“As Chairman of the Board, I congratulate Joep on behalf of Vétérinaires Sans Frontières Belgium on his appointment and wish him success in his new challenge. Vétérinaires Sans Frontières-Belgium looks forward to working with Joep in his new capacity at the renowned University of Wageningen,” says Guy Hendrickx.

Important progress

Vétérinaires Sans Frontières Belgium would like to thank Joep for all progress Vétérinaires Sans Frontières Belgium has made during his time as Director: decentralizing the structure of Vétérinaires Sans Frontières Belgium, fulfilling the increasing demand of co-financing, further professionalizing our administrative organization as well as our internal control systems, strengthening the Regional Offices, having solid teams in every country and region, to name but a few. Joep has also taken difficult decisions in an ever changing context: the most difficult one included closing programs in South Sudan and Kenya.

Social profit model

In the next cycle of change for Vétérinaires Sans Frontières Belgium, the new Director will focus more on how Vétérinaires Sans Frontières Belgium can promote even more its expertise. It will not be business as usual, as institutional donors are shifting their attention (and thus their money). Call for proposals in larger consortia are already the norm. But Vétérinaires Sans Frontières Belgium will have to see how to excel and promote itself. This will include a shift to a ‘social profit’ model, a new challenge and opportunity where Vétérinaires Sans Frontières Belgium may become an innovative leader.