Area meetings are always a great opportunity to get to know other MGI members, and the recent European Area meeting at Le Grand Mello in France was no exception.

We spoke to Philippe Boesmans from MGI Europe’s newest addition, Belgium firm Van Herck & Co Bedrijfsrevisoren CVBA. 

Philippe, a member of the Belgian Institute of Recognized Auditors (IBR-IRE) and a key contact at the firm, enjoyed the event and had this to say afterwards:

How was your first MGI meeting experience?

PB: I must say it was a great experience.  Accommodation, surroundings and catering were perfect.  Open space discussions, coffee breaks, lunch and dinner were good occasions to meet the fellow MGI accountants.  

What were your first impressions of MGI and the people you met?

PB: First of all everyone seemed to know each other very well and the general atmosphere was very open and relaxed. It was interesting to see the mix of cultures from all over Europe (and outside) and the mix of larger-sized and smaller-sized practitioners coming together at this conference. It is good to see that MGI is open to  both larger and smaller practice members. I also respect the accountants active in the MGI Board and Committees concentrating their time to MGI, while they have a business to run in the meantime.    

Did it meet your expectations or exceed them in any way? 

PB: It certainly met my expectations. I see the importance also of meeting people on conferences, knowing who is behind the names and addresses on the member list. 

How do you think this will benefit your business?

PB: In the long run I believe that any practice aiming at larger clients needs to be part of an international network of firms, otherwise it cannot compete against the Big Four and mid-tier firms. Our business will, I believe, benefit both in a tangible way (incoming referrals) as well as an intangible way (outgoing referrals, brand benefit, knowledge exchange, attractiveness of the practice to younger staff, etc.). 

What would you say to anyone considering attending future meetings?

PB: Meet as many people you can!

Van Herck & Co Bedrijfsrevisoren CVBA was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Antwerp, where it focuses on the diamond trading and construction sectors.

To find out more about Van Herck & Co. Bedrijfsrevisoren CVBA, go to the firm’s website or head to its MGI World member profile page.