Degree at the Centre for the Conservation of Historic Towns and Buildings at the KU Leuven for his thesis 'Interdependence, spatial synthesis and orientational planning'.
Paul Lievevrouw co-founder and currently President and board member of Group PLanning CV heads international assignments such as the masterplan for a wetlandpark on the outskirts of Shangaï, China 2002 and another for the development of an ecoforest park as well on the outskirsts of Shangai. In Europe Paul is in charge of urban planning asignments such as in Cracow and Budapest, as well as of an inventory asignment of istoric buildings in Sarajevo in view of the reconstruction of the city and Bosnia-Herzegovina. In Belgium Paul heads numerous expert teams on urban renovation and reconstruction in cooperation with private investors and public authorities.
Paul is commissioner of Yellow Design Foundation, edits A+ (magazine on architecture and urban planning) and is fluent in Dutch, English, French and German.

Michel Michiels (°1943)

Philippe Olbrechts (°1943)

Marie-Françoise Plissart (°1954)
One of Belgium's leading photographers very well understands the art ofserenely telling the story of what is behind what she observes without being blasphemous nor compassionate.
Marie-Françoise participates in a series of international and national exhibitions of which the Biennal in Venice (2004) , Documenta at Kassel (2003), Musée de la Porte de Hal (Brussels, 2003), 'Bruxelles Rez-de chaussée' (2002-2003), and in publications such as 'Brussels vertical horizon'. In September 2004 the she was part of the Golden Lion winning team at the Biennale of Venice.
Marie-Françoise teaches photography at La Cambre (Brussels) and is a founding member of Yellow Design Foundation. She is fluent French and English and has a good understanding of Dutch.

Guy Schockaert (°1949) Board member
Graduated in 1970 at Saint-Luc institute in Brussels as a graphic designer in which activities he later on distinguished himself for his rigour and emotion. In more then 30 years time Guy Schockaert has succesfully development missions for both the industry and the arts at large (3M, Alfac, Conservatoire royal de Bruxelles, Plantin, RTBF, sic, etc).
From 1993 till 2001 he was an active board member of Icograda, International Council of Graphic Design Associations, which organisation he presided over from 1997 till 1999. Guy Schockaert main professional objective is to take graphic design to new levels of understanding and application.
Guy currently presides over Ydesign Foundation, teacher in Saint-Luc typography and book design, edits …graphier (weekly newsletter on creativity) is fluent in French and has a knowledge of Dutch and English.

Johan Valcke (°1952) Board member
Graduated as an archeologist at the Ghent University in, currently heads Design Flanders, part of VIZO (Flemish Institute for
Independent Entrepreneurship) and represents his design center in numerous international design organisations such as BEDA, International Design Alliance, EDF, etc.
Johan has driven the recognition of design as a tool to stimulate economic and cultural research and development in Flanders as well as rewarded a series of Flemish designers and architects for their achievements on behalf of international brands such as Cappelini, Puiforcat, Tupperware, Samsonite and more.
Johan is a board member of Ydesign Foundation and fluent in Dutch, French and English.

Kristel Van Ael (°1964) Board member
Graduated in 1987 as a product designer in Antwerp and in 1999 obtained a postgraduate degree in 'integral product development' at the KU Leuven. Kristel is currently active as a design manager for e-business at Tagora advertising group, teaches webdesign at the Hogeschool Antwerpen, department for product development and continues to develop her own practice as an independent designer.
Furthermore since 2003 Kristel van Ael has been a member of the approval Commission for Architecture and Design of the Ministry of the Flemish Community and since 2004 is also a member of the Council for the Arts.
Kristel is a board member of Yellow Design Foundation and fluent in Dutch, French and English.

Quentin van der Straten (°1974) Board member
Graduated in graphic design from the Ecole de recherche graphique in Brussels and obtained a Master's degree communication design at St-martins School in London in 2001.
After several asignments on behalf of Kadratura and Communiation & Finance, Quentin van der Straten is currently active as a senior designer with Karakas.
Quentin is member of the board of Yellow Design Foundation and fluent in French, English and Spanish with a good understanding of Dutch.

Gérard Wibin (°1938)
Bachelor in Industrial Design (ISL) and Scenography (UCL). Professor of industrial Design, Structures, Heuristic and Communication. Manager of design office Gerard Wibin Creations.
"We create starting from a market, equipment, psychologies and budgets of the company".
Design of machines of building site, equipment of heating, furniture of luxury out of wood, metal or stone, industrial gastronomy, packagings, technical editions, ergonomics, showroom in kit and commercial architecture.
Currently - Furniture of bathroom out of marbles. Jewellery and fashion accessories. Public spaces: monumental mosaics, fountains, urban furniture, roundabouts.