GHENT, 5 January 2026 – As part of its continued international growth, PIA Group has appointed Tom Verhaegen (53) as Group CEO. Founder Steven Brouckaert, who has held this role to date, will now focus fully on M&A activities in the Benelux, Germany, France and beyond. Tom Verhaegen will be responsible for further developing the unique PIA model, which combines local entrepreneurship with the strength of an international group. In addition, he will define the strategic direction and priorities, lead the senior management team and the wider organisation, and oversee operational and financial performance in line with PIA Group’s ambitious growth objectives.
After a period of strong growth in the Benelux, where 63 office brands have now joined, PIA Group is taking the next step with Germany and France as the first new European core markets. In addition to further strengthening its position in the Benelux, Tom Verhaegen will steer this international rollout and ensure a consistent yet locally embedded approach.
Experienced leader with an international focus
Tom Verhaegen built a career of more than 30 years at, among others, AB InBev, SABMiller and Agilitas Group. “A few clear themes run through my professional career: customer- and service-oriented thinking, investing in the development of people, building a strong and ambitious corporate culture around values such as passion, personal responsibility and entrepreneurship, developing and rolling out best practices, and – last but not least – internationalisation,” says Tom Verhaegen. “These themes come together perfectly in my new role at PIA Group.”
Respect for local DNA
One of the key challenges for Tom Verhaegen will be the successful entry of PIA Group into Germany and France. In these markets too, PIA Group remains true to its model: acquiring strong accountancy, advisory and audit firms with respect for their DNA. Brand names, ways of working and specialisations are retained. PIA Group focuses on strengthening the entrepreneurship of office partners and supports their further growth through strong synergy benefits in the areas of Technology, HR, Finance, and commercial and operational best practices. This model has already proven its value in several markets, although customisation remains essential.
A clear role for the Group CEO
“Each market has its own dynamics and specificities,” explains Steven Brouckaert, founder of PIA Group. “We rely on Tom to strategically align activities across the different countries, while respecting local identity. Tom brings the experience, maturity and international mindset needed to connect our offices across countries and to further strengthen the group as a whole.”
International management team
The international management team of PIA Group will now consist of Tom Verhaegen (Group CEO), Arno Schalk (Group CIO) and Joris Dierick (Group CFO), supplemented by Nathalie Calle, CEO BeLux, and Ewout Brouwers, CEO Netherlands. In due course, CEOs for Germany and France will also be appointed.
Tom Verhaegen looks forward enthusiastically to his new assignment: “Turning a company with Benelux roots into a European player: who wouldn’t be excited by that? PIA Group is an impressive growth story in which entrepreneurship takes centre stage within a decentralised model, complemented by important synergy benefits that strengthen both the group and its entrepreneurial partners. These are principles I have worked with earlier in my career and in which I believe 200%. I look forward to working together with the enthusiastic PIA teams across the different countries.”
About PIA Group
In a market characterised by increasing scale, PIA Group aims to grow into a leading international player in accountancy, audit and advisory services, while at the same time not losing the personal relationship between employee and client. That is why we build our growth on the basis of a continuously expanding group of entrepreneurial partners. Thanks to the interaction between these partners and our expert teams, entrepreneurs will find in every PIA office an individual, up-to-date service and know-how that truly contributes to their professional success and personal happiness. PIA Group was founded in 1999 in Belgium by Steven Brouckaert. The group is active in Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg, has more than 100 locations across the three countries and employs 2,400 people. In 2024, PIA Group generated revenues of more than 250 million euros in Belgium and the Netherlands. The ambition is to reach the 400 million euro mark in the Benelux by the end of 2025.
www.piagroup.company
