Paul De Keersmaeker
Paul, Baron De Keersmaeker (born 1929) is a Belgian businessman, politician and chairman of PA Europe.
Education
De Keersmaeker obtained a PhD degree in law and a bachelor's degree of notary at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven.
Career
De Keersmaeker began his professional career as manager of the family brewery De Keersmaeker N.V. in Kobbegem. From 1959 until 1985 he was mayor of Kobbegem/*e, and from 1968 to 1992, he was a member of the Belgian Parliament. From 1974 to 1981 he was a member of the European Parliament, and from 1981 to 1992 Member of the Federal Belgian Government as Secretary of State for European Affairs and Agriculture.
He joined Interbrew as Member of the Board in 1992, and he was appointed chairman in 1994. In addition, he is chairman of Domo, Nestlé Belgilux, and WDP, and vice-chairman of Euler-Cobac and a director of Tractebel, Iris and Afinia Plastics.
When his mandate as chairman of Interbrew expired in April 2001, he was appointed honorary chairman. He is also honorary chairman of KBC Bank, the Federation of Food Industry and the Confederation of Belgian Brewers.
Between 1992 and 1998, De Keersmaeker was chairman of the Confederation of Belgian Brewers: and of the Belgian Federation of Food Industry as well as Member of the Management Committee of the Federation of Enterprises in Belgium.
De Keersmaeker is honorary chairman of the Canadian European Roundtable for Business, and chairman of the Foundation Europalia International. In 2002, he was awarded the Vlerick Award.
He is honorary chairman of the Brussels public affairs and communications company PA Europe and honorary chairman of the Public Advice International Foundation. He was succeeded by PA's current chairman, former Belgian Prime Minister Mark Eyskens.