Peter, let’s start with one of your core principles: “The Never Normal.” What exactly does that mean for Belgian (logistics) companies?
“You notice among business leaders today that there’s a kind of nostalgia for a world of predictability, of stable long-term plans. For a long time, it was assumed that a period of uncertainty would be followed by a period of stability. My message is: uncertainty has become the new normal. You see this in every area: geopolitics, climate, technology, and so on. We will never return to ‘normal’ again.”
You aren't necessarily negative about it: in your view, it actually creates opportunities.
“Absolutely. Entrepreneurs aren’t generally the type to complain and whine—they’re doers. They need to adjust their businesses to thrive in this ‘Never Normal.’ Anticipating quickly, being agile, and building resilience: these pillars are crucial for steering your business into the future. Sometimes that means taking a close look at your entire business strategy—from IT to technology to innovation, and perhaps most importantly, your internal operations.”
Are there any Belgian companies that you think are handling this the right way?
“There are countless examples. I’ll start with Agristo, the French fry giant, because
I recently visited there. It’s a second-generation family business,
that’s growing like crazy. They’re a global player in potato processing. You can tell from everything they do that they haven’t stayed stuck in the past: a young management team that’s really going all out, automation where needed, local and international ambitions, and so on. I’ve also never seen as much AI as I have at a company that makes french fries.”
As a tech entrepreneur, you’re excited about automation and AI. Yet you tell other entrepreneurs: don’t get too caught up in that—make sure to focus on people as well.
“That’s right. There is definitely a risk of ‘over-automation.’ Let me give you a simple example: banking. Everyone likes being able to carry out transactions quickly and efficiently through an app—but when we need help, have a serious question, or need to take out a loan, it’s incredibly frustrating to suddenly find ourselves dealing with a chatbot. That’s when you want a real person to help you.”
“My main point with that example is this: it’s important to find the right balance between people and machines. That’s a question business leaders should feel free to spend a little more time thinking about. Technology is a tool, but trust, human
, and connection are, in my view, still the ultimate differentiators.”
As a company, you can make a firm commitment to “humanity.” How do you do that?
“I’d like to answer that question with an example. Take Amazon, for instance: that company has transformed the world of retail, but it does plan to replace as many people as possible with robots. Amazon is fully committed to ‘dark factories,’ where no humans are present. The key question at Amazon is: How many people can we replace with robots? But when it comes to truly complex problems, you see that we can’t do without our human talent.”
You can also do it another way. Doug McMillon, the CEO of retail giant Walmart, is stepping down in 2026 and stated in his farewell speech that while AI will indeed change every job at Walmart, he wants to keep as many people on board as possible. As a company, you can choose to encourage employees to think critically about their work, help them grow in their roles, and invest in upskilling and reskilling. Europe is perfectly positioned to do just that—to seize this opportunity. It would be a sad future if only robots were calling the shots.”
Helping people grow in their jobs, upskilling them, and reskilling them
: these are choices you can make as a company.
You also recommend that companies work to build a strong corporate culture.
That’s right. I just gave the example of Agristo. They constantly promote their culture, norms, and values under the banner “Potatoholics.” That’s more than just playful employer branding: as a company, you need to tell a strong and inspiring story—one in which people see themselves playing a role and growing.
Do you have any tips for leaders and managers on how to get people on board with their company's vision?
I can already recommend an excellent book to them: *Why Should Anyone Be Led by You*, by Robert Goffee. It’s full of tips on how to encourage people to be enthusiastic—not anxious—about this “Never Normal.” It’s about how to get an organization on board—one that wants to move forward, that wants to learn, that wants to reinvent itself. It’s about how you, as a person, can make a positive contribution, both individually and through your organization. It’s about how to build resilience into an organization—which is perhaps even more important today than efficiency. In any case, leaders need to learn to frame change better: as an opportunity, rather than as a threat.
You also advocate for “octopus leadership.” Could you explain that term?
By using the metaphor of the “octopus organization”—a model, incidentally, that was devised by two Amazon Web Services employees, Phil Le-Brun and Jana Werner—I am referring to flexible, perceptive organizations that are constantly adapting. Companies are not rigid machines. And leaders shouldn’t be either: they are not “machine managers,” but rather people who are attuned to their environment, ask the right questions, and guide their teams through constant change with courage and a positive vision of the future. Being able to admit that you don’t know something is also part of that.”
Resilience and courage are words you like to emphasize.
Yes. In our European context, I’ve noticed that we could certainly show a little more boldness and ambition. We have a tremendous amount of talent and creative ideas here, but perhaps we lack a bit of drive compared to Asia and the U.S. The future belongs to companies that dare to take risks and invest.
The future is collective: companies across Europe must forge ties to tackle the major challenges of our time.
Finally, you also advocate for network thinking. What do you mean by that?
The European story is one of collaboration. I believe that the future is collective, that companies across all sectors must forge ties to tackle the major challenges of our time. Let me give an example: healthcare. Today, it’s all silos—if you have to go from one hospital to another, communication problems arise right away. There are major opportunities there. The energy sector is another good example: anyone following the energy transition and all its changes knows that you can no longer view that sector as a silo either.
I’m no logistics expert, but I think you can apply the same line of thinking to this sector. How can we collaborate with other logistics companies in Europe to tackle the major challenges of the future? How can we come up with smart solutions and look beyond our own company? The logistics sector in Europe can be a driving force in this regard, rather than waiting for other sectors to reinvent the wheel. I’m already optimistic about this: we have more than enough knowledge, expertise, and creativity here to get that ball rolling.”
■
