Jelle Willaert

You can describe me as a technical IT-manager tackling large projects, IT-architecture and I have a good eye for policy, people, strategy and budget. I often outlast difficult challenges within a company, because at a point in time I'd have resolved them. I thrive in continual improvement. I focus on empathetic leadership, motivating teams to solve big problems in small steps.

Head Of IT Infrastructure / IT Operations Manager at HEILIG HART ZIEKENHUIS LIER (2025-01 – Present)

Directly reporting to the COO, leading the IT Infrastructure department. Responsible for budget management, cybersecurity, policy creation, and large-scale projects in a life-critical hospital environment.

• Leading a team of 8.5 FTE + consultants in a 24/7 environment, emphasizing personal development, ITIL, LEAN, and Agile/Kanban principles
• I manage €1.9M OPEX and €8M CAPEX budgets, achieving 8% YOY OPEX savings through strategic optimizations
• I oversee 20+ projects, including ISO 27001 certification, server replacements, lifecycle management, and IT architecture for a new surgical wing

IT Infrastructure Manager at BUZZISPACE GROUP NV (2023-01 – 2024-12)

Reported to the CFO, managing IT operations in a manufacturing and logistics environment with a focus on zero downtime. Joined during a post-startup acquisition.

• Led a team of 3 FTE consultants/freelancers, transitioning IT operations to outsourcing under the new corporate parent company (Haworth Inc.)
• Achieved 13% YOY OPEX savings on a €600K budget
• Partnered with the Master Data team (3FTE), resulting in a ~10% improvement of stock management efficiency within the warehouse and production plant

Interim Operations Director (Consultant) at INUI SOFTWARE (2019-01 – 2020-12)

One-year assignment requested by shareholders to build a business around a startup project. Reported directly to the board and shareholders.

• Recruited 10 FTE, established operational foundations, and secured $1.4M pre-seed funding, paving the way for a $6M seed round in 2022
• Built relationships with industry leaders (ASUS, MSI, Epic Games) and consulates (Germany, South-Korea, The U.S.A.), culminating in personal audiences with Kazakhstan's Minister of Interior and the President of Kazakhstan

Interim Product Development Manager (Consultant) at BI GROUP (2019-01 – 2019-06)

Reported to the CEO of the IT-innovation department within KZ's largest construction company (32K FTE).

• Analyzed and mentored 14 Industry 4.0 startups (100+ FTE), directing teams to develop products for Western markets

System Engineer Consultant at On IT! (2016-01 – 2018-12)

• IT Projects for SME
• Cybersecurity (Task force, Firewall and XDR specialist)
• Networking (Switches, Wireless) & VoIP
• Servers (Dell PowerEdge, HPE ProLiant

System Engineer Consultant at On IT! (2020-01 – 2023-12)

• IT Projects for SME
• Cybersecurity (Task force, Firewall and XDR specialist)
• Networking (Switches, Wireless) & VoIP
• Servers (Dell PowerEdge, HPE ProLiant

IT Support Technician at G DATA CYBERDEFENSE AG (2014-01 – 2016-12)

• B2B & B2C Customer support
• Focus on Cybersecurity (XDR, SIEM)

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY in CREDIT CONTRACT – UC Ghent (HoGent) (2012-01 – 2014-12)