Michel De Coster

Michel De Coster is a Partner at Stanton Chase Brussels and a Belgian CEO, board chairman and executive advisor with more than 35 years of experience in IT, telecommunications and digital services. He has held senior leadership roles across Benelux and Europe, combining deep commercial expertise with a strong focus on strategy, governance and people leadership.

Michel joined Stanton Chase as a Partner for the leadership advisory services practice, with a focus on executive coaching of C-level leadership profiles and consulting executive teams on organisational development.

Throughout his career, Michel has served in executive positions including CEO of BT Global Services Benelux, Managing Director of Colt Telecom, Executive Vice President Enterprise at Belgacom and Commercial Director B2B at SFR in Paris. He has led large, international organisations in complex enterprise and consumer markets, with a proven track record in growth, transformation and customer-centric change.

For over 12 years, Michel has also been active as an executive advisor, mentor and coach, working closely with CEOs, boards, investors and leadership teams. His advisory work spans corporates, scale-ups and public-sector organisation. Michel also serves on multiple boards. He is known for bringing strategic clarity, commercial realism and a strong human perspective to boardroom and executive discussions.

In addition, Michel is a keynote speaker on leadership and transformation and a member of the Read My Lips speakers organisation. He is a guest lecturer at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) and Antwerpse Hogeschool. He holds a university degree in Political and Administrative Sciences and completed executive education at institutions including London Business School, Institut Supérieur de Gestion de Paris, Krauthammer and Guberna. He is bilingual in Dutch and French and fluent in English and German.

Outside of work, Michel is a musician and has been the bass player of the Belgian band De Mens since 1992. He is also a former endurance car racer and long-distance athlete. He is married, has three children and one grandchild.