society

DE LAGE LANDEN Embraces Collective Leadership

The Flemish-Dutch cultural organisation DE LAGE LANDEN, formerly Ons Erfdeel, will now be led by a three-person team. Gijsbrecht Ostyn, Tom Christiaens, and Eva Debruyne will collectively determine the course of the organisation and its publications—de lage landen, les plats pays, and the low countries—which together reach 440,000 readers annually.

Gijsbrecht Ostyn (b. 1979) will serve as Managing Director while continuing as Head of Marketing and Communications. With a background in economics, marketing, and international business, Gijsbrecht has held commercial roles both in Belgium and abroad for the past twenty years.

Tom Christiaens (b. 1971), previously Deputy Editor-in-Chief, will become Editor-in-Chief while retaining his position as Editor of the low countries. A seasoned journalist, Tom has worked for the television network WTV, media lab Quindo, and the newspapers Het Nieuwsblad, De Standaard, and De Morgen.

Eva Debruyne (b. 1991) will take on the task of Business Coordinator, overseeing finance and administration. With degrees in economics and Slavic studies, Eva has over a decade of experience in financial management and process optimisation.

Adapting to future challenges

The board of DE LAGE LANDEN has deliberately chosen collective leadership, believing that this trio’s complementary expertise will help them effectively navigate the rapidly evolving cultural and media landscape.

Chairman of the Board Jan Schinkelshoek explains:

‘The coming years are crucial for our organisation. Our new multi-year plan, combined with an increasingly challenging funding landscape, means we need the best possible team in place. We have chosen three dedicated professionals who not only know the organisation inside out but also bring unique experiences to the table. With the support of our strong staff and an international network of contributors, we are confident they will successfully carry out our mission and vision. I wish them every success.’

Passion for Dutch-language culture

Gijsbrecht, Tom, and Eva are ready to take on the challenge:

‘Our mission is crystal clear: to inspire as many people as possible with Dutch-language culture, no matter where they live. We want to achieve this by providing our readers with even more engaging in-depth stories in multiple languages, both in print and online.

But we don’t want to just observe culture from the sidelines. We also want to meet and connect with our readers in Flanders and the Netherlands through events. Together, we’ll discuss the themes that bind us—language, history, literature, and the arts. In doing so, we’ll not only strengthen cultural ties between Flanders and the Netherlands but also amplify our voice in the cultural and political debate.

Now more than ever, DE LAGE LANDEN wants to position itself as both a bridge-builder and a storyteller within the Flemish-Dutch cultural sphere. In any case, we are eager to work with our colleagues to develop forward-looking plans.’

Get to know the staff of DE LAGE LANDEN.

Growing reach

Each year, DE LAGE LANDEN reaches an expanding audience with high-quality cultural reporting. Its content is published in the magazine and on the website de lage landen, as well as on its multilingual platforms les plats pays and the low countries. Last year alone 440,000 readers worldwide engaged with an online article, 60,000 people watched one of its videos, and 20,000 listeners tuned into a DE LAGE LANDEN podcast.

• de lage landen
• les plats pays
• ons erfdeel
• the low countries