Leen Vandecruys – Where legal expertise, finance, and musical harmony meet
In a new Directors Sparkle interview, Leen Vandecruys, CEO of Monard Law, shares her vision on governance in a conversation with Danny VandeVyver, Co-Chair of the GUBERNA Directors Council. She combines legal and financial expertise with a passion for music – a blend that defines her governance style.
As a lawyer, Leen Vandecruys built an impressive career in the financial sector. She was Head of General & Corporate Legal Affairs at ING and General Counsel at Delen Private Banking. Earlier, she held positions at BNP Paribas Fortis and Saxobank.
“As secretary of the governing body and various board committees and co-responsible for prudential supervision, I developed a strong interest in governance,” she says. “Balancing stakeholder interests and checks and balances perfectly align with where I can add value.”
Bestuurder met GUBERNA als gids
This experience translated into various board mandates at Thomas More, VOKA Antwerpen-Waasland, and Truncus Family Office. Through the Febelfin Academy-GUBERNA training, she deepened her knowledge of governance. “The best learning school is practice,” she says, “but GUBERNA keeps me updated on new developments and offers a valuable forum for experience exchange.”
The GUBERNA network plays a crucial role in her development as a board member, focusing on diverse sectors and governance roles. She especially values the balance between research and practical experience that the network offers, as well as the opportunity to learn from professionals facing similar challenges.
Music as a Governance Tool
Since 2021, Vandecruys has been the chairwoman of the Royal Theatre of De Munt in Brussels. This federal opera house was named the best opera house of 2024 by the prestigious OPER!Awards last year. “I am incredibly proud of the entire team,” she says.
Music is deeply embedded in her DNA: she started playing the piano at age six and has been singing as a soprano in the Octopus Chamber and Symphony Choir for 16 years. This musical background proves valuable in the boardroom as well: “A maestro for an orchestra is like a board chair guiding and motivating the group to work together.”
“Besides the wonderful singing experience, I fulfill my cultural mission to give something back to society,” she says. According to Vandecruys, music can have a significant impact on interconnectivity between people and indirectly on governance dynamics. It can help develop skills that are certainly applicable in the boardroom. Music enhances creativity, reduces stress, and strengthens teamwork. The listening skills and empathy of musicians translate into better communication during board meetings.
Governance Principles and Leadership
As a board member, Vandecruys emphasises the importance of clear role delineation. “Be aware of your role as a board member and avoid interfering in daily operational management,” she advises. She strives for efficient and consensus-driven decision-making, facilitated by good listening and clear communication. This approach, combined with her experience as a judge in commercial business matters, contributes to her solution-oriented vision.
Future-Focused Leadership
As CEO of Monard Law, she sees key challenges for 2025, focusing on artificial intelligence and ESG aspects. She emphasises that AI will never replace the human interaction between lawyer and client. Her focus is on strategy development and, especially, the social and governance aspects of ESG. Shaping the governance framework of a partner organisation is also on the agenda.
Quality as the Foundation
“Everything starts with delivering quality,” she summarises. She applies this principle consistently in all her roles. It characterises her approach: combining discretion with diplomacy, putting organisational interests first, and focusing on long-term vision and resilience – qualities she deems essential for good governance.
