Today, we talk about a new chapter for CTESO: growing with focus, sharpening our offering, and at the same time preserving our culture and DNA. Jef steps in as CEO, while Rob continues as founder and remains active in Business Development. So what does this next step look like?
What does this new step mean for CTESO?
Interviewer: Jef, Rob — what exactly will change?
Jef: Focus is central to our strategy. If you want to grow in a healthy and sustainable way, you need to set clear priorities and execute with discipline. This is a logical next step — we’re building the next phase of CTESO.
Interviewer: Where will that focus become visible?
Jef: In how we make decisions and execute them. We’ll safeguard our culture and DNA, while scaling up at the same time: expanding into new regions, broadening our customer base, and strengthening our offering. That requires discipline, but it also makes us more agile.
Rob: To continue growing as an organization, it’s essential that we keep developing — both CTESO as a company and our services and partnerships. Over the past years, we’ve achieved strong growth by proactively adding the right people to our team. We’re now embedding that growth line in a more structural and deliberate way.
This new phase brings a focus that will benefit both our team and our customers. We’re operating in turbulent times, where flexibility from teams, clients, and partners is crucial. Everyone needs to be able to focus on what truly matters. That’s the only way to sustain our current pace without compromising what defines us: quality and customer orientation.
Jef, what ambitions do you bring as CEO?
Interviewer: You have a strong belief in the future of the manufacturing industry?
Jef:
Absolutely. Manufacturing today is not what it was ten years ago. There’s a clear acceleration towards automation, efficiency, and end-to-end solutions. We’re also seeing production return to Europe. CTESO is well positioned for that: we approach projects across the entire process — from design to implementation.
My ambition is to grow CTESO together with our people and clients — not only in scale, but in collaboration and added value. We want to strengthen our international presence and reputation so that CTESO is recognized beyond Belgium as a reliable partner that thinks along, works alongside, and moves forward together.
Rob, you remain active in Business Development. How do you see your role in this new phase?
Rob: In our growth journey, it’s clear that our sales organization must evolve as well. I’ve been focusing on that for some time, and I want to continue that path. With high market demand and our growth ambitions, we’re placing even more emphasis on expanding our sales capabilities — so we can respond faster to our customers’ needs. My first priority is to strengthen our commercial foundation and further build the team that will carry that story forward.
At the same time, we see new opportunities that complement CTESO — areas that allow us to bring even more value to our clients and set ourselves apart within the industry. These are exactly the kinds of opportunities that energize me: recognizing the right chances, developing them together with clients, and turning them into valuable partnerships.
When did you realize: “Yes, this is the right fit”?
Interviewer: That moment when you feel — this works.
Jef: From day one. The culture at CTESO is both solution-driven and people-oriented, which fits perfectly with my leadership style. It’s about results and respect — for the client, and equally for one another. There’s a strong “together” mentality here: people who work with both their hands and their minds, who truly want to build progress. That’s energizing. CTESO doesn’t think for the client but with the client. That honest, collaborative approach motivates me to lead this growth phase with enthusiasm.
Rob: You quickly sense whether someone understands your DNA. With Jef, that was clear right away: clear decisions, focus on execution, and attention for people and teams. That aligns perfectly with our values and culture.
You both emphasize culture and DNA. How do you protect that while growing?
Jef: For me, it starts with clearly defining what our culture is — and why it works. Once that’s shared and understood, people themselves will carry it forward. Culture isn’t a slogan; it’s behavior. It’s in how we collaborate, communicate, and make decisions. Growth for us is not just about numbers, but equally about vision, teamwork, and connection. When you keep nurturing that, the company doesn’t just grow faster — it grows stronger.
Rob: Culture is something you build together with your people — they ultimately shape it. We expect involvement and empower the right people to make decisions. The right people attract the right people. Our foundation today is strong because we invested in it early and consciously: defining what we stand for and hiring based on that. That’s how we maintain our culture as CTESO continues to grow.
Where do you want to be together in a few years?
Interviewer: Paint the picture for us.
Jef: CTESO should be even more firmly established as an international player. We’ll remain a market leader in innovative solutions for the manufacturing industry — explicitly as an end-to-end partner, from analysis and engineering to implementation and care.
Rob: In a few years, I want us to be even stronger and more innovative in the market, with a team that radiates the same energy and culture as today. We want to be an organization that creates value not only for our customers but also for our own people. A team that can carry the company with its own strength — without relying on a few individuals. For me, that’s the mark of true maturity: a company that stands solidly because its people stand behind it together.
Interviewer: One sentence that sums it up?
Jef and Rob (together): Making the difference — together with our people and clients!