David Leisterh (MR), the mayor of Brussels municipality Watermael-Boitsfort, who led the efforts to form a Regional Government for over a year, is joining a communications agency, Growth Inc., as a consultant.
The communications agency Growth Inc. is based in Antwerp and is led by Peter De Keyzer, who was previously chief economist at the investment bank Degroof Petercam and at BNP Paribas Fortis.
The agency provides strategic advice to governments and large corporations. Leisterh is not the first top politician to work for the company; former Federal Minister and Ostend mayor Bart Tommelein (Open VLD) also worked there.
'Natural choice'
Leisterh, who long seemed poised to become the new Minister-President of the Brussels-Capital Region, calls his move "a natural choice" and speaks of "an environment that combines the intellectual demands of high-level consultancy with an entrepreneurial and impactful mentality."
At the end of October, Leisterh – then formator and chair of the Brussels MR – said that he was disappointed when he was stepping down as formator after yet another failed attempt to form a coalition government.
He also announced that he would leave national and regional politics to focus on his position as mayor. In addition to his new advisory role, Leisterh will remain mayor of Watermael-Boitsfort.
Leisterh will therefore not be involved in any matters related to the municipality of Watermael-Boitsfort, Growth Inc. CEO De Keyzer told De Tijd. "That's the common thread that applies to everyone: you cannot exercise power over a matter through an official position."
