title: Thomas Leysen
text: # Thomas Leysen
  
  Thomas Leysen (born 1960) is a Belgian entrepreneur who graduated from the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven with a degree in law.
  
  ## Career
  
  Leysen spent a large part of his career at Umicore (formerly Union Minière), which was transformed under his leadership from a metals producer to a materials technology group with leading positions in battery materials, automotive catalysts and precious metals recycling. He was CEO of the company until 2008, after which he became chairman of the board.
  
  Leysen was chairman of the Federation of Enterprises in Belgium (FEB) between 2008 and 2011.
  
  Between 2011 and 2020, Leysen has been chairman of the board of KBC Group, a banking and insurance group with activities mainly in Belgium, Central Europe and Ireland.
  
  Leysen is also the chairman and a large shareholder of Mediahuis, a media company and leading publisher of newspapers in Belgium, The Netherlands, Ireland, Luxembourg and Germany (De Standaard, De Telegraaf, NRC Handelsblad, Irish Independent, among other publications). In addition, he is chairman of the Belgian Corporate Governance Commission. He has long been committed to the promotion of sustainability development, and was the founding chair of The Shift, a coalition of businesses and non-governmental organisations in Belgium.
  
  ## Other activities
  
  ### Corporate boards
  
  * Toyota, member of the global advisory board
  * Atlas Copco,member of the board
  
  ### Non-profit organizations
  
  * Bilderberg Group, member of the steering committee
  * European Round Table of Industrialists (ERT), member
  * Friends of Europe, member of the board of trustees
  * King Baudouin Foundation, chairman (2016 till 2021)
  * Flemish Heritage Council, chairman
  * Rubenianum Fund, chairman
  * Trilateral Commission, member of the European Group
  * Federation of Belgian Enterprises (VBO), chairman (2008–2011)
  
  ## Sources
  
  * Board of Directors (Umicore)
  