General assembly
What is that?
The General Assembly represents all the associates (authors and publishers) of Sabam. It meets every year at 2.00 p.m. on the third Monday in May. All associates are invited to the General Assembly, but only associates who have returned the attendance report to the registered office in accordance with the required formalities and within the time set may attend (cf. Article 39 of the Statutes) and only the associates who have paid the nominal value of the company share (namely EUR 124) by not less than 60 calendar days before the date of the General Assembly may exercise their voting rights.
The General Assembly has the following powers:
- Appointment and dismissal of the directors, the additional members of the Colleges and the Commission;
- Changing of the statutes and the Global Agreement.
- Approval of the annual accounts.
Its role?
The General Assembly is chaired by the Chairman of the Board of Directors.
It appoints and dismisses the directors, the additional members of the Colleges and the Commission and the auditor.
It decides on the submission of changes to the statutes and the Global Agreement. It is also empowered to give opinions on proposed changes to the rules of procedure of the social and cultural fund.
The decisions of the General Assembly take immediate effect unless expressly decided otherwise by the Assembly proper. Changes to the statutes and the Global Agreement come into effect on 1 January of the year following the General Assembly at which the changes were approved.
Board of directors
What is that?
The Board of Directors consists of 16 members (one half from the Dutch language regime, the other half from the French language regime). In order to safeguard the interests of all the associates, the Board has a fixed composition, giving consideration to the multidisciplinary character and the capacity or author or publisher.
Dutch-speaking members
- Eva Cools
- CTM Entertainment Belgium (represented by Stefaan Moriau)
- Jan Hautekiet - Chairman
- Hans Helewaut
- Sabine Tielens
- PMP Music (represented by Patrick Mortier) - Secretary
- Serge Ramaekers
- Bram Renders
French-speaking members
- Laurence Bibot
- Pierre Dumoulin
- Manuel Hermia
- Het Gerucht (represented by Herman Van Laar)
- Team For Action (represented by Claude Martin) - Vice-chairman
- Yves Ringer
- Benoît Dobbelstein
All board members are associates of Sabam. The eligibility requirements are laid down in the statutes.
The board of Directors has all the powers which are not reserved for the General Assembly according to the statutes or to company law.
Its role?
It is responsible for drawing up the annual accounts, for determining the strategy of the association and the choice of the projects to be implemented.
The powers of the Board are not limited to the day-to-day management, but also include the determining of a long-term vision.
This also implies the taking of decisions on the allocation of the necessary financial resources.
Management committee & CEO
The management committee implements the decisions of the governing body and is headed by the CEO of Sabam.
The management committee is composed as follows:
- Steven De Keyser - CEO
- Tom Bruyninckx - Operations
- Steven Desloovere - Music
- Inge Vanderveken - HR, Legal & Facilities
- Maud Van de Velde - Audiovisual, Performing and Visual Arts and Literature
- Stijn Van Reusel - Finance & Business Control
Steven De Keyser is assisted in his role as CEO by:
- Olivier Maeterlinck - Communication, Public Affairs & Sabam for Culture
- Sofie De Neve - Management Assistant
Liaison committee
The liaison committee is the bridge between the governing body and the management committee and ensures communication and mutual reporting between both bodies.
Composition
The committee is composed as follows:
- four directors, appointed by the governing body;
- the general manager;
- the head of legal and international affairs.
The composition may be completed, upon invitation, by external advisers and/or members of the management committee.
Powers
The committee contributes to consultation, communication and public relations between Sabam and its shareholders. It also prepares the budget, the annual accounts and the strategy. It supervises the functioning of the management committee and ensures the implementation of the strategy in the daily policy.