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Entrepreneurial family

It was written in the stars that Alexander Vanlerberghe would one day become an entrepreneur. His parents are entrepreneurs, as is his sister. And even during his studies, he was fanatically searching for his own business idea.

A year and a half after graduating, he found that idea: drinking water systems. A handy, elegant, and multifunctional alternative to bottled water that’s also environmentally friendly. “With every drinking water system we install, we eliminate tons of plastic waste,” Alexander explains. “And we avoid trucks having to hit the road to transport bottled water back and forth.”

40% growth

The first few years were tough, but once the company found the right formula, it grew by 40% year after year, even during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The product undoubtedly plays a role in that success. “But,” Alexander adds, “it’s mainly thanks to our close-knit team of Amigeaus.”

What defines an AQUALEX Amigeau? “An Amigeau is enthusiastic, ambitious, positive, entrepreneurial, and works together with the other Amigeaus towards the same goal: to free the world from bottled water by 2040.”

Chatting around

As CEO, Alexander leads the management team and sets out the strategic vision. Additionally, he focuses on R&D and sales, as these are the two areas where he adds the most value. “But,” he emphasizes, “operationally, no one is dependent on me. I’m not a bottleneck in the daily decision-making process.”

That doesn’t mean I’m not involved. On the contrary. There’s nothing I love more than walking around the company and chatting with everyone. That way, I get a sense of what’s going on and what ideas are circulating. But for operational decisions, no one needs me.”

Freedom

One of Alexander’s main motivations for starting his own business was freedom. The realization that nothing is stopping you from developing your own ideas in your own way. That’s why he insists that everyone at AQUALEX has the freedom to be entrepreneurial. “We encourage people to submit their own ideas, everyone’s input is valued, and people truly have a say here.”

You can also see that freedom reflected in the casual, informal atmosphere at the company. “Recently, I got a sharp remark from someone who had only been working here for a week. To do something like that, I thought, you must feel comfortable quickly, right?”

Retreau party

“Work hard, play hard” is a motto many companies boast about today. “But here, it’s really true,” says Alexander. “We organize live team events throughout the year. Every two months, for example, there’s an FMC meeting in our office bar. FMC stands for Free Meals & Communications, or, as the team calls it, Fun With Colleagues.”

Then there are the annual teambuilding events. At the opening event of the new AQUALEX concept store in Knokke, the whole team will be celebrating all day. And last year, one of the Amigeaus suggested organizing a ‘retreau party’ in December. Not in a party hall, but in the warehouse, with DJs and all the works. Go ahead, I said. We got everything set up, and everyone was really looking forward to it. But unfortunately, COVID got in the way again. Organizing all these events takes time, energy, and money. But that’s what AQUALEX is all about: we love having fun together.”

Aversion to boredom

Boredom is not Alexander’s thing; having fun and launching exciting, original projects is much more his style. “That’s actually my motto: whatever you do, make sure it’s not boring but innovative and creative.”

“Let’s say I were to open a restaurant, then everything would have to be special. All the dishes, of course, but also how the door opens, how you address people, the decor, even the toilets: nothing boring and 100% focused on the experience.”

Alexander personally

• Alexander is married to Niki, CFO of AQUALEX, and father to seven-year-old Hélène and five-year-old Louise. He makes sure to have breakfast with his daughters every morning.
• He is a true family man who loves good food. His favorite dish? Côte à l’os cooked over the fireplace with a nice wine and a sparkling glass of AQUALEX.
• He finds peace on the riding mower. He puts on headphones, listens to a podcast on Spotify, and enjoys the smell of freshly cut grass and the fact that his garden looks so tidy afterward.