Daniel Cardon de Lichtbuer
Encyclopedia
Daniel, Baron Cardon de Lichtbuer is a Belgian
businessman, mainly active in the Belgian banking sector.
degree in Law from the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
(1953) and a MBA
degree from the Université Catholique de Louvain
(1955).
In 1958 he joined the European Commission in Brussels as one of their first international civil servants.
From 1960 to 1967 he was head of the staff of Albert Coppé, Vice-President of the High Authority of the European Coal and Steel Community and from 1967 to 1973 he was head of the Cabinet of the Belgian European Commissioner.
In 1973 he received the title of Honorary Director General of the European Commission.
He started his banking career at the Bank Brussels Lambert in 1973, where he became President and CEO in 1992 and upon his retirement in 1996 was made Honorary President. He is also Chairman of the Board of Nationale Suisse Belgium (insurance) and Vice President of Bank Lichtenstein. He has been the President of the Association of the Belgian Bankers, Vice President of the Belgian Employers Federation, Chairman of the Board of Thomas Cook Traveller Cheques, President of the European Financial Marketing Association (Paris) and Member of the board of AVIS Europe
(London).
Besides his professional activities, he was also Executive President of Europa Nostra
, the Federation of the European Heritage Organisations, and is today the Honorary Executive President and President of the Royal Historic Houses & Gardens Association of Belgium and Governor of the European Historic Houses Association.
In July 1997, Daniel Cardon de Lichtbuer became the first Chairman of Child Focus
(the Belgian Center for Missing and Sexually Exploited Children) and was President Founder of Missing Children Europe. Later he was named Vice President of the International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (Washington) and is today Chairman of the board of ICMEC.
Cardon is the Honorary President of the European League for Economic Cooperation
(ELEC), and has been Vice President of the European Mouvement. He is a member of the business club Cercle de Lorraine
.
. He is also Commander of the Order of the Crown (Belgium)
, Officer of the Order of Leopold II
, Knight of the Order of Léopold
, and Officer of the Italian Order of Merit
. Furthermore he is a member of the Royal Academy of Spain and is recipient of the Hope Award 2003 for Global Vision (U.S.
).
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
businessman, mainly active in the Belgian banking sector.
Education
He obtained a PhDDoctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
degree in Law from the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
The Katholieke Universiteit Leuven is a Dutch-speaking university in Flanders, Belgium.It is located at the centre of the historic town of Leuven, and is a prominent part of the city, home to the university since 1425...
(1953) and a MBA
Master of Business Administration
The Master of Business Administration is a :master's degree in business administration, which attracts people from a wide range of academic disciplines. The MBA designation originated in the United States, emerging from the late 19th century as the country industrialized and companies sought out...
degree from the Université Catholique de Louvain
Université catholique de Louvain
The Université catholique de Louvain, sometimes known, especially in Belgium, as UCL, is Belgium's largest French-speaking university. It is located in Louvain-la-Neuve and in Brussels...
(1955).
Career
Cardon started his career an assistant to the dean of the School of Business administration at the University of Louvain 1955/1958.In 1958 he joined the European Commission in Brussels as one of their first international civil servants.
From 1960 to 1967 he was head of the staff of Albert Coppé, Vice-President of the High Authority of the European Coal and Steel Community and from 1967 to 1973 he was head of the Cabinet of the Belgian European Commissioner.
In 1973 he received the title of Honorary Director General of the European Commission.
He started his banking career at the Bank Brussels Lambert in 1973, where he became President and CEO in 1992 and upon his retirement in 1996 was made Honorary President. He is also Chairman of the Board of Nationale Suisse Belgium (insurance) and Vice President of Bank Lichtenstein. He has been the President of the Association of the Belgian Bankers, Vice President of the Belgian Employers Federation, Chairman of the Board of Thomas Cook Traveller Cheques, President of the European Financial Marketing Association (Paris) and Member of the board of AVIS Europe
Avis Europe
Avis Europe plc is a United Kingdom-based company which holds the licence to operate the two main vehicle rental brands of Avis Budget Group in Europe, the Middle East and Africa as well as Asia in the case of Avis...
(London).
Besides his professional activities, he was also Executive President of Europa Nostra
Europa Nostra
Europa Nostra, the pan-European Federation for Cultural Heritage, is the representative platform of 250 heritage NGOs active in 45 countries across Europe...
, the Federation of the European Heritage Organisations, and is today the Honorary Executive President and President of the Royal Historic Houses & Gardens Association of Belgium and Governor of the European Historic Houses Association.
In July 1997, Daniel Cardon de Lichtbuer became the first Chairman of Child Focus
Child Focus
Child Focus is the common name of the European Center for Missing and Sexually Exploited Children.Their emergency telephone numbers are:* 116 000 toll-free, in Belgium connects it to Child Focus, in some other EU-countries this number is routed to a local similar organisation.* +32 2 475 44 99...
(the Belgian Center for Missing and Sexually Exploited Children) and was President Founder of Missing Children Europe. Later he was named Vice President of the International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (Washington) and is today Chairman of the board of ICMEC.
Cardon is the Honorary President of the European League for Economic Cooperation
European League for Economic Cooperation
The European League for Economic Cooperation is an intellectual pressure group on European economic cooperation...
(ELEC), and has been Vice President of the European Mouvement. He is a member of the business club Cercle de Lorraine
Cercle de Lorraine
The Cercle de Lorraine or Club van Lotharingen is a Belgian business club, located in Uccle, Belgium. The club was founded in Brussels in 1998, and it wants to bring together, distinguished and representative personalities from the Belgian financial community, French speaking as well as Dutch...
.
Honors
In 1998 Cardon was ennobled as Baron by King Albert IIAlbert II of Belgium
Albert II is the current reigning King of the Belgians, a constitutional monarch. He is a member of the royal house "of Belgium"; formerly this house was named Saxe-Coburg-Gotha...
. He is also Commander of the Order of the Crown (Belgium)
Order of the Crown (Belgium)
The Order of the Crown is an Order of Belgium which was created on 15 October 1897 by King Leopold II in his capacity as ruler of the Congo Free State. The order was first intended to recognize heroic deeds and distinguished service achieved from service in the Congo Free State - many of which acts...
, Officer of the Order of Leopold II
Order of Leopold II
The Order of Leopold II is an order of Belgium and is named in honor of King Léopold II. The decoration was established on 24 August 1900 by Leopold II as king of the Congo Free State and was in 1908, upon Congo being handed over to Belgium, incorporated into the Belgian awards system...
, Knight of the Order of Léopold
Order of Léopold
The Order of Leopold is one of the three Belgian national honorary orders of knighthood. It is the highest order of Belgium and is named in honour of King Leopold I. It consists of a military, a maritime and a civilian division...
, and Officer of the Italian Order of Merit
Order of Merit of the Italian Republic
The Order of Merit of the Italian Republic was founded as the senior order of knighthood by the second President of the Italian Republic, Luigi Einaudi in 1951...
. Furthermore he is a member of the Royal Academy of Spain and is recipient of the Hope Award 2003 for Global Vision (U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
).