BESIX Group was honoured to welcome Her Royal Highness Princess Astrid, Princess of Belgium, on Wednesday, October 4th. HRH Princess Astrid was warmly received at our Brussels HQ by Executive Vice-Chairman Johan Beerlandt, Chief Executive Officer Pierre Sironval and Chief Finance Officer Hans Beerlandt.
The visit took place in preparation for the upcoming Belgian Economic Mission in Sydney and Melbourne, Australia, scheduled from 19 to 28 October.
One of the highlights on the agenda of the mission, is the HRH Princess Astrid’s visit to the project site of Barangaroo Station in Sydney. This metro station at the heart of Sydney, which is brought to life by BESIX Watpac, BESIX Group’s subsidiary active in Australia and New Zealand, will improve access to the Walsh Bay arts and culture precinct, as well as provide easy access to nearby public, residential, commercial and entertainment areas and the Barangaroo ferry hub.
During the visit, HRH Princess Astrid and the Belgian-Australian delegation will witness a unique smoking ceremony, an ancient and contemporary custom, central to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander life, to cleanse places of bad spirits and encourage good health and wellbeing.
The visit to BESIX Group’s Brussels HQ started with a work session, where important details about the upcoming mission were discussed. Both parties engaged in fruitful discussions and shared valuable insights. Following the productive work session, everyone gathered for a cordial lunch.
Her Royal Highness Princess Astrid, Princess of Belgium, was accompanied by HE Ambassador Dirk Wouters, Advisor to HRH Princess Astrid and Ms Fabienne L’Hoost, Director General of the Foreign Trade Agency. At the end of the visit, BESIX offered HRH Princess Astrid a present which could come in handy during the site visit in Sydney later this October: her very own BESIX hard hat and high-visibility jacket.
BESIX Group is immensely grateful for the long-standing relationship with HRH Princess Astrid and the Belgian Royal Family by extension. Over the past decades, HRH Princess Astrid has tirelessly represented Belgium and its enterprises during various economic missions around the world. Her dedication and commitment have contributed significantly to promoting Belgian businesses globally. BESIX has been fortunate enough in the past to welcome HRH Princess Astrid of Belgium and other members of the Belgian Royal Family on multiple noteworthy occasions, such as at the celebratory event on the occasion of BESIX Group’s 50th anniversary of activities in the Middle East, pictured below.
We wish to thank HRH Princess Astrid once again for visiting our Brussels’ HQ and we are looking forward to her visit to the Barangaroo metro station in Sydney, a project by BESIX Watpac, during the Belgian Economic Mission to Australia in October.