Filip Hons

Chief Internal Audit & CRO | Former Board Member | Open to External Audit Committee & Board Roles

Brussels Metropolitan Area

About

I am an Internal Audit and Enterprise Risk Management executive with extensive experience in governance, risk oversight, internal control, financial analysis and board-level reporting. My career has combined operational risk management, independent assurance and strategic challenge in complex organisations, including VUB, UZ Brussels, ENGIE, GDF SUEZ, Electrabel and Elia. I have built ERM frameworks from the ground up, led internal audit and risk functions, challenged large investment projects, and reported risk and control matters to executive committees, audit committees and boards. Earlier in my career, I served as Head of ERM and Director / Board Member within the ENGIE / GDF SUEZ group, with a primary focus on financial responsibility, risk governance, internal control, insurance and internal audit. Today, I am Chief Internal Audit & Chief Risk Officer at VUB and Chief Internal Audit of the Pension Fund of the University Hospital Brussels. I am particularly interested in contributing as an independent member of an Audit Committee, Risk Committee, Board of Directors or Advisory Board. I bring a combination of independent judgement, audit discipline, risk-based thinking, financial insight and experience in working with senior executives and governance bodies. Areas where I can add value: • Audit Committee and Board governance • Enterprise Risk Management and risk oversight • Internal audit, internal control and assurance • Financial risk, investment challenge and business control • Fraud risk awareness and control environment • Governance in higher education, healthcare, energy and pension fund environments • Trilingual stakeholder engagement: Dutch, French and English Specialties: Audit Committee, Board Governance, Enterprise Risk Management, Internal Audit, Internal Controls, Risk Oversight, Financial Oversight, GRC, Fraud Risk, Pension Funds, Investment Appraisal, Business Control, Higher Education, Energy.

Experience

  • Chief Internal Audit & CRO VUB + Chief Internal Audit Pension Fund University Hospital Brussels at UZ Brussel
    Nov 2024 - Present · 1 yr 8 mos

  • Vrije Universiteit Brussel (7 yrs 3 mos)
    • Chief Internal Audit & CRO (Chief Risk Officer) VUB
      Apr 2020 - Present · 6 yrs 3 mos

      Leading Internal Audit and Enterprise Risk Management for VUB, with a focus on governance, risk-based assurance, internal control and strategic risk oversight. Key focus areas: • Strengthening internal audit, ERM and internal control practices • Providing independent insight on strategic, operational, financial and compliance-related risks • Supporting management and governance bodies with risk-based reporting • Building and embedding ERM practices in a complex higher education environment • Connecting audit findings, risk appetite, controls and decision-making

    • Chief Internal Audit VUB
      Apr 2019 - Mar 2020 · 1 yr

  • Chairman of the working group for internal auditors in higher education at WIAHO
    Jan 2021 - Dec 2021 · 1 yr

    Chairing a professional working group for internal auditors in higher education, supporting knowledge sharing, benchmarking and professionalisation of internal audit practices across the sector.

  • Department Manager ERM – ENGIE Group HQ at ENGIE
    Jan 2016 - Mar 2019 · 3 yrs 3 mos

    Provided enterprise risk oversight across a global energy and services organisation, covering multiple regions including North America, Latin America, Africa, the UK, Asia Pacific, South Asia, the Middle East, China and BeNeLux. Key contributions: • Presented risk overviews to Business Unit CEOs and Chief Risk Officers • Challenged large-scale investment projects from a risk perspective • Supported comprehensive risk assessments across strategic, financial and operational domains • Worked in a complex international matrix organisation

  • Head of ERM and Director / Board Member, London at GDFSUEZ Energy International
    Jan 2013 - Dec 2015 · 3 yrs

    Led Enterprise Risk Management and provided guidance on enterprise-wide risks to international executive and audit committees. Coordinated ERM, Internal Control, Insurance and Internal Audit activities. Served as Director / Board Member within several ENGIE Group companies, with a primary focus on financial responsibility, risk governance and oversight. This role combined executive risk leadership with board-level accountability and remains a key foundation for my interest in external Audit Committee and Board roles.