Close the Gap is governed by an independent Board of Directors and its primary function is to give advice and make recommendations to the Managing Director. Close the Gap’s Board of Recommendation consists of eminent people willing to vouch for and recommend Close the Gap within their networks. Close the Gap’s counselors use their expertise and networks to support Close the Gap in further developing projects and partnerships. The duties and responsibilities vary greatly, depending on the Counselor's specialty.
Our People
Our Team
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Ms. Leen Jongbloet
Project Coordinator
Our organization is dedicated to making change happen: both socially as well as environmentally. The positive impact of our mission clarifies to me that change is, in fact, possible and that sustainable solutions can, actually, be within reach. Convinced of the empowering role of knowledge- and skills- sharing, and of its cruciality to ensure an equal digital world, it is thereby with joy that I am a part of the Close the Gap ecosystem.
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Mr. Olivier Vanden Eynde
Founder and CEO - Chief Impact Entrepreneur
“Close the Gap has been an adventure since the very beginning, where all our partners, supporters and friends are shaping this adventure into a sustainable journey, constantly trying to excel. Our team’s dedication and the fruitful collaboration with our service partners is making the difference every day.”
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Mr. Marnick Vanlee
Senior Project Manager
“Close the Gap continuously helps social entrepreneurs develop valuable business models and allows daily access to digital media for thousands of underprivileged youths. Contributing to that mission gives me the opportunity to have real impact and that stimulates me to commit myself fully towards our partners and beneficiaries.”
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Ms. Marie Verbreyt
Office Manager & Personal Assistant Olivier Vanden Eynde
“I’m so proud to join the team of Close the Gap & Worldloop! It is truly rewarding to work for an organisation with such a meaningful mission, I am happy to be part of it!”
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Mr. Didier Appels
Senior Advisor to the Board
“I am proud to be part of an organisation that supports both projects & start-ups (in Africa & elsewhere) in a very sustainable way – by partnering up to leverage digital tools as a means to solve issues on education, finance, healthcare & entrepreneurship.”
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Mr. Peter Manderick
General Manager
“Being able, from a very young age, to build up ICT skills that are widely required today and as a consequence enjoy the benefits of ICT’s in all aspects of today’s society I started working at Close the Gap driven by the motivation to share opportunities with people in less advantaged communities. After more than 10 years of developing projects with local partners I still feel that our contributions are always highly appreciated by those partners and create a lasting impact in the lives of the millions that we’ve reached so far.”
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Mr. Bram Over
Business Developer
After gaining experience in the private, public and diplomatic sector I am thrilled to be working for an organisation that not only bridges the digital divide, but also bridges the gap between the public and private sector. Close the Gap is treading a new path in development co-operation and I am very excited to be part of a team that will further increase its social impact in developing countries.
Board of Directors
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Prof. em. Dr. Wim A. G. Blonk
Board member and former chair
Since 2002, Prof. Blonk has been actively involved in the creation of Close the Gap. Since its creation, he has been Chairman of the Board of Directors at Close the Gap. He retired in 1999 from the EU Commission as Honorary Director General and in 2004 he retired as Professor at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel. Prof. Blonk is personally involved in projects for disabled children in Tanzania, Malawi and North India (Ladakh).
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Ms. Christina von Wackerbarth
Chairperson
Christina von Wackerbarth has an international career on board and management level. Among other assignments, she was COO for international media company VNU’s activities in Central Europe and Director General and COO of the Public Broadcasting company VRT in Belgium. Ms. von Wackerbarth has experience as an independent Board member for various companies (such as Barco) in Belgium, Switzerland and the Netherlands. She is also active as an independent consultant and executive coach.
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Prof. Bjorn Cumps
Board member
Bjorn Cumps is a professor in Digital Banking at Vlerick Business School. At Vlerick, Prof. Cumps leads the Vlerick Centre for Financial Services, which focuses on sector specific research. Prof. Cumps is also responsible for the further development of Fintech research and education as well as the director of the Vlerick Masters Fintech Bootcamp.
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Mr. Olivier Vanden Eynde
Founder & CEO Close the Gap
Mr. Vanden Eynde founded Close the Gap in September 2003 at the Solvay Business School, as a mini-enterprise and spin-off of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel. Since the start, Mr. Vanden Eynde has been the Managing Director of Close the Gap. He is also the founder and Managing Director of WorldLoop, an organisation that focuses on sound e-waste solutions in developing countries.
Board of Recommendation
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Prof. Dr. Marleen Temmerman
Member of the Board of Recommendation
Gynaecologist
Author and international women’s rights advocate
Head of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Aga Khan University Nairobi Kenya
Former Director, Department of Reproductive Health and Research at the World Health Organisation
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Viscount Etienne Davignon
Member of the Board of Recommendation
Former Vice-President of the EU Commission
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Prof. Dr. Marc Despontin
Member of the Board of Recommendation
Professor at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel
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Mr. François-Xavier de Donnea
Member of the Board of Recommendation
Member of the Belgian Chamber of People’s Representatives
Former Minister of State, Belgium
Former member of the European Parliament
Former member of Parliament
Former Major of Brussel
Former chairman of the Federal Council for Sustainable Development
President of the African Parks Congo Board
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Mr. Dieter Frisch
Member of the Board of Recommendation
Former Director General for Development at the EU Commission
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Ms. M. F. Heijn Everwijn Lange
Member of the Board of Recommendation
Ambassador De Grote Onderneming
Ambassador STOP AIDS NOW!
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Ms. Corinne Lepage
Member of the Board of Recommendation
Former Member of the European Parliament
Former Minister of Environment, France
Partner at law firm Cabinet Huglo Lepage Associés
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Prof. em. Dr. Silvain Loccufier
Member of the Board of Recommendation
Honorary Rector of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel
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Baron Dr. Peter Piot
Member of the Board of Recommendation
Director of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
Former Executive Director UNAIDS
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Prof. Dr. Jan Pronk
Member of the Board of Recommendation
Former Minister for Development, the Netherlands
Former Deputy Secretary-General United Nations
Former special UN envoy for Sudan
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✞ Count Jacques Rogge
Member of the Board of Recommendation
President International Olympic Committee (IOC)
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✞ Archbishop em. Desmond Tutu
Member of the Board of Recommendation
Nobel Peace Prize 1984
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Baron Prof. Dr. Benjamin van Camp
Member of the Board of Recommendation
Chairman UZ Brussel
ProRector Vrije Universiteit Brussel
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Ms. Sylviane Toporkoff
Member of the Board of Recommendation
Founder and Partner at Items International
Founder and President of Global Forum
Lecturer at Paris VIII University (Dauphine)
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Prof. Dr. Frank Vandenbroucke
Member of the Board of Recommendation
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Social Affairs and Public Health
Former Flemish Minister of Education, Belgium
Former Professor at Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Universiteit Antwerpen and Universiteit van Amsterdam