Belgium’s government administration sector faces increasing digital transformation and regulatory demands, alongside the need to protect citizen data, critical infrastructure, and sensitive internal operations. Leaders in this space navigate complex compliance frameworks such as NIS2, ISO 27001, and GDPR, while fostering security awareness and resilience across large, distributed teams. The CISOs featured here exemplify strategic, operational, and technical excellence in public-sector cybersecurity.
Dieter Decroos — Preventieadviseur and Chief Information Security Officer, Stad Veurne
Dieter Decroos serves as Preventieadviseur and Chief Information Security Officer at Stad Veurne. He brings extensive experience across municipal administration, financial advisory, and HR operations. Dieter combines hands-on operational knowledge with strategic oversight, ensuring information security, privacy compliance, and risk management for Stad Veurne’s various entities. Prior to his current role, he held positions in HR, finance, and administration across both private and municipal organizations.
Stephan Van den Eynde — Chief Information Security Officer Single Point of Contact, Digitaal Vlaanderen
Stephan Van den Eynde leads the development and rollout of a NIS2 blueprint for Belgian government agencies as Chief Information Security Officer Single Point of Contact at Digitaal Vlaanderen. He focuses on translating regulation into practical controls, establishing strong governance, and implementing resilient Information Security Management Systems. Stephan is known for integrating emerging technologies such as AI and blockchain to optimize operations and strengthen security frameworks.
Laurent Bounameau — Data Protection Officer and Chief Information Security Officer, Belgian General Inspectorate of the Federal Police and the Local Police
Laurent Bounameau is an experienced Information Security Advisor and Data Protection Officer at the Belgian General Inspectorate of the Federal Police and the Local Police. He specializes in cyber-investigations, criminal intelligence, risk management, cloud and security standards, and artificial intelligence, ensuring secure, compliant, and efficient operations within law enforcement agencies.
Aldo Grech — Head of Sector Governance and Cybersecurity Culture, European Commission
Aldo Grech manages large-scale IT and cybersecurity projects within the European Commission, overseeing governance, cultural alignment, and operational security. He brings expertise in innovation methodologies, IT service management frameworks such as ITIL, and process optimization. Aldo is fluent in Maltese, English, Italian, and French, supporting multinational collaboration and compliance.
Joachim Michiels — Director Cybersecurity and Chief Information Security Officer, SPF Intérieur / FOD Binnenlandse Zaken
Joachim Michiels is Director Cybersecurity and Chief Information Security Officer at SPF Intérieur. He has extensive experience leading national and international cyber exercises, incident response, and NIS2 implementation. Previously, he served in senior project roles at the Centre for Cybersecurity Belgium and SPF Financiën, managing PRINCE2 and Agile projects, national cyber emergency planning, and complex IT development initiatives.
Sharvind Appiah — Chief Information Security Officer, AVIQ
Sharvind Appiah is Chief Information Security Officer at AVIQ, with over 20 years of leadership at the executive level. He specializes in cybersecurity strategy, regulatory compliance, threat intelligence, incident response, governance, risk management, and fostering security-conscious organizational culture. Sharvind emphasizes proactive threat detection, continuous learning, and alignment of cybersecurity initiatives with business goals.
Marc Hermans — Chief Information Security Officer, VIVAQUA
Marc Hermans serves as Chief Information Security Officer at VIVAQUA, bringing extensive experience in IT operations management within government administration. He is skilled in perimeter security, Active Directory, messaging systems, IT risk management, and team leadership, ensuring resilient and compliant operations in municipal water management and infrastructure systems.
Nick Vandommele — Chief Information Security Officer, Stad Kortrijk
Nick Vandommele is Chief Information Security Officer at Stad Kortrijk, responsible for information security, privacy, and internal controls across multiple municipal entities including Stad, OCMW, and affiliated organizations. Nick has a long tenure in municipal administration, progressing from ICT manager to department head and ultimately CISO, leading teams in communications, administrative management, and software analysis.
Branko Spikic — Chief Information Security Officer, Gemeente Beekdaelen
Branko Spikic is Chief Information Security Officer at Gemeente Beekdaelen. He manages, advises, and governs security and privacy within municipal operations, developing and implementing comprehensive information security programs. Branko previously served as CISO at Veiligheidsregio Zuid-Limburg and as Information Security Consultant at Devoteam and Traxion, focusing on risk management, governance, and identity/access control.
Wim Begine — Chief Information Security Officer, Vivalis
Wim Begine is Chief Information Security Officer at Vivalis, with a background in electronics engineering and IT service management. He specializes in business IT alignment, governance, portfolio management, and change management within public-sector IT contexts. Wim emphasizes communication, professionalism, and incremental project management to ensure successful implementation of IT and cybersecurity initiatives. He also has expertise in GDPR, Only Once, Bruxelles numérique, and Single Digital Gateway compliance frameworks.
Cybersecurity Leadership in Belgian Government Administration
Effective cybersecurity in Belgian government administration requires balancing compliance, operational resilience, and innovation. The CISOs featured here demonstrate strategic vision, technical expertise, and leadership capabilities necessary to protect sensitive citizen data and critical infrastructure. Their work ensures public-sector organizations remain secure, compliant, and adaptable in a rapidly evolving digital environment.