Denis Van Weynbergh, a former SME CEO, decided in 2018 to set sail for the Vendée Globe. He then became the owner of his IMOCA, but due to a lack of budget, he had to give up. Tenacious, he rethought and redesigned his project in 2020: he conceived it as a collaborative and associative project, favouring short circuits and reusing equipment rather than buying new parts. From 2021, he launched himself into the IMOCA circuit to gain experience and miles in order to validate his participation in the Vendée Globe and become the first Belgian to complete this round-the-world race.
Profile
Achievements
D'IETEREN GROUP
- Former names : Spirit Of Hungary, Laboratoire de Biarritz
- Architect : Nándor Fa & Attila Déry - Hungary
- Construction : 2013, Pauger Carbon Ltd, Hongrie
- Launch date : 07 Avril 2014
- Lenght : 18,28 m
- Beam : 5,65 m
- Draught : 4,5 m
- Mast height : 29 m
Founded in 1805 and headquartered in Brussels, D'Ieteren Group is a family-owned, listed company. It invests in companies that are or have the potential to become leaders in their markets and to generate sustainable value for their employees, their customers, society at large and their shareholders. Its international portfolio currently includes 6 companies: Belron (parent company of Carglass), PHE (parent company of, among others, Autodistribution and Oscaro), Moleskine, D'Ieteren Automotive, TVH and D'Ieteren Immo.
Commitment
For his next challenge, the Vendée Globe 2024, Denis Van Weynbergh will become the ambassador of the new D'Ieteren Group sponsorship programme, which starts in June 2023 and whose mission will be to promote access to a stimulating and fulfilling professional life.
