18 Nov 2009
Bio Base Europe Appoints Peter van de Bilt as Financial Advisor
Ghent, 18 November 2009 – Bio Base Europe, the Biopark Terneuzen and Ghent Bio-Energy Valley joint initiative, has strengthened its team with the appointment of Peter van de Bilt as Financial advisor. In his new role, Van de Bilt will be responsible for providing financial advice and counsel for all cross-border business start-ups, as well as initiatives between Belgian and Dutch companies involved in bio-industry.
Representing an investment of 21 million euros, Bio Base Europe is a unique initiative that brings together both a Pilot Plant and a Training Centre dedicated to supporting bio-based businesses, and aims to accelerate the development of a sustainable bio-based economy in Europe.
Van de Bilt - who is a qualified member of NIVRA, the Dutch institute for Certified Public Accountants - has over 28 years experience as a financial advisor and consultant, including over 25 years with Deloitte and Touche where he was partner and President of the Belgium Country Desk. He initially commenced working as a consultant during the start-up phase of the Bio Base Europe project in 2008.
“Bio Base Europe is a fascinating initiative to be involved with. I am relishing the opportunity to be able to contribute to the bio-based industry and to a greener and more sustainable world,” commented van de Bilt.
“Bio Base Europe is one of the most important public-cooperation projects between Belgium and Holland in the Ghent/Terneuzen region to date. Creating a more sustainable, bio-based economy is a serious challenge and this initiative reflects the combined efforts of governments, Zeeland Seaports, the University of Ghent and Ghent Bio Energy Valley,” said the Board of Bio Base Europe, Having the right team and expertise in place to support this is crucial, and we are confident that Peter’s appointment is a positive step forward.”
The Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant will start running in 2010 and the Training Centre is on course to come on-stream by early 2011 to boost the output of skilled operators and technical maintenance specialists the industry needs.
Notes for editors
About Biopark Terneuzen
Established in February 2007, Biopark Terneuzen is an initiative that represents new thinking in the creation of biobased industrial sustainability. Biopark Terneuzen was initiated by the Zeeland Province, Zeeland Seaports and the participating industrial parties. Building on the economic and knowledge transfer advantages obtained through the co-location of associated businesses, Biopark Terneuzen raises the platform to a higher level. Its core mission is the development of the biobased industry in the Kanaalzone. One of the ways to pursue this goal is smart linking. That promotes and facilitates the exploitation of key synergies between its partner companies. Specifically the potential to exchange and utilise each other’s by-products and waste streams as feedstock or utility supplements for their own processes. This contributes to their productivity, to the conservation of non-renewable resources and the reduction of environmental burden. For further information please visit: www.bioparkterneuzen.com.
About Ghent Bio-Energy Valley
Ghent Bio-Energy Valley is supporting the development of sustainable biobased activities in the region of Ghent, Belgium. Ghent Bio-Energy Valley is a joint initiative of Ghent University, the City of Ghent, the Port of Ghent, the Development Agency East-Flanders and a number of industrial companies that are active in the fields of the generation, distribution, storage and use of bio-energy and biobased products. Ghent Bio-Energy Valley is a leading European initiative for the development of the biobased economy of the future. Ghent Bio-Energy Valley promotes the development of the biobased economy through collaborative programs, joint initiatives and synergy creation between the partners in the fields of Research & Development, structural measures and policy, logistics and communication towards the general public. For further information please visit: www.gbev.org.
About Interreg IV
Interreg IV is a 2007-2013 programme funded by the European Union from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), to advance cross-border cooperation and stimulate sustainable social-economic development in European border regions. The steering committee of the Dutch-Flemish Interreg IV program that assigned the Bio Base Europe initiative among others consists of deputies for international cooperation of the eight Dutch - Flemish border regions as well as a representative from both the Dutch and Flemish governments. For further information please visit: www.grensregio.eu.
For further information please visit: www.biobaseeurope.eu.
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Bio Base Europe, the Biopark Terneuzen and Ghent Bio-Energy Valley joint initiative, has strengthened its team with the appointment of Peter van de Bilt as Financial advisor.
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