Edwin Van Vlierberghe joined the ImpactBuilders core team of Jan Lagast and Remko Westerbeek mid October. They are now drafting the business plans of the startups that serial entrepreneur Jan Lagast recently acquired. Edwin Van Vlierberghe was global responsible for Operations and Supply Chain in Bombardier Transportation. Up to now, he had a long career in production planning, and worked e.g. for Volvo and Bekaert Stanwick. He could have continued his career in the international industrial world, but chose for the much smaller team of Jan and Remko, and wants to build startups that impact the world now.
“My major motivation is the drive of this team to prove that purpose and profit can be in perfect harmony,” explains Van Vlierberghe. “Getting the work force more appreciated, has been my intention for ages already. So you can imagine I am thrilled to partner with an entrepreneur like Jan Lagast, who is converting such an intention into start-ups like FunkyTime and Flxion.”
“We were looking for an experienced start-up planner for some time. Yet, we could not easily find a planner who is aligned with our values. Moreover, it’s not easy for a small enterprise like us to attract world class colleagues. It is now very clear to me that impact and purpose make the difference. And, honestly, I am surprised by the attractively of purpose,” knows Lagast.
“When I was working as a global HR manager, I noticed how a purpose-driven strategy can motivate a team. When recruiting new colleagues I also witnessed the attraction power of such a strategy, as well as the filtering effect it has in the selection. Since I noticed Edwin was fundamentally aligned with our drive to impact the world, I immediately knew we were making the right choice”, concludes Westerbeek.