Thielemans to head exhibition park for same salary

Freddy Thielemans, the outgoing mayor of Brussels, is to take over as CEO of the non-profit Brussels Expo asbl, at the same salary as he now earns as Brussels mayor.

The asbl runs the exhibition centre on the Heysel plateau, home to major trade shows like the Auto Salon and Batibouw, and heavily involved in plans to turn the Heysel into Neo, a new shopping and leisure complex. By virtue of his office, Thielemans currently serves as chairman, a role which will be taken over by his successor, Yvan Mayeur, when Thielemans steps down in December.

According to reports in La Dernière Heure, the Brussels branch of the French-speaking socialist party PS, which Thielemans represents, came up with the job offer and the salary in order to convince Thielemans to make way for Mayeur in the city hall. However the official word from his spokesman was that “no decision has yet been taken” – the same formula used back in August when rumours of his planned abdication first surfaced.