Who is Cécile Neven, the new boss of the Union Wallonne des Entreprises?

2023-08-30 21:37:19

August 30, 2023
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August 30, 2023
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Woman of files and convictions, endowed with a great capacity for dialogue and openness; Cécile Neven becomes the new boss of Walloon bosses.

“I have always had a deep admiration for entrepreneurs who are a real lever of prosperity“. Thus speaks Cecile Neven, the new boss of the Walloon bosses, appointed Wednesday at the head of the Walloon Union of Enterprises (UWE), thus succeeding Olivier de Wasseige who had been dismissed from the post last April. Currently occupying the position of director of the Partnerships division, Cécile Neven comes from the seraglio of the UWE.

The lady is discreet, to say the least. Agricultural engineer training, she began her career as an environmental advisor within the Public Service Wallonia then on behalf of Federation of Chemistry and Life Sciences (Essensia). In 2005 she joined UWE as an advisor in the Environment department. “She excelled as an energy advisor, she was one of the best in Wallonia”, told us entrusted to Olivier de Wasseigewho, when he headed the UWE, brought up Cécile Neven on the management committee.

“When I arrived at UWE, I restructured the management a bit. That’s when I put Cécile Neven on the management committee. I’ve never regretted it. It was a excellent manager from an organizational point of view and in relation to team management”, recalls the predecessor of the new CEO of UWE.

“She is a woman of files, with very strong convictions, who defends her positions.”

Philippe Destatte

President of the Destree Institute

More or less at the same time last year, Cecile Neven had been appointed as administrator of the Destrée Institute. “I had the opportunity to work a lot with Cécile Neven who is someone who inspires confidence, who has clear ideas. She is a woman of files, with very strong convictions, who defends her positions”, explained to us Philippe Destatte, the president of the Walloon think tank. “Cécile is also a woman open to dialogue, which is important for UWE. The public authorities need people like her in front of them”, further specified our interlocutor.

“Cécile Neven wants to help Wallonia move forward, she wants to put people around the same table. she is not afraid to look to the future. She is not fixed on her positions, she has a great ability to anticipate the challenges of tomorrow”, explained to us, for her part. Samuel Saelensthe other right arm of Olivier de Wasseige.

Contacted at the end of the day on Wednesday, Cécile Neven prefers to give herself time before sending her first messages. “I have a deep admiration for companies, regardless of their size. It takes a lot of courage to be an entrepreneurI measure it on a daily basis”, explains the one who knows that she will not be short of work to do, election year obliges. “I am struck to see that there are so many people who want Wallonia to take ‘magnitude.’

Aware of the symbolic significance to see a femme become the boss of bossesshe insists on the importance and the weight of diversity in companies, “and not only in terms of gender”, she concludes.

CV Express