Stijn Vermeulen steps down from element61 as Managing Director as of January 1st, 2026, and transitions leadership to the existing management team, so that continuity is guaranteed.
On behalf of the entire element61 team, we sincerely thank Stijn for his vision and perseverance in building element61 into the company it is today. His leadership has shaped the company’s DNA, fostered an exceptional working environment and created opportunities for people to grow and develop professionally.
Hereby please find a personal message from Stijn:
After nearly 20 years at the company I co-founded with Toon Puissant, I have made the difficult decision to step down from my roles at element61 and Moore Belgium. Two factors came together in recent months: a different view on the international evolution of element61 and the health of my partner. These made it clear that this is the right moment to hand over the day-to-day leadership.
Throughout 2025, we have worked on preparing a leadership team that is ready to take the company forward: Steven Decerf, Peter Depypere, Tom Graft, and Bart Van der Vurst. Supported by Bjorn Van Damme, Frederic de Schutter, Kurt Vandebergh, and Timothy Van Brusselen, they will take on their new responsibilities as of January 1st, 2026.
I have full confidence in this team. They embody everything that makes element61 special, and they are more than ready for the next chapter. Until the end of this year, I will focus on transferring my responsibilities as smoothly as possible, and I will remain available to support them throughout 2026 on an ad hoc basis.
Looking back, I am incredibly proud of what we have built together: from a small Analytics start-up in 2007 to a team of 140 talented people and a 2025 turnover of over 27 million euros. Since joining Moore Belgium in 2016, we have strengthened our position even further. I am grateful for the trust to have served on the Executive Committee and Board of Directors of Moore Belgium, co-driving the Group’s Digital Roadmap.
But more than the numbers, it is the team that means the most to me. element61 today stands stronger than ever — in Analytics & AI expertise, market presence, reputation for quality, and, most of all, in the unique way our people collaborate, support, and inspire each other.
The company’s DNA - expertise, excellence, customer focus, personal development, knowledge sharing, and building IP - is deeply embedded in the team. That makes me confident that element61 will thrive long beyond any individual contribution.
Thank you to everyone, colleagues, customers, suppliers & business partners, for the journey so far. I look forward to seeing the next 20 years of element61 unfold.