224 Members, 81 Events, and a New Chairman: Benelux Chamber 2026 AGM

On June 17th, members of the Benelux Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai gathered at Fumin Guild Hall for our 2026 Annual General Meeting, a key moment each year to reflect on the Chamber's progress and set our direction for the year ahead.

The evening opened with welcoming remarks from outgoing Chairman Karel Eloot, followed by a review of the Chamber's 2025 activities, financial report, and 2026 budget, presented by Tom Chen and Kristien Loontjens. General Manager Jonathan Xu and Commercial Director Kim Steen then guided members through the Chamber's achievements in 2025 and outlook for the remainder of 2026.

Members reflected on another strong year for the Chamber. In 2025, the Benelux Chamber grew to 224 members, organized 81 events across China, achieved an average event satisfaction score of 4.3/5, and continued expanding initiatives such as Intern2China, Industry Practice Groups (IPGs), and the Young Professionals Network. The Chamber also welcomed more than 500 students through its educational initiatives and saw significant growth across its communication channels.

Looking ahead, members were introduced to the Chamber's plans for 2026, including further expansion of its Industry Practice Groups, incoming business and university delegations, the Benelux Road Show, Career Fair, Annual Gala & Best of Benelux Awards Dinner, and continued development of Intern2China and member services.

We were also delighted to highlight Mattias Debroyer, Trade Commissioner at hub.brussels, and extend our sincere thanks for his continued support of our Chamber community, as he's leaving Shanghai soon. A special shoutout as well to outgoing board member Bas Kreukniet (VP China, NTS), who shared his farewell message via video from abroad.

During the AGM, members voted on the new Board of Directors and Executive Committee. We extend our sincere gratitude to outgoing Chairman Karel Eloot and outgoing board members Bas Kreukniet, Sirvan Canitez, Raoul Schweicher, and David Xu for their leadership, dedication, and contributions to the Chamber's growth over the years.

We are pleased to welcome Philippe Snel (Managing Director China, Da Wo Law Firm) as the Chamber's new Chairman, alongside newly elected board members Hans Kreemers (Sales Director APAC, Bekaert Deslee), Brian Blömer (Partner, MSA Advisory), Boudewijn Feith (Managing Director China, Rituals), and Lennart Scheunis (China R&D Head, Umicore).

Thank you to everyone who joined us and to our partners, sponsors, and supporters who continue to make the Chamber's activities possible. We look forward to another exciting year of connecting, informing, and supporting the Benelux business community in China.