Session 1- What Is the Impact of AI on Local Economies?

MODERATOR

Professor of digital economics and strategy at Solvay (ULB)

Nicolas van Zeebroeck is a Full Professor of Digital Economics and Strategy at the Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management (SBS-EM) of the Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB). After completing his master's in business engineering and doctorate in economics and management at Solvay, he worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the FNRS (from 2009 to 2011) and at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta (in 2009). His research, which has appeared in journals such as Management Science, Research Policy, Harvard Business Review, MIT Sloan Management Review, Technovation, Information Economics and Policy and Pattern Recognition, focuses on the ways in which digital technology affects the performance and organisation of companies and industries. At Solvay, he teaches computer science, management information systems, digital strategy and digital transformation. In recent years, he has taken a particular interest in artificial intelligence and the contribution (positive and negative) of digital technology to environmental challenges.

Nicolas regularly appears as an expert on these same themes in the media, for private or public institutions (he recently led the definition of the Brussels Region's artificial intelligence strategy) or at professional or general public conferences. As Deputy to the President and Rector of the University since 2019, he is responsible for ULB's IT and digital strategy. He has also served as a member of the Belgium’s High Council for Employment (from 2020 to 2025) and as a Senior Fellow at the Conference Board. He is currently director of TIMES² (SBS-EM’s research centre on innovation, technology and strategy) and a founding member of FARI (the ULB-VUB Institute on Artificial Intelligence for the Common Good).

After his Master in Business Engineering (2001) from Solvay (ULB), Nicolas started his career as a consultant at Capgemini before coming back to Solvay for his PhD in Economics and Management (obtained in 2008). Since he joined Solvay as a Professor in 2011, he has been academic director of its Master in Business Engineering (from 2011 to 2016) and its Advanced Master in Innovation and Strategic Management (from 2014 to 2016), has successfully led the EQUIS re-accreditation process of the School in 2013 and 2016, and served as Deputy Dean for Management Research from 2018 to 2020.

SPEAKER

Partner & Scale-Up Leader for Deloitte Belgium

Scaling a tech company isn’t just about having a great product; it’s about building a foundation that doesn’t crack under pressure.

As the Scale-Up Leader for Deloitte Belgium, I bridge the gap between global expertise and the agile needs of the Belgian ecosystem. My role goes beyond "Big Law"—I act as a strategic partner for founders navigating the high-stakes journey of the 'Emerging Growth' lifecycle.

How I help your business:

Revenue-Driven Legal: I don’t just "do law"; I accelerate your deal-making. From commercial contracting to complex negotiations, I focus on the legal hurdles that impact your top line.

Asset Building: We turn your compliance and regulatory roadmap into a competitive differentiator, ensuring you are "investor-ready" at every stage.

No-Nonsense Delivery: With almost 20 years in the ecosysem, I know that start/scale-ups need speed, not 40-page memos. I provide tech-savvy, entrepreneurial advice that moves the needle.

Beyond the start-up world, I assist family-owned businesses and SMEs in navigating international partnerships and leveraging technology to stay ahead of the curve.

Whether you are looking to refine your commercial roadmap or scale internationally, let’s connect.

SPEAKER

Public Affairs Director at European DIGITAL SME Alliance

Antonio Grasso is Public Affairs Director at the European DIGITAL SME Alliance. He works on EU digital and industrial policy, advocating for empowering tech SMEs as drivers of a more sovereign and competitive European technological ecosystem.

His work covers areas including artificial intelligence, data governance, cybersecurity, digital public infrastructure. He also contributes to actions supporting the building of a European technological stack, with the objective of strengthening Europe’s technological sovereignty and global competitiveness. He regularly engages with institutions and stakeholders on Europe´s digital and industrial future.

SPEAKER

CEO of BECI, the Brussels Chamber of Commerce

ce June 1st 2024, Thierry is the CEO of Beci, representing 35.000 small, medium and large businesses in Brussels. From 2011 to 2024, he has been heading Google in Belgium.

He graduated from the VUB as a Solvay Business Engineer and soon became general manager of an industrial laundry company. Mid-1990s, he reoriented himself towards the media industry and held various management positions at VUM (now Mediahuis). 

He is the author of two books : Digitalis, in which he describes the possibilities of the digital world, and Homo Digitalis, about the impact of the digital revolution on people and society (more than 50,000 copies sold).

He has also been a Business Angel for about twenty years and has guided about twenty five companies in various sectors and development phases, including as co-founder of BeCentral, WinterCircus and Medi-Market.