Karl Boumans

Master of Laws
Master of Psychology

After graduating, he immediately plunged into entrepreneurship. He started his own business to support innovation, new forms of leadership and cooperation, as well as the development of social skills. He was also highly involved in the world of start-ups and scale-ups through his guidance and support services, which gave him a broader perspective on business.

In 2017, he decided he needed to shift gears and refocus on his personal growth and development. His personal experiences drive him to get organisations moving and keep them active in the field of (digital) innovation in an international context. That was what motivated him to start as (Digital) Innovation and International Entrepreneurship Advisor at Voka Flemish Brabant, where he also took up the role of Creativity and Health Priority Manager at Smart Hub Flemish Brabant. He found this role especially exciting because of the whole digitisation-related context, where he had the opportunity to collaborate with the various players from the innovation scene on a project basis from start to finish.

Given the major digital transformations the food sector is facing, he now has the chance to continue developing his expertise at Flanders’ FOOD from 2021 onwards. In addition to all these technological developments, he sees achieving a balance with the ‘human’ aspect as an essential counterweight; in that respect, his expertise in teamwork, leadership, motivation, and dealing with change can provide significant added value to the food industry. His main goal is to encourage the Flemish food industry to improve and multiply its innovation activities and to keep investing in research, development and innovation.

In his free time, Karl can be found either in the kitchen or behind the barbecue. Although he might also be out and about on a 100 km bike trip... But above all, he spends many an early morning out in the forest, connecting with nature through rewilding (i.e. physical workouts and mindfulness, drawing on the natural environment around him). That isn’t to say, of course, that he doesn’t enjoy great food paired with the right wine on a sun-drenched terrace in Italy or the South of France just as much.