Bart Buyse

Coffee entrepreneur I game-changer I value-creator I scaling-up a Belgian coffee-chain @ IzyCoffee

Ghent, Flemish Region, Belgium

About

At IzyCoffee, our team's mission has been to redefine the specialty coffee landscape in Flanders, successfully opening 24 flagship locations that exemplify our commitment to quality. The past seven years have been a transformative journey, marked by innovative business development and the strategic cultivation of key accounts. My role as Founder and CEO is characterized by an open-minded approach, driving the brand forward through calculated risks and innovative practices. By fostering a culture of excellence among our baristas and staff, we have solidified IzyCoffee's position as a leader in the industry, committed to delivering exceptional coffee experiences in both consumer and business markets.

Experience

  • Founder / CEO at IzyCoffee
    May 2018 - Present · 8 yrs 2 mos

    As the Founder and CEO of IzyCoffee, I spearheaded the transformation of the Belgian coffee-chain industry by introducing high-quality espresso-based drinks. By leveraging top-tier coffee beans and skilled baristas, IzyCoffee became a staple in Flanders, Belgium, and beyond. Through a customer-centric approach and a focus on excellence, I am in the process of successfully establishing IzyCoffee as a leading player in the worldwide specialty coffee market.

  • Co-Founder at Bling Friends Forever
    May 2018 - Feb 2021 · 2 yrs 10 mos

    Bling Friends Forever is a webshop specialised in personalised jewellery

  • Sabbatical at Self-Employed
    May 2016 - Apr 2018 · 2 yrs

    * Traveled a part of the world with my family (incl. a baby and a toddler) exploring over 50 countries in Asia and Europe. * Gathered a wealth of enriching experiences observing how specific businesses operate in different countries * Preparing my jump into the entrepreneurial world

  • Lufthansa (14 yrs 10 mos)
    • Director Sales Products and Processes
      Jan 2015 - Apr 2016 · 1 yr 4 mos

      * Responsible for the Lufthansa Group's sales products in the different customer segments * Leading the implementation project phase of a complete restructuring of the worldwide Lufthansa Group sales organisation * Leading sales process orientation project for all Lufthansa Group airlines * Integrating Lufthansa, Swiss and Austrian worldwide sales teams into one sales unit

    • General Director Poland
      Jan 2011 - Dec 2014 · 4 yrs

      * Commercially responsible for all Lufthansa Group sales activities in the corporate, leisure and TMC segments in the Polish market. * Leading and coaching 30 employees of the sales / business development / marketing / service teams in the cities of Warsaw, Krakow, Katowice, Gdansk, Poznan, Wroclaw, Rzeszow, Lublin and Bydgoszcz. * Managing the constantly growing LH Group revenue budget in Poland and further increasing LH/LX/OS/SN marketshares in all distribution channels. * Developing new business opportunities in the corporate/leisure segments * Further strengthening the solid market position of the Lufthansa Group in Poland

    • General Director St-Petersburg and Russian Regions
      Jan 2008 - Dec 2010 · 3 yrs

      * Responsible for the sales organisations of Lufthansa/Swiss/Austrian in St-Petersburg and further online destinations in the Russian Regions. * Leading a team of Account Managers & Groups/Direct Sales Reps in the cities of St-Petersburg, Nizhnij Novgorod, Perm, Kazan, Samara, Ekaterinburg, Rostov, Sotchi and Krasnodar. * Increasing LH/LX/OS marketshares in all distribution channels * Developing new business opportunities in the corporate/leisure segments * Recruiting and coaching of the Russian Regional sales team

  • Sales Support / Business Analyst at Lufthansa
    1997 - 2001 · 4 yrs

    * Defining/driving all sales processes and steering (key) account management at the Lufthansa sales organisation in Belgium/Luxembourg. * Analysing sales threats and opportunities, monitoring market trends * Planning / preparing sales visits