KBC Group: Frederik Vandepitte, CEO KBC Securities succeeds Franky Depickere as CEO Cera-group. Geert Cleuren has been proposed as new CEO KBC Securities.

Frederik Vandepitte, who has been CEO of KBC Securities since 1 May 2019, will become full-time managing director and CEO of Cera-group as of 1 February 2024. Frederik follows in the footsteps of Franky Depickere, who has successfully led the Cera-group since 2006.

Until the end of April 2026, Franky Depickere will remain a part-time managing director and will continue to fulfill his mandates and assignments in the KBC Group on behalf of Cera and prepare their transfer. 

The Executive Committee of KBC Group NV has proposed to the Nomination Committee and the Board of Directors of KBC Securities NV to nominate Mr. Geert Cleuren as managing director  and CEO of KBC Securities NV and successor of Frederik Vandepitte. This nomination is subject to approval by the European Central Bank.

Since 2 July 2018, Frederik Vandepitte was a member of the executive committee and since 1 May 2019  managing director and CEO of KBC Securities NV.

Frederik Vandepitte (°1974) started his professional career at The Boston Consulting Group and worked in investment banking at Morgan Stanley from 2002 to 2015, most recently as Managing Director responsible for the Belgian operations. From 2016 to 2018, he was a member of the Management Committee of Incofin Investment Management, where he was responsible for fund development, investor relations and talent management.

He graduated as Commercial Engineer in Managerial Informatics from KU Leuven and obtained an MBA from Columbia Business School. After a period of 10 years abroad, in New York, London and Sydney, he returned to Belgium in 2010.

Frederik Vandepitte is married with 3 children.

Luc, Popelier, CFO KBC Group and Chairman of the Board of Directors of KBC Securities NV thanks Frederik Vandepitte for his years of dedication : " As CEO of KBC Securities, Frederik was the driving force behind the strong growth and undeniable success of KBC Securities in all aspects of investment banking. Frederik has not only further strengthened KBC Securities' leadership in ECM, sales, brokerage and equity research but he has also ensured that we have become the reference in Belgian business in advising companies on mergers and acquisitions, financial advice and business valuations. In recent years, numerous complex strategic transactions for leading Belgian companies, family offices and investors have been guided by KBC Securities. Corporate sustainability is also now highly valued by KBC Securities. I would like to thank Frederik for his strong leadership, vision, commercial strength and organizational ability and wish him every success in his new challenge. I am pleased that in his new position he will remain strongly connected to the KBC Group".

Luc Popelier also welcomes Geert Cleuren: "With great joy, I also welcome Geert as the new CEO of KBC Securities. Geert is a KBC veteran and has a strong track record in corporate banking. With his strategic insight, in-depth knowledge and extensive customer network, he will be particularly able to add value to our corporate customers, ensuring the continued growth of KBC Securities." 

About his appointment as managing director of Cera Société de Gestion (statutory director of Cera) and Almancora Société de Gestion (statutory director of KBC Ancora), Frederik Vandepitte says the following: "I was  of course surprised and honored when I was contacted for this position. The choice was difficult, especially since I still find my current position, and especially working with KBC Securities’ customers and teams, very exciting and challenging. However, the lure was great: the combination of a financial and a social mission makes the new challenge extremely exciting.  It is therefore with great enthusiasm that I take up this commitment to Cera, a choice of the mind as well as the heart, which also brings me back closer to my roots.

At KBC Securities we have already worked very closely with my successor Geert Cleuren in recent years and Geert knows the qualities and uniqueness of our staff.  He has a strong profile, extensive network and vast experience and I am confident that he will provide the necessary continuity and successfully lead the further development of KBC Securities to offer our customers the best possible service."

Geert Cleuren (°1979) graduated in 2010 with a Master's degree in Applied Economics (option accounting) from Ghent University.

He started his career in 2010 at Deloitte as an auditor. In 2011 he joined KBC Corporate banking, first as a credit analyst, and from 2012 to 2016 as a relationship manager in the Ghent corporate branch. Between 2016 and 2018, he was responsible for KBC's Brabant-West corporate branch and in 2018, as project leader, he set up the joint venture Soluz.io for the bank. In 2019 he became Director of Policy in Corporate Banking and since 2021 he was Director Senior Bankers. Geert is a proud father of 2 sons.

A photo of Frederik Vandepitte and Geert Cleuren is available from the KBC Group Press Office  ().

For more information, please contact:

Viviane Huybrecht, General Manager, Corporate Communication/Spokesperson, KBC Group

Tel 5  -

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