At our own pace

In 2025, Delen once again maintained its measured pace. With €76.4 billion in assets under management and growth driven by both existing and new clients across all our markets, Delen Private Bank Group remained firmly on course.

This achievement is all the more notable given that 2025 was also a year of integrating three acquisitions. Dierickx Leys in Belgium, along with Petram and Servatus in the Netherlands, were smoothly incorporated into the group. Across all departments, I saw remarkable focus and team spirit, as well as a strong willingness among new colleagues to embrace our way of working. The close collaboration between all teams led to both strong inflows and a smooth integration. I am particularly proud of that.

Delen’s strength lies in its focused approach across the organisation. We move forward in small steps, but always in the same direction. Clients can sense that. They see it in the time we make for them and their families. They value the fact that we are clear about what we offer: they know exactly what they can turn to us for, and they trust us to guide them more broadly in managing their wealth. Our operational excellence, in turn, ensures quality and continuity. Together, these three elements continue to drive the bank’s growth. Clients clearly value this approach — something once again confirmed by the excellent results of our recent client satisfaction survey.

Our colleagues are without doubt the most important factor in client satisfaction. Technology also plays a supporting role. In 2025, we took further steps in the use of AI, including process automation, data analysis and reporting. But what AI will never replace is genuine conversation. Passion cannot be automated.

Satisfied clients are, of course, at the heart of everything we do. Every client should feel valued and respected in every interaction with us, from the very first contact. That is why, after several years of acceleration, we are now consciously choosing to slow down and consolidate. Those who know their pace have no need to rush.

To strike the right balance between moving forward and slowing down when needed, the management team has developed a strategic plan for 2030. This ambitious plan sharpens our focus and serves as a compass. It reflects our long-term perspective, but we do not want to become fixated on the finish line. The real art lies in making each stage on the way to the next milestone count.

Let me highlight one pillar of the 2030 plan: preserving our DNA. The bank’s growth creates opportunities and helps us attract new talent. I also see how Delen’s success is turning colleagues into true ambassadors for the bank — proud of where they work and eager to help carry the Delen story forward. That is the strength of Delen’s culture. Preserving that DNA will remain a clear priority for me in the years ahead.

Our corporate values guide me in this: family-minded, personal, long-term, careful and efficient. Our individual values — passion, respect, ambition, teamwork and transparency — also shape the choices I make every day. It is immensely gratifying to see how deeply these values are embedded across the organisation, in the way colleagues interact with clients and with one another. I draw great confidence from seeing those values lived out so clearly in practice. When values provide direction, the right pace follows naturally — and at that pace, we can go a long way.