Jean Muls has over 20 years of leadership experience leading large international organizations. He has experience in performance-driven change, international expansion, M&A integration, and crisis management. He holds an MBA from INSEAD and a Master's in Civil Engineering. Throughout his career, he has held director-level positions at GE, Bombardier, Flightcare, Vinçotte, and Imtech, leading teams of over 2,000 employees with revenues up to 200M euros. His experience spans industries such as energy, manufacturing, aviation, and business services.

1. Jean Muls (MBA94) : Leading change
2014 Career Management Conference

2. PROFILE
• CEO with 20 years of leadership experience - led teams of >2000 employees, P&L
responsibility with yearly revenues of 200m€ and projects up to 500 m€ - gained with
highly professional organizations active in industry (manufacturing and production) and B-
to-B services, at global level (across Europe, North America & Asia).
• Relevant track record in :
- Leading large international organizations in complex environments, ensuring stability at
moments of turbulence and uncertainty.
- Performance driven change – Operational Excellence, driving sales, innovation &
growth in established firms, restructuring mature entities, crisis management.
- International expansion - New market entries, M&A, acquisition integration, setting up
and growing new ventures and partnerships (Europe, Asia & Americas).
• Work experience in the following industries :
- Energy & Technical Services - Construction & Infrastructure - Manufacturing
- Aviation, transport & logistics - Testing, inspection & control - B-to-B services
• Master Degree Civil Engineering “Magna cum Laude” (ULB, 1986) and MBA (Insead, 1994)
• Native bilingual Dutch & French. Fluent in English. Basic knowledge of German & Spanish.

3. EDUCATION
• Global Leadership Development Program : General Electric’s pinnacle leadership
development program (1998-1999)
• Qualified as Six sigma Master Black Belt (1996). Implemented & applied Process Design
(DMADV), Process Improvement (DMAIC) & Process Management in large multi-country
B-to-B service organizations.
• MBA - INSEAD, Fontainebleau (1994)
• Master in Civil Engineering "Magna cum Laude", Université Libre de Bruxelles (1986)

8. IMDC, Subsidiary of Tractebel, GDF Suez (France)
Engineering branch of global energy and services business, specialized in Marine and
dredging works
Project manager
Conducted projects in remote environments:
• Optimization of maintenance dredging of Congo river, Banane – Matadi.
• Planning, Budgeting of Hong Kong Airport Island reclamation project.
• Site supervision of Niamey University (Niger) construction project. Student internship

15. Reclaimed Hong-Kong airport island

16. Construction University of Niamey (Niger)

17. GENERAL ELECTRIC (U.S.A.)
Global diversified services, technology & manufacturing company (US$ 129 MM,
340.000 people)
Various positions – Director level
• As Director Acquisition Integration at GE Capital, merged and integrated newly acquired
companies in Europe to ensure implementation of pre-acquisition business case .
Transformed zero-growth company into fast expanding and performing entity (NL, UK).
• As Finance Director at Avis LTL (newly acquired) : Restructured loss making operations.
• As Director International Key Accounts at GE Europe Finance & Services : Shaped &
implemented new international sales organisation.

25. BOMBARDIER Inc. (Canada)
World leading manufacturer of business jets, regional aircraft, rail transportation
equipment and motorised recreational products. (CAN€ 13MM, 56.000 people)
Vice-President, member of the Executive Board Europe Atlantic, and Managing Director
of Bogies Centre of Expertise/BU (headquartered in France)
• Shaped and implemented end-customer centred strategy for Bogies’ Centre of
Expertise/BU
• Negotiated complex projects at global level
• Put together cross-national development and engineering teams in order create
innovative products enabling the group to secure key orders against national dominant
competitors.
• Centralised mechanical manufacturing & assembly activities

29. Thalys bogies assembled by Bombardier BCOE

30. VIRGIN train equipped with BCOE tilting bogies

32. Testing Bombardier BCOE Hi-speed bogies under Shinkanzen bullet train

34. FLIGHTCARE (Belgium)
Dominant ground handling company at Brussels National Airport (100 M€, 1.500 people), a
subsidiary of FCC (3rd services & construction group in Spain), now part of Swissport.
Managing Director
• Set up a new company from assets transferred from SABENA in receivership
• Turned around 2 departments of former SABENA into customer-oriented and
performance-driven enterprise with responsibility over whole added-value chain.
• Restored social climate and trust in industrial relations
• Productivity grew by 25% in 2 years and returned to double digit margin (EBITDA) over 3
years

35. The end of an era

40. Launch of campaign 60,000 people love their Airport job (with VOKA)

42. VINÇOTTE (Belgium)
# 1 Belgian Testing, control & certification company (200 M€, 2.000 people). Present in
approx. 20 countries
Managing Director (incl. Chairman of all international subsidiaries)
• Conducted strategic portfolio review, whilst revamping innovation processes and
implementing growth initiatives around new markets & services.
• Quality and Productivity gains by introducing state-of-the-art information exchange
platforms.
• Expansion in new geographical territories
• Delivered substantial organic growth in both revenues and profitability with a steady
growing share of international operations.

43. Shaping an ambitious vision

45. Inspecting circuit breaker for Google’s datacenter

46. Abu Dhabi ADIPEC Conference in company of ADPO representatives and our JV partner

47. Study project for VROM (NL)

48. Inspection of LNG storage - Gate Terminal, Rotterdam Harbour (NL)

49. Control body for ITER’s (www.iter.org) Tokamak nuclear fusion reactor

50. Site Inspection gas pipeline construction in India (GAIL DVPL II)

51. IMTECH (Belgium)
Belgium based subsidiary of Imtech - European technical services provider in the fields of
electrical, mechanical and ICT solutions (29.000 employees - 5.1 B€)
Managing Director
• Integrated & rationalised 7 acquired SME’s into Imtech Belgium. Professionalised its
management and practices. Returned to profit in 4 years.
• Restructured and redeployed loss making Building Maintenance Unit towards new
market segments and added new services.
• Positioned engineering subsidiary in new market segments.
• Consolidated all “Project” units into single one, creating top line commercial synergies
and optimizing cost base.

55. Rebuilding a sense of purpose