Bart Verhaeghe
- driven by a mission -
Responsibility in national and international football
Bart Verhaeghe is involved in professional football through both club management and football governance. He became chairman of Club Brugge KV in 2011 and acquired a majority stake in the club in 2012. During this period, the club combined sporting success with structural financial growth, winning 7 Belgian league titles since Bart Verhaeghe took over the club and establishing a regular presence in European competitions. In the last 10 seasons, Club Brugge qualified 8 times for the Champions League. In 2023 and 2025 the club even reached the round of 16. Under the presidency of Verhaeghe, Club Brugge expanded its commercial activities and strengthened its international profile within European football.
In addition to his work at club level, Verhaeghe has been active in football governance in Belgium and at European level. He previously served as board member and vice-president of the Royal Belgian Football Association, where he contributed to administrative and sporting reforms within Belgian football.
At European level, Bart Verhaeghe fulfills the role of board member and vice-president of European Football Clubs (EFC), the leading representative body for European clubs, uniting more than 800 members across the continent. The organization was formerly known as the European Club Association (ECA). Verhaeghe also serves as a board member in the UEFA Club Competitions Committee.
Long-term value creation in real estate
Bart Verhaeghe built his professional career in real estate development and long-term investment. After starting his career at KPMG Belgium, he moved into entrepreneurship in the early 1990s and became active in the development of logistics and commercial real estate in Belgium and abroad.
In 1992, together with contractor Luc Verelst, he helped develop Eurinpro into a specialized real estate company focused on offices, warehouses and logistics infrastructure. Under his leadership, Eurinpro expanded internationally and became one of Europe’s leading developers of logistics real estate, with projects across the Benelux, France, Germany and other European markets. The company combined development expertise with a long-term vision on flexible and future-oriented business infrastructure.
Verhaeghe was also involved in the creation of listed real estate investment structures such as Intervest Offices & Warehouses and Retail Estates. These companies were established to provide stable long-term ownership of commercial and semi-industrial real estate assets developed by Eurinpro.
In 2004, Eurinpro was acquired by the Australian property group Goodman Group, after which Verhaeghe continued to focus on Belgian entrepreneurship and urban development projects. As a majority shareholder of project developer Uplace, Verhaeghe has consistently emphasized long-term value creation in real estate, combining economic development with broader societal impact. His projects and investment activities have focused on sustainable growth, urban renewal, employment creation and future-proof infrastructure. One of the major ongoing projects is BROEKLIN Brussels, a large-scale mixed-use urban development in the north of Brussels. Covering 12.5 hectares and offering more than 150,000 square meters of leasable space, the project combines retail, leisure, hospitality and workspaces within an integrated urban environment. BROEKLIN is designed around sustainability and mobility, with the ambition of creating a future-oriented urban hub that brings together economic activity, innovation and quality of life.
Supporting and founding non-profit initiatives
Cancer remains one of the major challenges for healthcare systems and scientific research. In the fight against the disease, innovation, collaboration and the sharing of medical knowledge are essential to accelerate progress in prevention, diagnosis and treatment. Against that background, Bart Verhaeghe supports initiatives that focus on cancer research and access to scientific expertise. He supports the Anticancer Fund, an organization dedicated to independent cancer research and patient-oriented innovation. The foundation supports scientific projects and international cooperation aimed at improving treatment outcomes and quality of care for patients.
Verhaeghe has also invests in Droia Ventures, a life sciences investment company focused on oncology and precision medicine. Through investments in biotechnology and medical innovation, Droia supports the development of new therapies and technologies that contribute to more effective and personalized cancer treatment. His involvement reflects a broader belief in long-term investment in science and innovation as drivers of societal progress.
Within football, Bart Verhaeghe supports the Club Brugge Foundation, which uses sport as a platform for initiatives around inclusion, health, youth development and education. The foundation has received both national and international recognition for its community programs.
Encouraging entrepreneurship
Bart Verhaeghe regularly speaks at conferences, universities and business events, where he shares his entrepreneurial experience and reflections on leadership, innovation and society. In these talks, he encourages people to take initiative, embrace responsibility and pursue excellence in their professional and personal ambitions.
A recurring theme in his message is the importance of courage and opportunity: the belief that people should not be afraid to take calculated risks, challenge conventional thinking and fully commit to what they believe in. His approach combines entrepreneurship with a broader mindset focused on long-term vision, resilience and personal growth.
These ideas are also reflected in his book Durf! – Pleidooi voor meer ambitie en lef (“Dare! – A Plea for More Ambition and Courage”), in which he shares his views on entrepreneurship, leadership and societal progress.
Childhood and education
Bart Verhaeghe was born on March 21, 1965, into a West Flemish family that relocated to Flemish Brabant in the early 1950s. He grew up in Grimbergen, near Brussels, where he developed an early passion for sport, including football at youth level with local clubs such as KSC Grimbergen and Hoger Op Merchtem.
He attended secondary school at the Jan van Ruusbroeck College in Laken before continuing his studies in law at the KU Leuven. He later completed a Master of Business Administration at the Vlerick Business School, further shaping his academic foundation in law, economics and management.