Born in Ghent, Belgium in 1965, graduated from the Medical School at the University of Ghent in 1990. * Training in General surgery at the Baragwanath Hospital, Johannesburg in South Africa and at the AZ Maria Middelares Hospital in Ghent: 1990-1998 * Training in General Thoracic Surgery at the St Antonius Hospital, Nieuwegein in The Netherlands: 1995 * Certified Intensive Care specialist training at the University Hospital in Ghent: 1999. * Doctor in the Biomedical Sciences: PhD thesis was successfully defended at the Ghent University in May 2015: Title: "Prevention of incisional hernias." promotor Frederik Berrevoet. * Since May 2017 proctoring for robotic abdominal wall surgery Currently working in the Department of General and Abdominal Surgery at the Maria Middelares Hospital in Ghent. Has developed a specific focus in practice and in science on abdominal wall hernias and on the adoption of robotic assisted surgery in Europe. * Board Member and Past-President (2008-2010) of the Belgian Section for Abdominal Wall Surgery. * First author of the "Classification of primary and incisional abdominal wall hernias" of the European Hernia Society, 2009 and of the guidelines on closure of abdominal wall incisions. * Congress President of the 33th International Congress of the European Hernia Society in Ghent: May 2011. * Founding president of the EuraHS, the European Registry for abdominal wall hernias: 2011. * Board Member and Past-President (2013-2023) of the European Hernia Society * Member of the Scientific committee of the European Association for Endoscopic Surgery, 2015 - 2018. * President of the Royal Belgian Society for Surgery, 2024-2025