From small Belgian SME to top‑5 ambition: Mickael Van den Hauwe’s fifteen years as WDP’s CFO
Mickael, “Mick”, Van den Hauwe joined WDP as CFO in 2011, when WDP was still a small SME with a relatively modest market capital on the stock exchange. Over the years he’s watched WDP grow into the dynamic, results-driven and people-focused organisation it is today, and he’s helped build it along the way. He still enjoys the never-ending journey of a growing company. Here’s a look back at Mick’s 15 years at WDP.
When I joined WDP 15 years ago
When I started, we really were still a Belgian SME. A portfolio of less than a billion, almost entirely in Belgium. There were about 25 of us, all cosily together in one space. And on the stock exchange? We were the little guy, less than €500 million in market capital.
I still remember it well: Joost cleared out his mailbox and said, ‘It’s up to you now, let’s GO.’ And from that moment on, it was simply: go. What appealed to me straight away was that unique tension that makes WDP so strong: entrepreneurship with family values, combined with the professionalism and discipline of a listed company. That combination brings speed, ownership and ambition, without ever becoming cold or distant.
What WDP means for me today
Today, WDP is the place where I put in a huge amount of energy, but also get a huge amount back. Because you’re building something together with a strong team, in an environment that’s both pleasant and dynamic. It keeps moving forward. There’s drive. There’s appetite. And there’s a team that makes each other stronger.
There’s drive. There’s appetite. And there’s a team that makes each other stronger.
How I see WDP in the future
Looking ahead, the ambition is clear: 2030. A WDP that grows into a top‑5 EU listed real estate company, with next-level client total infra solutions. Think big, execute sharply, and keep being entrepreneurial with the same values that were there from the start. That’s what I’m hoping for, and what I’m happy to keep putting my shoulder behind.
The project I’ll never forget
If you ask me for the one project I’ll never forget, honestly, there are too many to name. But what stands out for me every time isn’t one file or one delivery, it’s the feeling of working toward something. Like training for a sports event, often the journey there is the most enjoyable part. It’s exactly the same at WDP. Time and again we dare to reinvent ourselves, put new ambitions on the table, and turn growth plans into reality. For me that’s the essence: starting with an idea and a blank page, working it out creatively, and then, the power of execution. That combination, creativity and execution, is what makes WDP what it is today.