Discover the judges of this edition of the awards!

Chris Baelus was a professor of product development at the University of Antwerp. He graduated in 1981 as an industrial designer from the NHIBS/Henry van de Velde Institute. After working as an independent designer for several years, he opted for education and research in product development. Until his emeritus status he has been affiliated with the Faculty of Design Sciences at the University of Antwerp.

Alexis Jacoby studied product development and worked for 20 years both in the corporate world and within education. He received his PhD in product development in 2012 and today chairs the Product Development Department of the Faculty of Design Sciences, University of Antwerp. He teaches design methodology and strategic design. With his research team, he focuses on complex problems and the role design can play in them.

Bas Sturm studied industrial design at TU Delft. He worked for DAF, Philips and GE Plastics, among others, and was a partner at the design agency NLA Industrial Design. In the meantime, he taught part-time at Design Academy Eindhoven. As a business advisor at VLAIO Team Bedrijfstrajecten, he is intensively involved in innovation projects at Flemish companies.

Bie Luyssaert started as the Head of Public Relations & Communication at the Design Museum Ghent in 2020. At Design Flanders since 1999, she discovered her love for design in all its aspects. Promoting and supporting Flemish designers for more than 20 years has provided a thorough insight into the Flemish design landscape.

Brigitte Mouligneau studied law and worked for the Leuven Faculty of Law and the Flemish Government. Her interest in sustainable transitions and network management grew from her focus on the more complex long-term challenges. For example, she was able to work at Vlaanderen Circulair in 2016, where she has been focusing on the transition to a circular economy in Flanders as the Transition Manager since 2018.

Carole Baijings is co-founder of the Amsterdam based studio Scholten & Baijings until 2019. She is regarded as one of the most exciting, innovative and dynamic industrial designers in Europe. A self-confessed perfectionist, her work, which includes ceramics, glassware, textiles, furniture and electronics, is distinguished by a carefully considered use of colour, pattern and graphic elements. This resulted in numerous partnerships with brands such as Samsung, IKEA, MINI, HAY, Herman Miller, Fatboy, Karimoku New Standard and Maharam among others.

Cédric Vanhoeck is Resortecs’ co-founder and CEO. Cédric studied Industrial Design Engineering at TU Delft and a Brand Management at Domus Academy. For over six years, Cédric has dedicated his time and expertise to using technology to address the environmental challenges of the textile industry. In 2023 Resortecs received the Henry van de Velde Ecodesign by OVAM Award.

Greetje Lathouwers graduated as an architect from the then Henry Van de Velde Institute in 1994 and complemented this education with extras in graphic design, textile design and printing techniques. She combined an architectural practice with design supervision. Currently, she has been working full time for several years as head of training in Interior Design, unit Interior, Design & Architecture at Thomas More hogeschool.

Hugo Puttaert is a graphic designer, curator, lecturer and reviewer. He organised the Integrated conferences, curated exhibitions, published Addmagazine and gave various workshops. He teaches at Sint Lucas Antwerp and has co-authored several books on graphic design, including Think in Colour on his studio visionandfactory (2014; MER Paper Kunsthalle) and Geometrically Speaking (2024; Not Yet. Publishers).

Ingwio D'Hespeel is a lecturer and researcher in the Visual Design and Design for Impact programmes at LUCA School of Arts Ghent. He guides interdisciplinary teams in creatively tackling complex societal challenges. This is also where he feels completely at home: his favourite place is the intersection where education, research and creative activism meet.

Jop Quirindongo is owner of Lowres Creative Studio in Amsterdam, a one-man visual identity studio. After studying Digital Media Design at the Utrecht School of the Arts, Jop was, among other things, a partner at a graphics agency. He has now been working as an independent designer for many years. Jop is also active at Dutch Digital Design, the foundation that gives Dutch digital projects a stage.

Jorn is a future and transition strategist, and co-founder of ELDERS. He started as a behavioural designer for SUE Amsterdam and co-founded the Behavioural Design Academy. He then started his own office for sustainable behaviour change and co-founded the Sustainability Leadership Programme at KU Leuven. Together with his co-founder Lien De Ruyck, he writes the newsletter Regenerative Futures, with hopeful future perspectives for everyone working towards a sustainable and regenerative world.

Kate Stockman is an experienced brand and business strategist, future researcher and innovation coach and leads FUTURE BUSINESS STUDIO, where she drives strategy and creative innovation projects for (inter)national design, fashion, food, hospitality and entertainment brands, helping them to see their blind spots and engage in sustainable growth. She is also a professor of Trend Implementation (Erasmushogeschool Brussel), keynote speaker and has a background as a photographer and creative director.

