News

30 MAY 2024, Video-Conference “The transatlantic relationship at the crossroads – consequences for the Defence industry”

 

A video conference, organized by Mars & Mercury Europe, will take place on 30 May 2024, 1200 – 1300 hrs.

The speaker will be Professor Alessandro Politi.

Alessandro Politi has been Director of the NATO Defense College (NDC) Foundation for twelve years, the only strategic affairs center officially recognized by the Alliance. As a global policy and strategy analyst, he has published more then fifty books and contributed to various media. He has been teaching for more then twenty years global geopolitics, intelligence and arctic security at the ISIO in Rome, Italian Society for International Organizations, non-profit organization operating under the supervision of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which nowadays represents one of the leader societies for international relations, cooperation and liaison with the leading international organizations.. He has served as advisor to four Ministers of Defense in Italy and Greece, a President of a Parliamentary Committee and a member of the European Parliament, as well as other important decision-makers in the Italian government.

Normalien, he discussed a military history thesis on German counter-guerrilla doctrines during WW II.

 

Short presentation of Dr Alessandro Politi

03 APRIL 2024, Visit to the Officer’s Union and the Cadet and Officer Corps Association of Finland, Helsinki

 

A meeting took place in Helsinki, 2-4 April 2024 with the Finnish Officers’ Union and the Finnish Cadet and Officer Corps Association.
Participating organizations (professional officers organizations) : Finnish Officers’ Union, Finnish Cadet and Officer Corps Association, Mars & Mercury Europe
Participants :
– Officers’ Union, Chairman Ville Viita, LtCol, Erkki Mikkola, Capt (Navy) retr
– Cadet and Officers Corps Association, Secretary-General Heikki Pohja, Col retr
– Mars & Mercury Europe, General President Gaston Reinig, General Secretary Philippe Gielen
Programme :
– presentation of the parties
– presentation of the organizations and their roles / duties
– discussions on benefits and opportunities of Finnish membership in Mars & Mercury Europe
The spirit was very positive and common ground was clearly identified !
The Chair of the Finnish Offers’ Union will discuss the issue and eventually consider creating a “sub organization” of the Officers’ Union, circle Mars & Mercury Finland.
A Finnish delegation was invited to the next General Assembly of Mars & Mercury Europe in the mode of “observer”.
24 NOVEMBER 2023, Video conference “LEADERSHIP AT BAYER DURING LAST DECADE”

 

Mars & Mercury Europe organized a video conference with the CEO of Bayer BENELUX, Mr Werner De Prins, 24 November 2023.

Bio of Werner De Prins

Short presentation of Werner De Prins

You will find hereafter the Powerpoint presentation given by Mr Werner De Prins.

Presentation

28 MARCH 2023, Ukrainian vision on Russian hybrid warfare

 

A delegation of the BENELUX Mars & Mercury circles payed on 28 March 2023 a visit to the NATO HQs and was briefed in particular by Major-General Serhii Salkutsan, the Military Representative of Ukraine to NATO about the situation in Ukraine.

Attach you will find an article written by Jan De Vos, President of the Mars & Mercury Club of Bruges – Mars & Mercury Belgium in concertation with the Ukrainian Military Representative.

Presentation

21 OCTOBER 2022, Presentation of Circulo Ave Fénix, Spain

 

During the General Assembly Day 2022 of Mars & Mercury Europe, the association Circulo Ave Fénix, which shares the same values as Mars & Mercury was presented to the Assembly by the President of the association, Hon Brigadier General Gonzalo Sanchez Urbon.

Presentation

4 JULY 2022, Meeting of Mars & Mercury Europe and Circulo Ave Fenix, Madrid

 

With the passing away of Mr Joaquin Illa Juando, last national President and last member of the Spanish circle Mars & Mercure Espagña on 10 January 2020, the circle defacto did not exist anymore.

 

The secretary of the last President, Ms Marta Teixido informed the members of the Board of Mars & Mercury Europe thereafter that a new association was created in Spain in 2019, the association Círculo Ave Fénix, sharing the same values as Mars & Mercury.

It was clear to the members of the Board of Mars & Mercury Europe that the time had come to relaunch contacts with Spain. As soon as the association was approved by the Spanish Ministry of Interior and the Board elected, a common meeting was schedulded to discuss and explore the potential of a cooperation between Mars & Mercury Europe and the association Circulo Ave Fénix.

Read more

Interview with Mister Alexander Dewulf

 

An interview took place between Mr. Alexander Dewulf, the Vice-President and the General President of Mars & Mercury Europe, interview which aimed to discuss the objectives of Mars & Mercury Europe and to define how to better develop them.

 

Alexander Dewulf, alumni of the Royal Military Academy (RMA) in Brussels, having completed his studies at the polytechnic division, can boast a military career of which he remains proud. Currently, he is president of the association F.E.E., an association which consists of importers and manufacturers of electro-technical installation equipment on the Belgian market. Also, he is the CEO of CEBEO and Sonepar Belgium. Furthermore, he is president of UEGME association at the European level. It was therefore logical for Alexander to become a member of the Royal Circle Mars & Mercury Belgium.

Click here to get access to the results of the interview

 

 

Interview with Hon Brigadier General Dany Van De Ven

 

Following the interview with Mr. Alexander DeWulf, who can take advantage of a career in the military domain, but also and particularly in the civil domain (“Mercurian”), it was important for us to conduct a similar interview with a dedicated authority who can boast mainly a military career (“Marsian”). This interview took place with Honorary Brigadier General Dany Van de Ven, the Vice-President of Mars & Mercury Europe and myself, and again aimed to define how to better develop the objectives of Mars & Mercury Europe.

Dany Van de Ven entered the Royal Military Academy in Brussels as a member of the Faculty of Applied Sciences which he completed in 1975 with a diploma in Civil Engineering in Aeronautical Constructions. After multiple positions especially within the Belgian Air Force, he retired in 2007 and started working for Agoria – the multisectoral federation of technology sectors in Belgium – as director of aerospace and security and defense. At the same time, he became director at BSDI (Belgian Security & Defense Industry), Belgospace and Bruspace. July 1, 2014, he began a career as a consultant to his consultancy company BRIDAN, which deals with aeronautics, space, security and defense.

In 2007, Dany made a presentation about the Belgian Air Force to the Royal Circle Mars & Mercury Belgium. He thereafter became a member of the Club Brabant Mars & Mercury, which he currently chairs as the President.

Click here to get access to the results of the interview