Yves van Durme is business manager at KTBA Belgium, with the ambition to establish a fully-fledged KTBA there within five years.
Yves through various sectors and functions such as business development, marketing and communication and branding. He is continuously looking for new challenges here. He says this about it: “Because I don’t always have an affinity with a branch, I can look at business from a different perspective. That stimulates refreshing ideas”.
Creativity is important within an organisation, but innovation is maybe even more important. With that in mind, putting the customer first is a must: being a good listener and sometimes adapting the product to the desires of the customer or sector. The saying “Think Different” supports him in his belief to find new perspectives, putting the customer first as a guideline.
“The first thing I noticed when walking into KTBA was the hard work being done, but also the friendly atmosphere,” says Yves. That’s why he feels so at home. “The food industry and the regulations concerning food safety is a booming business. It is becoming more and more important. People have a need for safety. They ask more critical questions, are more aware. Going back to the basics and honesty is paramount these days. The consumer wants to know what he’s buying and wants to read it on the label. Clarity and transparency, things that go hand-in-hand with KTBA”.
Yves enjoys travelling in Europe, especially Italy. The best vacations are a combination of culture and relaxation, but all kinds of water sports are high on his list of favourite activities. In his free time, Yves is a sport fanatic.
Is that where he gets his winner’s mentality from? “For me, it’s about seeing people develop further in what they are good at. I used to be a tennis coach. I enjoy teaching people to play a better and more beautiful tennis game”.
Coaching and guiding people play a big role in his career. Motivating people, inspiring education and watching them grow. Together. That’s perhaps the most important thing”.
“During the period that I had an advertising agency, there was also someone who supported me. A kind of mentor. In the end, you have to do it on your own, but someone who is there to help you along the way and has your best interest at heart is very important. A supportive soundboard, if you will. I think it’s a nice task to fulfil the same role for someone else”.
“I’m definitely not a loner and I really like being among people,” says Yves. “A manager makes sure people work together and think in terms of the business. I don’t believe at all in the notion of the boss is always right, and everyone should act accordingly.
As a team, you build on projects and services. It’s good to have complementary personalities and interests within a team. People who complete the pieces of the puzzle, together. A creative person and someone who likes to work with numbers compliment each other: the one keeps the other’s feet on the ground if necessary. How a team is put together: trust, respect and openness to one another should always be priority number one. Besides that, the ability to listen well and be open to each other’s way of thinking. In the two months that we’ve been working here in Belgium, we’ve already been pretty successful at that”.
