Laurens De Smedt has been appointed as the CEO of Elaut Group Europe.
The promotion carries on the legacy of his grandfather, Archiel Verstraeten, who founded Elaut 65 years ago.
De Smedt graduated as a mechanical engineer from JU Leuven Belgium and began his career at AB InBev, where he held roles in sales, production and finance at the Stella Artois Brewery. From there, he joined the Elaut Group in 2019, working across a variety of departments.
Eric Verstraeten will remain CEO of Elaut Group and chairman of the board. He commented: “Our industry is changing rapidly as well as our customer base, Elaut must adapt towards new market needs and changes, and I’m confident the third generation of our family is better positioned to understand these future needs. I’ll be present to support and guide Laurens, other active family members and the Elaut Group employees as the passion for this industry will never fade. I’m looking forward to celebrating 100 years of Elaut.”
De Smedt added: “Taking over the responsibility of the European entities has got me very excited. Eric's many years of dedicated leadership have steered our company to new horizons. His guidance has been crucial to our success, and I aim to build on the strong foundation he and my grandfather have created. We've got a world of opportunities ahead of us, so I'm looking forward to working closely with our team, customers and players to make the world's best games. We'll keep our focus on quality, innovation and communication to ensure a bright future for everyone working at and with Elaut Europe.”
