Our mission
There is a vision at the heart of Compagnie du Bois Sauvage: we want to be much more than an investment company. We are a trusted partner, offering stability, strong family roots and a track record of entrepreneurial success. We are guided by long-term loyalty towards the entrepreneurs and visionaries we support and maintain relationships that are built on trust. With a focus on a limited number of investments, mainly industrial in nature, we contribute actively to the success of these companies by making our expertise available and supporting them at every stage in their growth. We bring together investors who share our long-term vision and our prudent, responsible approach. Our mission is to build authentic growth – growth that is sustainable, tangible and based on sound governance.
Sustainable growth
We are guided by long-term loyalty towards the entrepreneurs and visionaries we support and maintain relationships that are built on trust.
However, growth can only be sustainable if it includes responsible management of natural resources and full consideration of environmental issues. We are committed to supporting initiatives in this area within our participations and integrate these concerns into our investment strategy.
Tangible growth
We select projects that produce successful results and create value for all stakeholders, including our shareholders. The intrinsic growth of Bois Sauvage must allow both the payment of a recurring dividend and investment to support future growth.
Growth based on sound governance
Good governance is at the heart of our corporate project. We expect the same of ourselves as we do of the Group’s shareholdings. Nothing can be built sustainably unless it is built on sound, ethical foundations, driven by entrepreneurial excellence and rigorous management of human, technical and financial assets.
Key figures
For the group (EUR 1.000)
Equity
505.529
Intrinsic value
807.686
Per share (EUR)
Equity
312,25
Intrinsic value
498,88
Corporate governance principles
Good governance is fundamental, and with the same high standards that we apply to ourselves, we require rigor in our participations. Entrepreneurial excellence and good management of resources—whether human, technical, or financial—remain the sound foundations for the sustainable building of a company.
This requirement is reflected in the Good Governance Charter, approved by the Board of Directors on 19 December 2005 and last amended on 4 December 2023.
Déclaration de gouvernance
In het frans
Statuts
Board of Directors
Hubert OLIVIER
repr. Tigrane, SAS
2015-2027
Chair of Board of Directors,
Independent Director
Valérie PAQUOT
–
2010-2028
Director representing
the main shareholder
Marie-Noël PAQUOT
repr. Blacercel, SA
2023-2027
Director representing
the main shareholder
Pierre Alexis HOCKE
–
2020-2028
Director linked to the main shareholder
Karen DUMERY
repr. GoAct BV
2023-2027
Independent Director
Isabelle HAMBURGER
repr. HLW BVBA
2015-2026
Independent Director
Thibault VAN CRAEN
–
2023-2027
Independent Director
Nils VAN DAM
–
2023-2027
Independent Director
Christophe MIGNOT
–
2024-2028
Independent Director
Audit and Risk Management Committee
Karen DUMERY
Chair
Pierre Alexis HOCKE
Member
Thibault VAN CRAEN
Member
Nomination and Remuneration Committee
Nils VAN DAM
Chair
Isabelle HAMBURGER
Member
Valérie PAQUOT
Member
Chief Executive Office
Benoit DECKERS
Chief Executive Officer
Our history
The Compagnie du Bois Sauvage takes its name from the place where its head office is located in Brussels, known as the ‘Bois Sauvage’ (a deformation of the Dutch surname ‘Wilde Wouter’) and situated between the Cathedral of Saints Michel and Gudule and the first city walls of Brussels.
Only a few sections of the 13th century walls remain, including the arcades of the Bois Sauvage, renovated by the Company following the advice of the Royal Commission for Monuments and Sites.
The Company undertook the renovation of the Bois Sauvage arcades, remnants of the 13th century walls, winning the Prix du Quartier des Arts in 1992 for this restoration, followed by another prize in 2002 for the renovation of the Treurenberg site.
Founded by Chevalier Paquot, the company is the result of the merger of nineteen companies of varying origins, such as the Fours Lecocq, Compagnie Financière Nagelmackers, Charbonnages d’Hensies-Pommeroeul, Entrema or Somikin (Kindu mining company), whose existence was sometimes a hundred years old. Some of them were too small to play a decisive economic role, others had irrevocably past activities, and others were in liquidation and doomed to disappear.
This regrouping, in line with the Group’s strategy of stability and economic dynamism, was reinforced by the merger with parent company Surongo in 2002. The Group currently comprises Entreprises et Chemins de Fer en Chine as the main shareholder, and the operating company, Compagnie du Bois Sauvage.
The Paquot family controls Fingaren s.c.a., which in turn controls the Entreprises et Chemins de Fer en Chine s.a. (ECFC). Together, they held 51.94% of Compagnie du Bois Sauvage’s voting rights as at December 31, 2024 with no shareholders’ agreement in place for the remaining 48.06% (see also the shareholding structure in point 5.7.2).
