Maarten-Kees van Breukelen new Managing Director of Witteveen+Bos Belgium

Mark owned the Belgian company MAVA in Steenokkerzeel near Brussels, which decided in May 2015 to continue under the flag of Witteveen+Bos. Witteveen+Bos has been present in Belgium since 2009 with an office in Antwerp. The business acquisition involved integrating both companies and the further expansion of the organisation in Belgium. Mark took on the role of Managing Director in 2018 and in 2020 five PMCs (business units) were set up and became operational in the various business lines of Witteveen+Bos. Witteveen+Bos Belgium currently employs more than 150 colleagues.

Mark van Straaten: ‘This job has given me a great deal pleasure over the past few years. Witteveen+Bos Belgium has since grown into a medium-sized consultancy and engineering firm that has earned its place in the Belgian market, ready to tackle complex issues in a variety of fields for our clients. As the company enters the next phase, I think it is important that a different face with fresh ideas and renewed energy is at the helm. And Maarten-Kees is ready for this. I pass the baton to him with complete conviction.’ Mark will remain connected to Witteveen+Bos after he steps down.

Maarten-Kees has been working at Witteveen+Bos since obtaining his Master’s degree in Civil Engineering at Delft University of Technology in 2006. He started as a project engineer in the PMC Area Development and grew into an all-round consultant for infrastructure projects and group leader. He made a major contribution to the development of expertise in the field of contract preparation, contract management and systems engineering. In 2016, he became PMC leader of Smart Infra Systems, which provides consulting services in the areas of operation and control systems, cybersecurity, charging infrastructure and magnetic field interference. Maarten-Kees has also played a key role in successfully acquiring and managing a number of major framework agreements for the engineering services for very diverse groups of clients.

Maarten-Kees van Breukelen: ‘Belgium is a second homeland for Witteveen+Bos and although the challenges for an engineering firm may seem similar to those in the Netherlands, it is important to tackle the projects primarily from a local perspective and expertise. As Managing Director, I am really looking forward to working with the PMC leaders and support services, and to applying my energy and enthusiasm to help shape the talent and market development of Witteveen+Bos in Belgium.’