Koen Pellegrims
Founding partner Agyx
Member since 2005
Already involved in ADM at university
I came into contact with ADM in 2000 as an IT student at the University of Antwerp. I took part in the lectures from the ADM-sponsored chair on e-business” and wrote a paper about it. After that ADM disappeared from my field of vision, but when I started at Telindus I picked up the thread again. In contrast to a lot of other networking organisations it is the members of ADM that help to set the agenda. At Telindus’s suggestion, in the autumn of 2009 I prepared a presentation about mobile collaboration for ADM. In this way I got to know about the value and strength of the network.
I stayed with ADM, even when three years ago I set up my own company, Agyx, where we provide strategic advice for C-level managers. ADM is a great platform for meeting our target group and for sharing as well as collecting knowledge. It is not an elitist organisation: every level is welcome there and actually present. ADM is not linked to a specific sector or subject and you see ICT users as well as suppliers there. It is precisely this mix that makes the networking so interesting. We have already made a lot of contacts and it is a myth that you can instantly make deals there. But you do meet the right people there for building relationships based on trust. At ADM you can profile yourself and your company because it is open to input from its members. This demand-driven aspect is a major reason for ADM’s success. At the same time, the ADM agenda is an interesting indicator for finding out which areas companies are focusing on. This is invaluable for Agyx, which is continually monitoring trends in the technology landscape and constantly working on new things. ADM is not an ivory tower where academics bombard you with their theories. ADM info sessions are always based on actual experience. The fact that you are sitting at the same table as the competition is, I think, more of a help than a hindrance. The communication is very open.