Edition 1: Where It All Began
A look back at last year's edition
The first Belgian Marketplace Summit took place on September 25, 2025, at WestWing Park in Roeselare. Over 50 brand and e-commerce professionals gathered for an afternoon of expert keynotes, sharp insights and genuine conversation about the future of marketplace commerce.
The programme covered the full spectrum: from a strategic overview of how marketplaces are reshaping global e-commerce, to platform deep-dives from bol, Amazon and Miravia, to a forward-looking session on AI and the future of buying and selling. GS1 rounded out the agenda with a compelling case for product identification as a strategic business asset.
Turns out Belgian e-commerce needed n event like this. We're giving it another one in 2026.
These were the speakers in 2025
- GS1
Rien van den Bosch
Rien is a Business Development Strategist at GS1, specialising in digital transformation and supply chain innovation. Actively involved in GS1 initiatives, Rien focuses on leveraging global standards to create interoperable, future-ready ecosystems. Passionate about bridging technology and business, he helps organisations unlock value through transparency and data-driven strategies.
Jesse Weltevreden
Prof. dr. Jesse Weltevreden is Director of the Centre for Market Insights and a member of the executive board of the School of Marketing at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences. He leads applied research at the intersection of digital transformation, sustainability, and consumer behavior, with a strong focus on e-commerce and AI. He actively engages with industry to apply research insights to practical challenges and innovations. Jesse is also the CEO of RankmyAI, an independent platform that monitors and ranks over 45,000 AI tools worldwide, providing users with monthly updated, objective insights into the rapidly evolving global AI landscape.
- bol.com
Nele Vanhecke
Nele Vanhecke is an experienced sales and advertising professional with a background in agency, advertiser, and publisher roles. She has worked for companies such as L’Oréal, Mediahuis, The Belgian Association of Marketing (BAM), Google Digital Atelier, and NedWorks. Today, she leads the development of bol Retail Media in Belgium, guiding brands and agencies with a deep understanding of the local market and consumer. Driven by insight and impact, she builds bridges between marketing, strategy, and commerce, always keeping the consumer at the center. Helping brands grow on the bol platform is what gets her out of bed every morning.
- Miravia (Alibaba Group)
Adrián Peña & Daniel Embarba
Daniel Embarba and Adrián Peña are seasoned business developers at Miravia and AliExpress, with extensive experience at Alibaba Group, adept at navigating the complex landscape of marketplaces across Europe. Their deep understanding of the technical ecosystem and long-standing experience with Alibaba positions them uniquely to tackle the Pan European challenges in e-commerce. Over the past years, they have successfully helped over 10,000 brands and sellers expand their e-commerce capabilities through Miravia and AliExpress, empowering businesses to harness innovative solutions, optimize operations, and drive growth in an increasingly competitive market.
- Amazon
Wout Huisman
Wout is Manager Marketplace Belgium at Amazon. Wout has been driving growth and innovation within Amazon for over 4 years. With his in-depth expertise, he helps brands and partners unlock the full potential of selling on Amazon
- Avanty Marketplace Specialists
Mathieu Lanssens
With over 20 years of experience in digital marketing and e-commerce, Mathieu has guided leading local and international brands in accelerating their online growth. After co-founding a successful digital agency and driving digital initiatives across diverse industries, he now leads Avanty, the marketplace division of e-commerce agency naYan. In this role, Mathieu empowers brands to thrive on leading marketplace platforms. An entrepreneur at heart, he combines deep expertise with a passion for marketing, technology, and people management.
- naYan
Benny Sintobin
Benny Sintobin is the Founder and General Manager of naYan. With deep expertise in transformation strategy, digital marketing, and cross-border e-commerce, he helps brands transition from wholesale to direct-to-consumer retail. Beyond his role at naYan, Benny actively shapes the e-commerce landscape as a board member of the Belgian beCom federation.