Freek Couttenier
Freek obtained a law degree at K.U. Leuven (1997) and a DES droit européen at Université catholique de Louvain (1998), and followed additional programmes on digital leadership (Vlerick Business School) and digital marketing analytics (MIT Sloan online).
He started his career at the Brussels bar specialising in financial and economic law, and was later policy advisor at think tank CEPESS and in Belgian parliament, focusing on the committee for industry, economy, telecommunication and financial affairs. For over 15 years he served as advisor and general advisor of Agoria, Belgium's largest employers' organisation representing the technology industry, advising small, medium-sized and large multinational companies. He was at the birth of several cluster organisations in renewable energy and advanced materials, and a board member of the Flemish Aerospace Group and the Strategic Materials Initiative.
In 2019 Freek founded Huduma, providing grant management and governmental affairs services to clients in the technology and manufacturing industry. From 2021 to 2024 he also supported EV Belgium on policy matters. He has over 20 years of experience across technology, manufacturing and materials, aerospace and defence, energy and mobility.
Main expertise
Philippe Putman
Philippe studied law at K.U. Leuven and Stellenbosch University (South Africa) and started his career working for the Flemish government.
After working at the Belgian Energy Regulator (CREG), he moved to the private sector, creating and managing the Regulatory and Public Affairs department for the second-largest energy provider in Belgium (Luminus). In 2008 he created his own consultancy, providing public affairs services to a number of (renewable) energy providers. His international career began when he joined the TurkStream Gas Pipeline project — one of the largest infrastructure projects in the world — as an EU lobbyist and later permitting coordinator.
His latest assignment was at Carmeuse, an international lime producer, where he helped establish the company's sustainability journey and decarbonisation strategy, managed press and stakeholder relations, and represented the company towards national authorities, EU officials and the diplomatic world. Philippe has over 20 years of experience and an important network in the energy and mining sector and heavy industry.
Main expertise
Caroline obtained an M.A. in International Relations at ULB and Export Management at ICHEC, and is following a CARE (Comprehensive Accounting in Respect of Ecology) methodology training at CERCES.
She started her career in international trade in the chemical and scrap sectors (Africa, Middle East, China and Europe), then moved to the European Commission managing framework contracts for PHARE countries. She pursued her passion for EU affairs and entrepreneurship at BECI as director of the EU department & Public Affairs. Convinced that sustainability must be at the core of competitiveness, she founded EBPA Consulting, providing public affairs, EU regulation and sustainability consulting across industry, food, chemicals, building and transport for over 12 years.
Caroline has always been at the forefront of innovation, supporting organisations on competitiveness and on the analysis and influence of policy at regional, national and European level for over 20 years, with a broad network across government, EU institutions and professional organisations.
Main expertise
Dirk (°1966) holds a degree in general economic sciences from the Vrije Universiteit Brussel. He started his career in social dialogue, developing skills in stakeholder engagement, education and negotiation.
He then followed his passion for the energy sector, working more than 18 years for VREG, the Flemish Regulator of the Electricity and Gas Market, as Director of Markets. This role also allowed him to serve as President of the Association of Issuing Bodies (AIB) and Chair, later Co-chair, of the Customer Empowerment Work Stream within CEER. From November 2020 to February 2024 he was general director at Organisatie Duurzame Energie Vlaanderen, the sector federation for renewable and sustainable energy in Flanders.
He is Chair of the Board at the International Tracking Standards Federation (I-TRACK) and a member of the Klimaatraad at the city of Antwerp. An experienced spokesperson and conference speaker, he joined Publicea as Associate Partner in 2024 to contribute to a more people-, environment- and climate-friendly world.