Sharing some sandwiches and starting the CX conversation

As one of the world’s leading thought leaders on customer experience, the future of business and the human side of digital transformation, Steven has inspired thousands of leaders across the globe with his keynotes, bestselling books and razorsharp insights. Now, he’s bringing that energy to you.

Steven will lead an interactive session on building a strong customer culture. How do you create an organization where customer centricity is more than a slogan on the wall? How do you evaluate opportunities the right way? And how do you develop a mindset that focuses on opportunities, rather than on risk?

It all starts with mindset. In this hands-on session, Steven won’t just share inspiration. He’ll challenge, provoke and equip your team with the practical thinking frameworks needed to turn good intentions into great decisions.

For 23 years, Coen Bertens helped shape one of Europe’s most beloved theme parcs, spending the last 8 years as Member of the Board. Under his leadership, the Efteling didn’t just become a magical destination for millions of visitors; it was crowned the most customer-friendly organization in the Netherlands. That kind of recognition doesn’t happen by accident. It’s the result of a deeply rooted culture where every employee feels personally responsible for the guest experience.

In his presentation, Coen shares the secrets behind this remarkable transformation. How do you turn colleagues into ambassadors? How do you turn guests into lifelong fans? And how do you build an organization where hospitality isn’t a department, but a mindset embraced by everyone — from the people in the park to the people in the boardroom?

Whether you lead a team of five or five hundred, this is a session that will challenge how you think about customer focus and corporate culture.

Albert Spijkman has been a driving force within Achmea, one of the largest insurance groups in the Netherlands. He was leading multiple divisions and ultimately serving as CEO of Centraal Beheer. Thanks in part to his vision and approach, Centraal Beheer achieved a Net Promoter Score above 50! A unique achievement in the insurance industry, where customers typically engage only when something goes wrong.

But how do you turn an insurer into a company that customers genuinely love and recommend? That’s exactly what Albert will unpack in his talk. You can take concrete principles straight back to your own organization.

Isabel Baert studied law at KU Leuven and Humboldt University in Berlin. She subsequently obtained a master’s degree from Polimoda, the fashion school in Florence. In 2010, she began her career at Hugo Boss in Germany. Two years later, she joined the East Flemish lingerie group Van de Velde, where she first built her career in the United States and then became Managing Director of Rigby & Peller, a British luxury lingerie retailer owned by the group.

She returned to Belgium in 2017 as Channel Director at Neuhaus, where she optimized the European sales channels and later also became responsible for global marketing, helping to elevate one of Belgium’s most cherished brands on the world stage. In November 2023, Isabel was appointed CEO of Neuhaus, leading a house with more than 165 years of craftsmanship into its next chapter.

In her speech, Isabel shares what it takes to lead an iconic brand in a fast-changing world: how to honor heritage while embracing innovation and how to build a culture of excellence across borders? A session about the art of delighting customers.

Let’s conclude with some networking and idea sharing, after the inspiration.