SOFICO appoints new CEO and CTO to drive global growth

SOFICO, the global provider of software solutions for automotive finance, leasing, fleet, and mobility management, today announced the appointment of Wim De Bruyne as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Clive Brett as Chief Technology Officer (CTO). The appointments mark a major milestone in SOFICO’s long-term succession strategy and position the company for its next phase of international expansion.

The leadership transition follows a carefully planned process spanning several years under the guidance of outgoing CEO Gémar Hompes and co-founder/CTO Piet Maes. Both will step back from their operational roles but remain significant investors and will continue to provide strategic guidance as members of SOFICO’s Board of Directors.

The succession plan began over four years ago when SOFICO welcomed private equity investor Apheon, followed by Astorg as majority shareholder. During this period, SOFICO has strengthened its executive team to support rapid global growth, including the appointments of Michael Deroost as Chief Commercial Officer in 2022 and Steffen Tallieu as Chief Product Officer in 2023.

“This change is the result of a structured and forward-looking plan,” said Charles-Hubert Le Baron, Partner and Head of Tech & Software Mid-Cap, and Nathan Geerinck, Managing Director at Astorg. “Under Gémar and Piet’s leadership, SOFICO has evolved from a Belgian pioneer into a global leader, serving customers in more than 40 countries. The appointment of Wim and Clive ensures the company has the leadership strength to accelerate growth, deepen customer relationships, and expand its global footprint.”

Wim De Bruyne brings extensive international experience in scaling technology businesses, having previously held senior roles at Montagu Private Equity and Barco.

His appointment signals SOFICO’s ambition to accelerate innovation and expand globally while maintaining its strong customer-centric focus.

“I am honoured to join SOFICO at such a pivotal moment,” said De Bruyne. “SOFICO’s strong reputation, trusted customer relationships, and the expertise and passion of its people provide a unique foundation. Together with the leadership team and our talented employees worldwide, we will continue to scale SOFICO globally, advance innovation, and deliver outstanding value to our clients.”

As SOFICO’s new CTO, Clive Brett will lead the company’s technology organisation, focusing on scaling delivery, accelerating the cloud and AI roadmap, and enhancing technical capabilities to support customers worldwide.

Meanwhile, product leadership will remain under Steffen Tallieu, ensuring continuity of SOFICO’s Miles Enterprise platform, an industry benchmark since the company’s founding in 1988.

Today’s announcement completes a refreshed leadership structure combining long-standing SOFICO expertise with fresh perspectives:

Wim De Bruyne – Chief Executive Officer
Clive Brett – Chief Technology Officer
Steffen Tallieu – Chief Product Officer
Michael Deroost – Chief Commercial Officer
Tim Van Daele – Chief People Officer
Sander Hindryckx – Chief Operations Officer EMEA-South
Walter Maes – Chief Operations Officer EMEA-North
Annelies Den Haese – Chief Financial Officer
Koenraad Van Grimbergen – Chief Operations Officer APAC & AMER

Outgoing CEO Gémar Hompes expressed confidence in the company’s future: “This is the right moment for Piet and me to take on a different role. We are proud of what we’ve achieved together — growing from a small Belgian team to a global firm. We are glad to welcome Wim and Clive, and we have full confidence in the leadership team to guide SOFICO into its next chapter of growth.”