This is the story of a merger that is not going so well for part of the management team. In 2020, Betic, an engineering consultancy specialising in special techniques, , an international group based in Brussels. Then in 2023, , one of Europe’s largest engineering and architecture firms. This was an attractive deal for Betic, which was able to take advantage of a whole range of expertise and services that went beyond the field of special techniques, positioning the firm as a multi-skilled player in the Luxembourg market.

However, it seems that some people were not 100% in tune with the group’s ambitions, and when the time came to decide on the name of the new country director, a deadlock arose, prompting to resign. As a result, Pierre Van Den Eynde has been appointed country manager, to work alongside Betic founder , from 21 May.

Van Den Eynde holds a degree in rural engineering from the Catholic University of Louvain and a masters in water resources management from King’s College London. He has spent his entire career in the construction sector, including in Laos, Vietnam, Africa and Asia, where he managed road, electrification, public building, water supply and irrigation programmes for over a decade. Van Den Eynde then returned to Europe, where he successively held a number of strategic positions within Arcadis, as director of infrastructure Belgium, director of environment Belgium-France-Italy-Spain, and operational director of buildings and digital transformation; Tractebel, as general manager of IMDC and Ports & Waterways; and SPIE Belgium, as director of the building systems division. At Betic, part of Sweco, he will be responsible for managing the Luxembourg business and for Sweco’s development strategy in the grand duchy.

A departure without a plan B

For Determe, this resignation is not in favour of another project or a desire for change, as he has no plans to date. “I’ve always been 200% committed to everything I’ve done for Betic and to the history of Sweco, so I don’t have a plan B today. But I think we all have a little list of things we’d like to achieve in life. At least I do, and I’m going to read it over very carefully. And who knows, maybe the phone will ring too... I want my next step to be meaningful and I’ll continue to put people at the centre, as I always have,” says Determe. “For all these years, as in a couple, I’ve tried not to look at the neighbour through the window. Maybe today I’ll look out the window a bit more.”

A strong commitment to development

Sweco’s decision to acquire Betic was motivated by a desire to accelerate the company’s development in Luxembourg. Erwin Malcorps, chair of Sweco Belgium, explains the decision: “We have taken an important decision to prepare Betic for the next stage in the company’s development. Looking back at Betic’s history, the achievements of Gilles Christnach and David Determe over the last 25 years are impressive. But we’re not shying away from being ambitious, and we’re preparing for the next stage in our development, which means that we’re looking at major growth in the Luxembourg market in several areas: technical engineering, which is the core business, but also environmental technology, infrastructure and civil engineering. This will certainly involve further mergers. That’s why we're convinced that another profile is needed for the country manager position, with international knowledge to prepare our organisation for its development. Discussions were held with David Determe and Gilles Christnach, and to be completely transparent, this choice of development led to David Determe’s departure, as we were unable to find the position that met his aspirations.”

“Betic has a very strong history and corporate cohesion, and it’s possible that other partners could still join the Sweco adventure in Luxembourg, no doubt with other strong identities. And to ensure that these future moves go smoothly, it might be preferable to have a neutral outsider who can manage these different cultures and corporate identities. That’s what I'll be trying to do,” says Van Den Eynde.

For Christnach, Determe's departure is obviously a major change, given that the duo worked together for more than 25 years, just after Christnach founded the company. “I obviously accept David’s decision. I know that when he makes a decision, it’s a well-considered one. Everyone knows me and my passion for construction and technical engineering. Together with our teams, who are fantastic, motivated and committed, I want to continue to develop the company. David will always remain a friend.”

Managing concerns

Determe’s departure is bound to create concerns and reactions from the market, which Betic, part of Sweco will have to manage. Van Den Eynde explains: “I have three priorities. The first is to reassure our teams and our customers; the second will be to focus on our portfolio; and the third will be to put in place the context to achieve our ambitions. David’s departure will certainly generate questions and perhaps concern, and I will do my utmost to convince people that this is not the end of a story, but rather a new stage in Sweco’s history in the region, because this is not a break, but continuity, and David will help me to ensure this transition. I will, of course, be listening to our teams and our customers.”

For his part, Determe says he wants this transition to be as smooth as possible, “with a minimal impact on our teams and customers in Luxembourg,” even if he feels this will leave “a taste of unfinished business.” As for Christnach, his passion for the building industry remains intact, and he will continue to ensure that innovation remains at the heart of the company, with all the complementary expertise that the Sweco group can provide.

This article was first published in French on . It has been translated and edited for Delano. 

Updated to correct job titles.