Hof der dingen - Book of Hugo Vandamme

“You should be able to dine with boht the cleaning leady and the king”- quote by Hugo Vandamme. As the eighth child in a family of ten, Baron Hugo Vandamme learned to feel at home in every social circle. He was a born entrepreneur, something he would later prove with ease as CEO of Barco. That didn’t mean he was one to brag – letting his actions speak for themselves. 

“Everywhere I went, people just called me Hugo. Because I always spoke plainly and acted with humility. I just don’t have it in me to use complicated words – it’s in my genes. And it led to more open, honest, and transparent communication in this company.” 

That said, he doesn’t believe in being modest all the time: “On the contrary – if you, as a company, don’t say how good you are, how do you expect others to know?”

In 1987, Vandamme wrote a book about the fierce determination of West Flemish people. “I wanted to show that we can achieve great things – if we stay focused and stubborn. And keep going.” 

That relentless drive runs deep here – even noticable when we part ways after having lunch together. A common parting phrase is ‘De naarstigheid’ – which means: be diligent and work hard.