Karel is CEO of H+K Brussels and a well-known figure in the Belgian political and economic world. During his career he has been CEO of several Belgian business-related federations as Unizo (the Belgian SME and entrepreneurs’ organisation) and Febelfin (the Belgian banking federation), holding mandates in several influential institutes as the National Bank of Belgium (Belgian central bank), Group of 10 (supreme body for Belgian social consultation), VDAB (Flemish employment service), SERV (Social-economic council of Flanders). On the European level, he has been vice-chair of SME Europe and director of the European Banking Federation.