Materialise, a global leader in 3D printing software and services, announced that the company’s Board of Directors has appointed Brigitte de Vet-Veithen as Chief Executive Officer. Brigitte de Vet-Veithen will succeed Fried Vancraen, who co-founded Materialise in 1990 and has served as the company’s CEO for 33 years.
Global company Materialise NV, known for its 3D printing software and services, has announced that Brigitte de Vet-Veithen will assume the position of chief executive officer (CEO) on January 1, 2024. She succeeds Fried Vancraen, one of Materialise’s co-founders who led the company as CEO for 33 years. Vancraen will continue his tenure with the company as the new chairman of the board of directors.
“We founded Materialise with a mission to create a better and healthier world,” said Mr. Vancraen. “Thirty-three years later, the company has reached an ideal point to bring in new leadership to take us into the future. This transition represents an evolution of leadership, not a departure. I am proud of what we have accomplished through our efforts to improve and save patient lives and to advance the industrial production process with innovative 3D printing solutions. Brigitte has the perfect combination of internal and external experience and has demonstrated a deep commitment to Materialise’s mission and its people. I cannot think of a better person than Brigitte to lead Materialise and to help shape our industry going forward.”
Brigitte de Vet-Veithen is a seasoned executive with over 30 years of industry experience. She joined Materialise in 2016 and is currently Executive Vice President of Materialise Medical. Under her leadership, this division has become the company’s fastest-growing and most profitable segment. Prior to Materialise, de Vet-Veithen held senior positions at Johnson & Johnson, including CEO of Acertys Group. She holds a Master in Business Administration from HEC Liege and an MBA from INSEAD.
“It will be an honor to lead Materialise, a company that helped create and continues to shape the 3D printing industry,” Mrs. de Vet-Veithen said. “As we take this step, I celebrate our roots as 3D printing pioneers, but I am even more excited about our role as pioneers of tomorrow’s possibilities. As 3D printing establishes itself as an essential tool in the production toolbox, Materialise is ideally positioned to capitalize on the tremendous opportunities ahead and to continue driving the growth of our industry.”
Founded in 1990 by Fried Vancraen and Mrs. Ingelaere, Materialise’s mission from the beginning was to solve real-world challenges in diverse industries with 3D printing solutions. Today, the company operates in 20 countries and combines the industry’s largest software development group with one of the world’s largest 3D printing facilities.
As 2024 begins, Fried Vancraen will provide strategic direction for Materialise and represent the company as non-executive chairman of the board of directors. In this new role, he succeeds Peter Leys. Mrs. Ingelaere will step down from her position as Executive Vice President to focus on her role on the Board of Directors. The Executive Committee of Materialise will continue its strategic and operational role under the new chairmanship of Mrs. de Vet-Veithen.
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