The AmChampion Awards, now in their seventh edition, recognize the AmCham Belgium member companies that have been most engaged with the Chamber over the past year.
To reflect our diverse membership base, we recognize member companies across three categories:
- Small companies, which have less than 50 employees in Belgium;
- Medium-sized companies, which have less than 50 employees in Belgium;
- Large companies, which employee more than 250 people in Belgium.
We measured our members' engagement from September 2023 to August 2024 to arrive at the shortlist of AmChampion '24 nominees. Our assessment takes into account the various ways companies can engage with and contribute to the Chamber.
Engagement Touch Points
- Event participation;
- Event partnerships through sponsorships or knowledge contributions;
- Committee memberships and participation;
- Participation in outreach meetings with policymakers;
- Leadership in outreach meetings with policymakers;
- Leadership in writing position papers;
- Knowledge-sharing through our blog and other publications; and
- Financial contribution through membership and sponsorships.
The 2024 AmChampion Award winners will be announced in January at our New Years Reception, which will be a fantastic opportunity to raise a glass to new beginnings and look towards the future with our community.
Today, we are excited to introduce the nine AmChampion Award nominees (three per category). These are member companies that have participated in many of our activities over the past year and have made the most of their AmCham Belgium membership.
AmChampion Award Nominees for Small Company Category
Congratulations to Epistemy, Odgers Berndtson and Qlik for their nomination!
Epistemy works from the outside in and inside out to provide a 360 perspective on the right sustainable strategy options for enterprises, communities and all relevant stakeholders. By exploring new strategies and business models at the intersection of business, technology, society and policy, Epistemy aims to challenge the status quo and make the case for new thinking and bold leadership in ESG.
Epistemy founder Deep Parekh, PhD chairs the Sustainability & Innovation Committee and he can be counted on to ask probing and insightful questions at a wide range of AmCham events.
For almost 60 years, Odgers Berndtson has helped organizations all over the world and here in Belgium find the best leaders to drive their transformational agendas. They are a global executive search, talent assessment and leadership development firm. They transform clients' performance and candidates lives by building outstanding leadership teams. Odgers Berndtson forms strong relationships with talented people, clients seeking to find them and between their own teams who connect them together.
David Webber, Partner at Odgers Berndtson, is Chair of the Human Capital & Talent Committee, where he leads AmCham's efforts to make Belgium a more attractive location to hire, retain and grow talent.
Learn more about Odgers Berndtson.
Qlik transforms complex data landscapes into actionable insights. Their platform-agnostic technology portfolio leverages pervasive data quality and advanced AL/ML capabilities. Qlik excels in integration and governance solutions that work with diverse data sources. Their real-time analytics uncover hidden patterns, empowering teams to address complex challenges and seize new opportunities.
Qlik joined AmCham as a Patron member and Gold sponsor in 2023. In their first full year of membership, they had an immediate impact through participation in our Digital Economy Committee and regular attendance at events.
AmChampion Award Nominees for Medium Company Category
Congratulations to Bristol Myers Squibb, Jones Day and MSD for their nomination!
Bristol Myers Squibb is an American biopharmaceutical company that transforms patients' lives through science. Its mission is to discover, develop and deliver innovative medicines that help patients prevail over serious diseases. BMS is active in five therapeutic domains: oncology, hematology, immunology, cardiovascular diseases and CAR-T and cell therapy.
Bristol Myers Squibb participates in both the Government Relations Forum and the Innovative Healthcare Committee.
Learn more about Bristol Myers Squibb.
The international law firm Jones Day, a proud supporter of AmCham Belgium and present in Brussels since 1989, combines its truly global presence and local know-how, with its experienced Brussels-based team of 60 lawyers advising Belgian and international clients in public and private M&A, Private Equity, Finance, Capital Markets, Real Estate, Litigation, Arbitration, Labor, Regulatory, FDI and Competition Law.
Jones Day attorney-at-law Paul Van Hooghten serves as Secretary for both the Executive Committee and the Board of Directors. Firm representatives also participate in our Government Relations Forum, Human Capital & Talent Committee, Legal & Taxation Committee and in our Young Professionals Committee.
Today MSD is a global healthcare leader working to help the world be well. Through prescription medicines, vaccines, biological therapies and consumer care and animal health products, MSD works with customers and operates in more than 140 countries to deliver innovative health solutions. MSD also demonstrates its commitment to increasing access to healthcare through far-reaching policies, programs and partnerships.
Jean-Yves Dexhalet, Policy and Communications Lead at MSD Belgium, chairs AmCham's Communications Committee. MSD Government and Public Policy Manager Dirk Hemelsoet has a leadership role in several task forces and multiple MSD team members are active in additional committees.
AmChampion Award Nominees for Large Company Category
Congratulations to BNP Paribas Fortis, IBM and Pfizer for their nomination!
BNP Paribas Fortis, Belgium's leading bank, serves 4.6 million clients with 11,000 dedicated colleagues. As a trusted financial companion, we're committed to a better society, supporting our clients at every moment of their lives. Our strategy drives growth, accessibility and sustainability, making us 'Ready for Your World'.
As a Patron member, BNP Paribas is active on four committees, including our Government Relations Forum and they are a valued events partner, having hosted AmCham's 2024 Grand Election Debate at their Brussels headquarters.
Learn more about BNP Paribas Fortis.
IBM is a leading provider of global hybrid cloud and AI and consulting expertise. IBM's breakthrough innovations in AI, quantum computing, industry-specific cloud solutions and consulting deliver open and flexible options to our clients. All of this is backed by IBM's long-standing commitment to trust, transparency, responsibility, inclusivity and service.
Bart Windal, Country General Manager for Belgium/Luxembourg, serves on our Board of Directors. Additional IBM colleagues serve on our Digital Economy, Innovative Healthcare and Sustainability & Innovation Committees.
Pfizer's purpose is to pursue breakthroughs that change patients' lives. The company lives its purpose by sourcing the best science in the world; partnering with others in the healthcare system to improve access to our medicines; using digital technologies to enhance drug discovery and development, as well as patient outcomes; and leading the conversation to advocate for pro-innovation/pro-patient policies.
Pfizer is a Group Patron member and Gold Sponsor. Kathleen Commers, Pfizer's Director of Policy and Public Affairs, chairs our Innovative Healthcare Committee and is active on multiple task forces. We also benefit from the contributions of Pfizer team members in our Government Relations Forum and on our Legal and Taxation Committee.
Congratulations to all the AmChampion Award nominees, and thank you for your engagement!
Celebrating Engagement: Meet the 2024 AmChampion Award Nominees