Corporate Governance
Corporate Governance
NHV Group's Board Members, Executive Committee and Business Unit Directors play a pivotal role within our Corporate Governance framework, fostering transparency, accountability, and ethical decision-making to safeguard stakeholder interests and champion the long-term sustainability of our operations.
Liesbeth Tielemans joined NHV in 2012 as the CFO for the Group. During the time in this role, she managed a team in Ostend and worked closely with the finance managers in the different countries.
In the past, Liesbeth was Group Company CFO at Eden Chocolates, CFO at Volvo Cars Belgium & Luxemburg. She also held several international finance functions in the Volvo Cars Group after having been Auditor for KPMG.
In May 1997, Eric Van Hal and co-founders Jef De Kinder and William Wilford started NHV. The entrepreneurial trio realised that there was a commercial opportunity for crew transfer flights for the shipping pilot industry during bad weather conditions.
Since then, NHV have grown to be a specialised B-to-B helicopter operator across a variety of sectors.
Today, NHV’s former Chief Executive Officer is still an active Board Member.
Beatrice Beitmann served as Managing Director at Ardian, joining Ardian in early 2001.
Before joining Ardian she worked as M&A consultant both as port of industrial groups (Quebecor), investment banks (Hypo Consult and Mandatus) and freelance.
Nicolas Darnaud joined Ardian in 2012 as a Senior Investment Manager in Paris, and he is now a Managing Director in the team.
Nicolas has experience in the Health & Wellness sector, as well as Food Ingredients and Business Services, and sits on the Board of NHV, Santé Cie, Inovie and Prosol.
Prior to joining Ardian, he worked as an Associate within Fondations Capital in Paris.
Previously, he was a Manager within Ernst & Young Transaction Services from 2006 to 2011.
Anaïs Robin joined Ardian in 2018 as an Analyst within the Buyout Team in Paris following a six-month internship; she is now a Senior Investment Manager in the team.
Anaïs has experience in the Food Ingredients Value Chain, as well as the Business Services sector, and sits on the Board of NHV, Odealim and Staci.
Previously, she completed two internships at Bnp.
In 2021, Thomas Hütsch assumed the position of NHV Group CEO, having initially joined the company as Chief Operating Officer.
Before his tenure at NHV, Mr. Hütsch served at the Allgemeiner Deutscher Automobil Club (ADAC) in Germany. During his time there, he held leadership positions at ADAC Luftfahrt Technik GmbH and ADAC HEMS Academy GmbH, overseeing their complete operations, business strategies, and overall growth.
Prior to his work at ADAC, Thomas Hütsch gained valuable experience at Airbus Helicopters, where he held various roles, including Vice President & Service Chief Engineer for Commercial Helicopters, Director of Repair & Overhaul Customer Support, Programme Manager for Bo105, EC135, and BK117 families, as well as fulfilling responsibilities as a Safety and Reliability Engineer and Certification and Flight Test Engineer.
His visionary leadership and steadfast dedication to success have propelled the company toward uncharted horizons, nurturing a culture of innovation and excellence.
In 2018, Nele transitioned to NHV Group in the role of Group Business Controller. Her remarkable contributions and adept financial acumen were quickly recognised, and she was subsequently appointed as Vice President of Finance in January 2022. Nele's outstanding leadership and her instrumental role in guiding the company through a challenging period of expansion led to her promotion to Chief Finance Officer.
She played a crucial part in reshaping NHV Group into a prominent player in the helicopter industry, successfully navigating the company through the intricate landscape of macroeconomic challenges within our market.
Bart Strubbe started his professional career in 1991 - 2001 in the financial sector where he worked as an M&A consultant and private equity specialist across a wide range of economic sectors such as transport/logistics and industrial production.
2001 - 2011, Bart was the CFO of Refresco Benelux, until he accepted the challenge to become CEO of Le Pain Quotidien in Belgium and France. In 2019, Bart chose for a more project-oriented turn in his career.
He joined NHV in 2020 to support management in the execution of its business plan. Bart holds the position of Chief Development and Improvement Officer, and has been instrumental to splitting off unprofitable contracts, divesting uncomplimentary businesses and refocusing NHV’s main areas of focus.
Bart Sinnaeve's journey at NHV began as a pilot in 2005. Over the years, he has amassed a wide-ranging skill set, progressing through roles such as Search and Rescue Captain, CRM Instructor, Base Manager and Vice President for the Maritime Services.
Today, he serves as the Director of Operations for the Helicopter Services division in Europe and West Africa.
Bart is dedicated to the vision of growing this Business Unit to be a financially sustainable diversification of the Oil and Gas unit.
Since joining NHV in 2013, Bram De Backer has held various roles within the company. He played a key role in launching the NHV Oil & Gas helicopter bases in Abidjan and Wick and was responsible for setting up Search and Rescue operations in the Netherlands. Additionally, he has served as Base Manager at several NHV locations.
Currently, Bram serves as the Director of Technical and Commercial for the Helicopter Services division in Europe and West Africa.
Jamie is a highly accomplished professional with an aviation career spanning over two decades. In 2012 Jamie initially joined the NHV group as part of the flight operations team in Norwich.
Over the years, he's taken on various roles, from Base Manager in Den Helder and Aberdeen to Vice President of Oil and Gas, ultimately becoming the Commercial Director of NHV Group's North Sea Energy division.
Jamie's vision centres on nurturing a strong customer base, fostering business sustainability, and driving growth while maintaining the highest standards of safety and service. His dedication ensures NHV Group consistently delivers excellence to its clients.
Mike has vast experience in the Aviation Industry, and was initially appointed as the Base Manager for NHV Norwich in 2012. His deep understanding into the NHV operations saw his role develop to become the Managing Director and Accountable Manager of the NHV UK Division, which he will continue alongside his role as the Operations Director in the Business Unit North Sea Energy.
