Belgian politician; Prime Minister of Belgium (2020 – present)
The Fulbright Commission in Brussels is proud to celebrate the accomplishments of the thousands of alumni who have participated in Fulbright exchanges to and from Belgium, Luxembourg, and the European Union over the past seventy years.
In addition to providing resources for continued engagement to alumni of our programs, the Fulbright Commission in Brussels also engages with alumni of other Fulbright Programs from around the world whose personal and professional journeys have brought them to the international capital of Europe.
Belgian and Luxembourg Fulbright alumni are successful in every profession imaginable, including law, science, medicine, business, politics, and the creative arts.
They are often leaders and innovators in their fields. While the list below is by no means exhaustive, here are just some of our many prominent alumni.
Belgian politician; Prime Minister of Belgium (2020 – present)
CEO and owner of Michel Van de Wiele NV
Member of the Executive Committee, KBC Bank
Belgian politician, including: Former mayor of the City of Brussels and Minister-President of the Brussels-Capital Region
President and Chief Executive Officer of Banque et Caisse d’Epargne de l’Etat
Businessman, including: Chairman, Board of Directors of Delhaize Group and Chairman, Board of Directors of UCB Group
CEO, EDF Luminus
Chairman of the Board, BNP Paribas Fortis, KU Leuven and BARCO
Belgian politician, including: Member of the Flemish Parliament and the Open VLD
Luxembourgish politician, including: Minister for Agriculture, Public Works (1974-79) and Member of the European Parliament (1979-81)
Belgian diplomat, including: Belgian Ambassador to the USA (2014-16)
As a Fulbright grantee in the 1970s, Koen Lenaerts received a Master of Laws degree from Harvard Law School, where he studied alongside John Roberts, the future chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.
Today, Dr. Lenaerts gives back to the Fulbright Program by welcoming U.S. Fulbrighters to the European Court of Justice during the annual Fulbright Seminar on the European Union and NATO.
Professor, Managing Director at KU Leuven (former)
Belgian concert pianist, including: Finalist, 2007 Queen Elisabeth Competition
Luxembourgish politician; Prime Minister of Luxembourg (2023 – present)
After coming of age during World War II, Mariette Delahaut first worked with Americans as a translator for the U.S. Army.
The Fulbright Program took her to Graceland College in 1953 and again to Arizona State University in 1964.
Over the course of her long career in education, based primarily in Namur, she opened three different secondary schools, with an emphasis on bettering educational opportunities for girls and marginal students.
She received the title of baroness in 2017 in recognition of her work.
Belgian economist and John Paulson Professor in European Political Economy at the London School of Economics and Political Science
Director and Executive Chairman, Materialise
Journalist; CEO of Mediahuis Ireland
Gynaecologist and Politician; Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Administration, Public Enterprises, Telecommunication and the Postal Services of Belgium (2020 – present)
CEO, Belgian Red Cross – Flanders
Governor of the National Bank of Belgium
Senior Strategic Advisor, Howest
Vice President of Marketing, UPS