Frédéric Panier, new boss of Walloon bosses: “The next five years must be years of change for the Region”

How can we serve this desire to act for our Region? It will be law at ULB, then a Master in economics at UCLouvain. Before a doctorate in economics in the United States (Stanford). For his thesis, he focuses on access to the labor market. Frédéric Panier joined Mc Kinsey where, for ten years, he moved from theory to practice. “I was planning to stay at McKinsey for two years, but I spent ten. I had the opportunity to work on recovery and economic development projects in Belgium, and in Wallonia more specifically. I remember from these McKinsey years, within the framework of the projects that I managed, the importance of co-creation, the richness of making people work together and of vto collaborate intelligently with the public sector and many companies located in Belgium and Wallonia. This is what made me want to come to AKT. I really want to become an agent of change.”explains Frédéric Panier. And added: “At AKT, we also have the ambition to position the company as an actor of change that can work positively with all stakeholders in society, whether public authorities, social partners, environmental partners, in order to create competitive and sustainable solutions together. For a month, we have been working on what can be proposed to the new Walloon government as part of the reform of qualifying training. We come with concrete proposals to convert certain professions to work-study, in collaboration with the sectors, and to update the technical skills of teachers in our training centers. We want to work hand in hand with the school stakeholders.”

Cécile Neven, from employers to the Walloon government: “There are phone calls that change a life”

Digital revolution, environmental issues, increase in the employment rate… Wallonia is simultaneously facing numerous challenges. “Our organization must obviously take into account the new issues that emerge and be an agent of change. This is one of the things that brings me to AKT. AKT does not present itself as a traditional force of demand in the interest of the business world, in the strictly financial sense, but as a more global force of proposal and action for a prosperous and sustainable Wallonia, by working with the other actors in society. We take a strong position on sustainability issues and, in particular, those linked to the desire to move towards a carbon-free economy. I wouldn’t have joined AKT for Wallonia if we had been dad’s business lobby.”adds the new boss of AKT.

The arrival of Frédéric Panier also coincides with the establishment of a new MR-Engaged majority which has every intention of moving the lines in the south of the country. “The next five years must be years of change for Wallonia, to implement important reforms and contribute to the lasting prosperity of our region. We find in the Regional Policy Declaration things that seem relevant to us for the socio-economic and environmental recovery of Wallonia, whether it is increased support for job seekers, improved training, administrative simplification or even the question of public efficiency. These are points on which we expect profound changes during this coming legislature.”he specifies, part of the pursuit of a “logic of collaboration with all social partners”.

A Wallonia which will also have to take into account a turbulent international environment, notably with the arrival of Donald Trump at the White House. And the specter of a trade war with Europe. “It is a risk but also an opportunity for Europe and Wallonia in particular. We can never say with 100% certainty whether Trump will implement the protectionist policies he has announced. But, if this is the case, it will not be a good thing, knowing that America is one of the first partners of Europe and Belgium. At the European level, we must avoid entering into a completely unbridled trade war with the United States.”explains Frédéric Panier. Who calls on Europe to prepare: “This is an opportunity for Europe to take matters into its own hands: we must speed up things at the European level, implement the proposals made by Mario Draghi and Enrico Letta to complete the European market, review industrial and innovation policy in Europe”. And at the Belgian level? “It is time to conclude the government negotiations at the federal level. We can no longer afford to wait. Belgium needs a government to make the changes that the country needs. And, finally, at the level of Wallonia, we must act to implement the reforms that have been announced and urgently rethink our industrial policy strategy.”

Apart from his duties at the head of AKT, Frédéric Panier, an avid reader, also devotes a lot of time to his young son. And he has a weakness for cooking, “Texan barbecue”, a passion born during his time at Stanford.