The Management behind LUMA
Combining relevant technical and business backgrounds with specific knowledge of marketing and communications industries worldwide, we believe we make a great team that can help you grow your business and your brand.
Kristof Vereenooghe
Chief Executive Officer
Kristof Vereenooghe is known as a serial entrepreneur with an emphatic hands-on mentality. Before becoming a co-founder of LUMA, he was CEO and President of Punch Graphix Americas (US), subsidiary of the exchange-listed Punch Graphix. The turnaround and strong growth in the US contributed to the successful IPO on the AIM (London) in May 2005. He began with the Punch group in 2002 first as International Business Manager and then Managing Director of Xeikon Germany. Kristof started his career in 1993 at Arplam and ensured that this family business grew to become the international Arplama Group with branches in Belgium, Germany, Eastern Europe and the US. He has a Technical Engineering degree from the Ecole Polytechnique (France). Kristof is a member of the ELP (London), the Advisory Board of the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration (Ghent University) and the iGMO Academy of the Vlerick Leuven Gent Management School.
Erik Laurijssen
President
As a multifaceted business executive with an entrepreneurial spirit, Erik Laurijssen has notched up impressive experience within the high-tech software industry. Before becoming a co-founder of LUMA he worked for Xeikon, a pioneer in digital color printing. He headed the Workflow Solutions business unit, responsible for developing Xeikon's revolutionary X-800 digital front-end which achieved €20 million in annual sales. From 1991 to 1999 he occupied a variety of operational and leadership positions at Gnosis, now Progress. In 1995 he was appointed Director R&D. Erik holds a master's degree in engineering sciences - civil engineering (K.U. Leuven, Belgium).
Bert Driessen
Chief Operating Officer
Bert Driessen is a versatile executive manager who can look back on some 27 years of experience at the highest level. Before beginning with LUMA International at the start of 2010, for six years he was Vice President Operations and Managing Director of the European branch of VistaPrint. Under his leadership the printer grew from a start-up to become an efficient world-class organization employing several hundred staff. Prior to that he occupied a variety of posts in high-tech R&D and operational management in international sectors. His employers included Oce Technologies, DAF Trucks, ASML (semiconductors) and Sulzer-Eldim (aviation and aerospace). Bert holds a Bachelor's degree in Computer Sciences and Software Engineering and a Master's in Mechanical Engineering from the Technical University Eindhoven (Netherlands); he also completed the International Executive Program at INSEAD (France).
Alex Stempels
Chief Financial Officer
Alex Stempels is exactly the right person to lead LUMA International's growth in the right direction. Before he began with LUMA in 2009 he was CFO and co-investor with the Groenewegen Group. Under his leadership the group returned to profitability. Alex began his career as an accountant and consultant with Pricewaterhouse Coopers in the Netherlands. In 1998 he was one of the founders of FinAce and in 2000 he became CFO with ActiveISP. He played a crucial role in the successful turnaround of the IMAG Group (which included the Belgian helmet manufacturer Lazer), for which he was CFO and co-investor from 2003 to 2006. Alex achieved a bachelor's degree in Accountancy at the Haagse Hogeschool (Netherlands) and followed a postgraduate Accountancy course at the University of Amsterdam and an Executive MBA at the Lemniscaat School of Management (Netherlands).
Peter Coppens
Chief Technology Officer
Peter Coppens can look back on more than 20 years of practical experience in IT development, architecture and security. Before becoming a co-founder of LUMA International, he worked for more than a decade as Program and Development Manager with Progress Software Corporation. After his studies he was closely involved as a senior developer and engineer with a variety of companies in developing complex applications and systems. He held a seat on the ANSI H2 commission which was responsible for the SQL standard and was a member of the XQuery working group of W3C. Peter achieved a master's degree in Chemistry and a certificate in information technology at the University of Antwerp, and concluded his studies with a doctoral degree in Chemistry from the same university.
Ellen Bartholomeeusen
VP Marketing EMEA
As a seasoned marketer Ellen Bartholomeeusen knows better than anyone just what LUMA can mean for organizations. Before she started at LUMA in 2009 she was Head of Marketing of SAP Belux which took over Business Objects in 2008 and where she was first Marketing Communications Manager and then Senior Marketing Manager Benelux. From 2001 to 2006 she worked with the Belgian subsidiary of the American Lakeview Technology as Marketing Manager responsible for all marketing campaigns in the EMEA. Ellen gained a master's degree in Commercial Science, her main subject being Marketing Management, at the Handelshogeschool Antwerp (now the Lessius Hogeschool, Belgium).
Kris Bondi
VP Marketing North America
Kris Bondi has more than 20 years experience in international marketing and journalism. As VP Marketing for North America, Kris leads LUMA’s positioning and North American marketing efforts. As a partner in CNW Consulting from 1998 to 2006, she served as a consultant and interim marketing lead for international brands, SaaS companies, enterprise software and technologies. Her clients included Starbucks, Visa International, Commerce One, Cast Iron Systems, TIBCO Software and numerous promising Silicon Valley startups. Kris has also served in corporate marketing roles with E2Open, Sonics, Inc. and Cord Blood Registry. Kris holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications Rhetoric and Political Science from the University of Pittsburgh.