Delphine Mesman (41) new president of UNIZO Brussels
The Brussels UNIZO operation has based Delphine Mesman (41) as the new president of UNIZO Brussels. She succeeds Bernard Walravens, who made the transition to provincial chairman of UNIZO Flemish Brabant & Brussels in 2021.
Delphine, together with her husband, is the manager of the industrial laundry and dry cleaning Ganshory in Brussels (Ganshoren). Together with UNIZO Brussels, which unites entrepreneurs in Brussels, Delphine wants to work on a better Brussels business climate. With a fresh vision and a lot of entrepreneurial spirit, she already knows which accents they want to place in her new role as chairman. Delphine feels and knows better than anyone that there is a lot on the shelf. And not overnight, Delphine is really into that.
“Both the city and the entrepreneurs are in constant transition. That’s not useful. A healthy entrepreneur is a sustainable entrepreneur. That is why we – together with consumers and employees – want to be able to help determine the pace of the transition.”
Delphine wants entrepreneurs to be proactive, in addition to being progressive. “Certainly in Brussels, where the effects of small measures can have a major positive impact for many residents. We are committed to the LowEmissionZone, the zone 30, the parking policy… but we also want to draw attention to our suspensions. Dialogue becomes very important here. Take Brussels mobility, for example, a tricky issue. It becomes important to sit down around the table with everyone who uses the Brussels public road, cyclists, residents, administrators, politicians… without being set up against them. At the political level, we expect the same from the regional governments. Because bidding for premiums, taxes on public services, only increases the distance between entrepreneurs and the government.” light Delphine toe.
According to Delphine, Brussels is also missing many opportunities in the field of public tenders. “We have to choose much more for Brussels collaborations. It is indeed possible to opt for Brussels entrepreneurs without violating the law on public procurement. We really need to get rid of a government that chooses suppliers from far outside Brussels but that preaches to local consumers.”
Anton Van Assche, coordinator of UNIZO activities in Brussels, especially wants to put the expertise, knowledge and experience back on the map among the inhabitants of Brussels. “Unizo wants to inspire. But we focus on the Dutch-skilled entrepreneur in Brussels for our services and activities, which is 20% of the people in Brussels. In addition, we do not go for our own great right, but we want to collaborate with other organizations that share one of real interests.”
“Diversity, too, the hallmark of Brussels, is an underused asset for us but a very important issue… It is unacceptable that the family name should still be a barrier to being offered a job today, for example. We really can’t go any further like this in Brussels, let alone move forward. We are fully committed to ‘inclusive employership’, applying the benefits of embracing diversity.” concludes Anton Van Assche.
Delphine also has the pride she feels in the city spread by Brussels entrepreneurs. “I want more Brussels ambassadors… The ‘Brussels bashing’ has gone on long enough, it has no added value and is only negative for our Brussels economy, especially for our trade. That is why I want to highlight the assets of Brussels as much as possible over the years. I look forward to receiving and guiding our fellow entrepreneurs from Brussels and Flanders. That is why Delphine invariably believes in interaction. “If the city is good for the entrepreneur, the entrepreneur in turn is good for the city. We must not forget their importance. Local entrepreneurs provide employment, provide a local range of goods and services and provide life in the city.”