Natalie Helsen is a lifestyle journalist. After five years of writing and coordinating fashion and design, among others, for De Morgen Magazine, she joined Sabato as a fashion and lifestyle journalist before becoming a freelancer in 2023. In fashion, architecture and design, her sociological background (VUB), her aesthetic fascinations and love for crafts, nuance and human stories flow together. Today, you can read her work in Weekend Knack, Sabato and Feeling, among others.

Thierry has been heading Google in Belgium and Luxembourg from 2011 till 2024. He is the author of two books about the impact of digitalisation on business and society: Digitalis, how to reinvent the world and Homo digitalis, how digitalisation is making us more human.

Bart Lens is the founder of Lens°Ass studio and works on projects ranging from architecture and interior design to product and concept development. He designs for companies such as Moome, Jongform, Eden Design, and was asked to lead Bokrijk into a new era. He became curator with the task of developing an innovative and contemporary view of museum operations for the various crafts. As Bokrijk Master Builder, Bart helps watch over the DNA values from an overarching vision of craftsmanship. 

Chris Baelus was a professor of product development at the University of Antwerp. He graduated in 1981 as an industrial designer from the NHIBS/Henry van de Velde Institute. After working as an independent designer for several years, he opted for education and research in product development. Until his emeritus status he has been affiliated with the Faculty of Design Sciences at the University of Antwerp.

Brigitte Mouligneau studied law and worked for the Leuven Faculty of Law and the Flemish Government. Her interest in sustainable transitions and network management grew from her focus on the more complex long-term challenges. For example, she was able to work at Vlaanderen Circulair in 2016, where she has been focusing on the transition to a circular economy in Flanders as the Transition Manager since 2018.

As an art historian, Elien Haentjens has been writing about design, art and architecture for various magazines, publications and websites for 15 years. In addition, she has been curating and organising exhibitions and residencies for designers since 2012, especially in Brazil, and since 2018 she has been affiliated with the KASK School of Arts in Ghent. Every year she’s a member of various juries and committees.

Iwan Strauven is professor of architectural theory and design at ULB's Faculty of Architecture. As curator of architecture, he has given a new dynamic to Bozar's architecture programme since 2006, focusing on design and the work of emerging talent. Among others, he programmed and curated the exhibitions Robbrecht and Daem. Pacing through Architecture, Jules Wabbes Furniture Designer, Office KGDVS Everything Architecture and most recently Victor Horta and the Grammar of Art Nouveau.

Joost De Frene is innovation manager and R&D director within the Renson Group. In 1998, he graduated as an industrial designer from the Henry van de Velde Institute. After his studies, his career started at Barco. After 17 years, he swapped projectors and LED displays for outdoor pavilion solutions for a healthier indoor climate.

Ken De Keyser is creative director and head of Branding & Design at VRT. After studying at Sint-Lukas in Brussels, he worked as a graphic designer and design director for several media companies. He was creative director at VRT NWS for ten years and led many brand strategy projects and 360° design teams, from brand, product and set design to styling, sonic identity and the development of new media formats.

Marie Rijken is coordinator of VAKlab, Bokrijk's service and expertise centre on craftsmanship, design and entrepreneurship. She is in daily charge of the operation where the historical legacy of craftsmanship is translated into an innovative and contemporary context. Marie has more than fifteen years of experience as a designer, creative director and project manager in the Belgian interior, fashion and design industry.

Nathalie Van der Massen is a designer working in the field of textile design, art and (interior) architecture. In 2018, Nathalie launches her own design studio. While her practice transcends just one specific artistic path, the common thread is her sensitivity to natural materials and thorough research into technical details. She likes to work with architects and interior designers who will allow her to take into account the wide scope of creative possibilities. She won the Henry van de Velde Young Talent Award 24.

Oana Bogdan is the founder of the Brussels practice &bogdan. Believing that the skills of the architectural profession can be used to navigate through the complexity of many aspects of life, she has taken on various roles, such as state secretary for cultural heritage in Romania or chairman of the committee of the Creative Industry Stimulation Fund Netherlands.

After studying product development in Antwerp, stefan schöning founded a multidisciplinary studio. Diversity feeds creativity is his motto, and this is evident in the variety of projects realised: furniture, objects, lighting, cookware, public design, mobility, corporate identity and scenography. For each project, he seeks the subtle balance between design and production.

Wim Segers graduated as a product designer from LUCA School of Arts in Genk in 1982. In 1989, he founded Studio Segers together with his wife. The creative design agency is based on architecture, product design and graphic design. Wim received the Henry van de Velde Lifetime Achievement Award in 2022. As an allround designer, he stands for a no-nonsense approach, timeless simplicity, functionality and sustainability.