De Sutter: ‘Bpost needs a new CEO very quickly’

Minister of Public Enterprises Petra De Sutter insists on a rapid change of CEO at the post office, given the ‘tipping point’ in the market.

‘Bpost needs a new CEO very quickly.’ Petra De Sutter, Minister of Public Enterprises, emphasizes this on Monday in ‘The Morning’ on Radio 1. ‘We have to start from scratch in that search, but we will do that too.’

The minister responds to the resignation of CEO Jean-Paul Van Avermaet on Sunday evening. It pays the bill for the dramatic annual results with which the postal group came out last week. She emphasizes that the poor annual report in itself is not the reason why the government to intervene early on Sunday evening, but it is the proverbial drop in view of the image damage.

The minister emphasizes that the cartel investigations into Van Avermaet’s previous employer, G4S, were also not the problem in themselves. ‘Van Avermaet had a duty of transparency towards the board of directors regarding these ongoing investigations. This obligation has still not been satisfactorily fulfilled. That is why the bucket has now overflowed. ‘

The investigations had paralyzed the CEO at the worst imaginable moment, with more and more questions about the CEO’s ‘leadership qualities’, according to De Sutter. In addition, the board of directors was divided on the matter.


The current tipping point in the market requires a decisive board of directors and CEO.

Petra De Sutter

Minister of Public Enterprises

“The need is great,” says De Sutter. She notes that the government is negotiating a new management contract with Bpost. “That requires a decisive board of directors and CEO, just like the turning point in the market with a rapid increase in parcels and the reverse evolution of letter post.”

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