I'm a 24-year-old Belgian, born and bred, with a taste for adventure!
"Tell us a little bit about yourself"
In 2017, I spontaneously traded Belgian chocolates and waffles for British academia at RHUL. Learning the ropes of British English and university life was quite the adventure. Late-night library sessions, thrilling hockey and football matches, and the legendary two-for-Tuesday tradition at the Packhorse became my student life staples.
In 2020, I proudly earned my BSc in Economics and Econometrics at RHUL, opening the door to new horizons. My academic journey continued at the University of Oxford, where I graduated with an MSc in Economics for Development in 2021.
Passionate about fairness and sustainability, I embraced various roles at RHUL—economic ambassador, student representative, and tutor. These roles allowed me to assist fellow students, advocate for their voices, and contribute to our academic community.
Amidst the challenges of lockdown at Oxford, I launched OxForWater, a virtual running challenge that united students while supporting clean water accessibility.
From my Belgian roots to British academia and personal initiatives, this journey has strengthend my education and empowered my resilience. Moving from a small city to a new culture has primed me to tackle challenges and make a positive impact.
"Tell us about your current initative, Factian"
Drawing upon my background in economics, I've observed a noteworthy shift in consumption patterns – a trend summarised as "Own Less, Have More." This transformation is evident across various industries; we no longer possess DVDs, CDs, and there's a reduced ownership of bicycles and cars. Instead, we access them through subscriptions to services like Netflix, Spotify, and Lime, affording us greater accessibility and convenience with fewer possessions. One sector where this transition is gaining momentum, but has not fully embraced this pattern, is the fashion industry. While it is already gaining momentum in Asia, the clothing rental sector has yet to fully embrace this concept. With double-digit growth rates and forecasted triple digits by 2026, I am enthusiastic about jumping on this train and contributing to this evolutionary shift with Factian.
Factian is a pioneering subscription-based clothing rental service with a strong focus on sustainability and circularity. Our mission is to disrupt the traditional fashion model and shift towards a circular fashion system, reducing waste and promoting a more sustainable future. We simplify the fashion shopping experience by delivering new personalised clothing boxes of second-hand clothing straight to our customer’s doorstep, where we pick up their previous month's clothing box. With a commitment to delivering fully styled outfits in a reusable and sustainable way, Factian is dedicated to create a positive sustainble impact in the fashion industry.
We are currently conducting market research and it would mean a lot to me and the team if you could spare 5 minutes and fill in this survey: https://forms.gle/QkRn3RQwT5muxxjk6
"Why did you choose to study Economics at Royal Holloway"
I was a seventeen year-old belgian boy who visited London for the second time in his life. The big city vibes were intimidating, especially when I visited the univeristies down there, there was no community feeling was my first impression. But then, very coincidentally, I heard that there was an open day at a university just outside of London, RHUL. I thought why not give this a visit?
The moment I set foot on the RHUL campus, it was like a rom-com love story. That spark when you meet someone special, I had it with the university - I was ready to apply. Visiting the campus for the first time was like stepping into a fairy tale. RHUL had me at 'hello' with its stunning surroundings and architecture. It had the community feeling, with the charm of being surrounded by nature while still being so close to the bustling business world of London. Even though I am someone who loves being around people to socialse, I understood that, espically as an international student, being in a setting like this, versus a big city. It would be easier to improve my language skills, focus on my studies, and make me feel part of a unique story the university community shares.
Now, why Economics, you ask? Simple – I've always been curious about how the world works, minus the politics - from my opinion that's what economics is all about, it understands the past, it makes sense of the present, and it innovates/forecasts the future. To me, Economics was like a Swiss Army knife of courses, offering a bunch of career options for the future.
RHUL felt like the perfect place to explore this curiosity. Moreover, I recognised that when you are on a campus, you naturally form friendships with fellow students who share your academic interests. This inevitably leads to lively economic discussions over lunch and enriches your knowledge beyond textbooks and theories.
In retrospect, as I look back on my academic journey, it feels like something out of a movie. Picture the vibes of 'Dead Poets Society,' as we even had our very own 'economic philosophy club' in the department. There, we would gather over cups of tea and coffee, engaging in deep philosophical conversations with our economic philosophy professor, talking about economic concepts that make you look beyond the horizon of how the economy operates.
"Tell us about your career journey since graduating. What do you enjoy most / find most rewarding about your current role?"
My journey after graduation has been quite an adventure. Right after my time at Royal Holloway, I took a leap and pursued further education at the University of Oxford. This was a big achievement for me, and I owe a debt of gratitude to RHUL for giving me the solid economic foundation, exceptional reference letters, and invaluable mentorship from my professors that paved the way.
Following my master's degree, I decided to head back to Belgium and took on a role as a Teaching Assistant at the Catholic University of Leuven (KUL), specifically in the Management, Strategy, and Innovation department. This experience gave academic insights from a business management perspective.
After a year as a Teaching Assistant, I knew it was time for some corporate experience to further my professional development. So, I started as a project manager in London at Arcadis, a sustainablility consulting and engineering multinational. At the same time, I continued my academic engagement by working as an independent contractor - online tutor - for Crimson Education, putting to good use the teaching skills I honed during my time as a tutor at RHUL.
Recently, I made a strategic shift in focus towards my entrepreneurial venture, Factian. What's truly rewarding about this journey is watching my practical skills along with the company I founded grow, step by step. I also enjoy the flexibility that comes with my role as an online tutor. This is giving me the opportunity to travel in Asia while maintaining a sustainable income and allowing me extra time to nurture my company's growth into something truly remarkable.
One aspect of my journey post-graduation that holds a special place in my heart is the lasting connections I made. This includes continuing to meet with some of my RHUL professors, benefiting from free business advice from entrepreneurship professors at KUL, and receiving generous assistance and connections from my previous colleagues at Arcadis.
