Studied a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering at VUB, is now working for the Gates Foundation in Seattle.
International influences were key
Philip studied at VUB at the end of the nineties, after having lived in the Netherlands, Switzerland and Mexico. The choice for VUB was not merely a pragmatic move. Living in Overijse, halfway between Leuven and Brussels, the international aspect of the Brussels campus simply had more appeal and factored heavily in the choice.
‘It was a marvelous time, I had an almost immediate ‘click’ with both Brussels and campus life at VUB. Brussels is so much richer in terms of international contacts, compared to Leuven. My mother is from Mexico, my father from Sint-Truiden, and that international dimension has always been very important to me. Even today it still enriches our life and our way of thinking.'
Because of the size and the nature of the campus, my contacts weren’t limited to other engineers. I made friends among law students, history students, and actually people from a lot of different faculties. You would always run into each other at the VUB campus.'
A golden career path
It may seem like it was smooth sailing for Philip, while in fact it took quite some hard work and perseverance. He took one career step after the other, starting at Boston Consulting, moving from associate to project leader and principal over the course of ten years. And the rest is history.
‘After my studies I started working for the Boston Consulting Group. It was a step away from the engineering studies, but I have never regretted it. During my 11 years at Boston Consulting, I got an MBA from Insead, which broadened my horizon even further. I wanted to have a more active, more decisive role in a business context and moved to Novartis in Munich with my family to become director of Commercial Strategy.
Up to that time I had never actively considered a role in an NGO, but when you are contacted for a position in the Gates Foundation the least you can do is listen. The Gates Foundation is an NGO fighting poverty, disease and inequality in the world, founded by Bill and Melissa Gates. I liked the challenge they presented to me, and since we wanted to give our children the same international background that I had experienced, we moved to Seattle almost without thinking twice.’
Once an engineer, always an engineer
‘I am part of a fabulous team. The Gates Foundation has some 1500 people working for them. I have been the Deputy Director Strategy, Planning and Management, for three years now. I am the only non-scientist in my team.
But my ‘engineer way of thinking’ hasn’t left me. As an engineer your thinking is both analytical and broad. You never take a decision on the basis of gut feeling, but always based on rational arguments. It helps me on a daily basis, and in that sense, I have never regretted my choices.’
(Critical) thinking
You would think that at some point, the humanistic aspect of the Brussels university played a role in accepting a position in an NGO like the Gates Foundation. However, Philip remains very lucid about his choices. First of all, the family wanted to pursue an international way of working and living. For themselves and for their children. Secondly, he never really considered working for an NGO, but is now capable of doing so in the best possible conditions. The way from the Gates Foundation back to the industry is surely a realistic one, if ever that should become an option.
‘I guess it’s the engineer in me. It remains a rational decision. In that way, I believe ‘critical thinking’ is more applicable within a social sciences context. To me it’s just ‘thinking’. You don’t look at math with a critical angle. But on the other hand, as I already mentioned, we had very lively discussions with other students and it’s almost certain that the way they developed their view on the world has impacted mine. ‘
High quality, low visibility
'You also have to keep in mind that, in Brussels, our knowledge level for engineering studies is very high. We should never be ashamed to compare with the big universities in Europe or – for that matter – in the US.
The only thing is, that while they like the quality of our education, the reputation and image of European Universities is very limited outside the US. That is actually a shame. I don’t know how things have changed since I was at VUB, but the schooling used to be very traditional. I see that students here benefit much more from the interaction with the industry. By means of project work, start-up initiatives and competitions they probably have a much broader business sense than we had back then.'
Philip’s tips and tricks
‘Make sure to look for a university in an interesting, internationally oriented city. This could definitely be Brussels, but also Amsterdam or London, to name just a few.'
‘It’s all about finding the right balance. The balance between subscription fees and the quality of the education. ’
‘Seen from an international perspective, Brussels and VUB have everything there is to offer. Don’t hesitate. Take your chance.’
A day in the life
'I love my job. I’m actually living a sort of fairy tale right now, together with my family. Our children have little to no problems adapting to the international aspects of our life. We take them out to hike and discover as much as possible. I have my wife to thank for that too. Without her it wouldn’t have been possible. I meet interesting people and Seattle is a great place to live.
We return to Belgium once or twice a year, to keep in touch with our relatives. And I still have a close and warm contact with my fellow students at VUB. Perhaps not as often as we would like, but I guess that’s a reality for everyone building a career, also in Belgium. I am not complaining, and I am wondering what the future holds for me.'
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