Talk B17 x Forbes “Louis-Marie Piron : 50 years of business built on family values”
Fondateur - Groupe Thomas & Piron
CEO - Forbes Luxembourg
Founder - B19
The “Talk B17 x Forbes” is our flagship monthly business event.
Each edition brings together renowned experts and speakers from various sectors to explore current trends and future challenges; the resulting discussions and analyses are subsequently featured in *Forbes Luxembourg* magazine.
This conference format fosters in-depth, interactive dialogue.
Thanks to the caliber of its guests and content, the “Talk B17 x Forbes” has become a must-attend event for the Luxembourg business community.
For this session, we are delighted to welcome an entrepreneur who started from scratch and built one of the leading construction and real estate development groups in Belgium and Luxembourg.
With a track record spanning 50 years of real estate projects in Belgium and 40 years in Luxembourg, he is an exceptional builder who has always championed family values, strong and lasting partnerships, job creation, and the delivery of projects that truly transform the landscape.
A “Talk B17 x Forbes” event not to be missed!
The discussion will be moderated by Pierre-Yves Lanneau Saint Léger, CEO of *Forbes Luxembourg*, ensuring a dynamic, high-level exchange grounded in real-world experience.
PROGRAMME
6:00 PM – 6:30 PM: Welcome & Reception
6:30 PM – 7:30 PM: Conference
7:30 PM – 8:30 PM: Networking & Complimentary Drinks
The speakers
Louis-Marie PIRON
Fondateur - Groupe Thomas & PironLouis‑Marie Piron est un entrepreneur belge né en 1956 à Opont, dans la province de Luxembourg. Issu d’un milieu modeste, il découvre sa vocation pour le bâtiment dans les années 1970 lors de travaux de rénovation. En 1976, il fonde avec Charles Thomas l’entreprise Thomas & Piron.
Au fil du temps, grâce à son esprit d’initiative et sa vision, il transforme cette petite entreprise en un groupe important spécialisé dans la construction et la promotion immobilière, actif en Belgique et à l’international. Louis-Marie Piron est aujourd’hui reconnu pour sa réussite et son rôle dans le développement économique de sa région.
Après plusieurs décennies à la tête du groupe, Louis‑Marie Piron a progressivement transmis l’entreprise à la génération suivante, son fils François Piron, tout en restant une figure emblématique du monde entrepreneurial belge.
Pierre-Yves Lanneau Saint-Léger
CEO - Forbes LuxembourgPierre-Yves has implemented innovative technologies and programs for media companies since 1996, when he began his career at France Television before turning to radio, managing the survey department of RTL France, RTL2 and Fun Radio. He then moved into strategic development for new media integration, leading digital radio strategy for RTL Group at its European headquarters in Luxembourg. In 2008, he joined Luxembourg-based startup Jamendo, where he developed a new business model based on the world’s largest Creative Commons music catalogue. Next, he ran the operations of startup VitalBriefing, from scratch to generating 1 million Euro turnover. He got approved Fit4Resilience expert during the Covid19 pandemic. Most recently, he programmed and hosted keynotes, conferences and shows on stage of the Paperjam Club at the leading independent media company in Luxembourg. He is a regular moderator at B17, and a regular columnist on culture at Radio Ara. In 2025, he joined Silicon Luxembourg and Forbes Luxembourg as Chief Operating Officer. Pierre-Yves is a Luxembourg and French national. He graduated in 1997 from Institut Supérieur de Commerce de Paris with a Master in Management, and in 2000 from University Paris Pantheon-Sorbonne with an advanced degree (DESS) in Law and Administration of Media Communication.
John-Alexander Bogaerts
Founder - B19Après des études à la Brussels School (fondée par son père Rudy Bogaerts) et la réussite de l’examen d’entrée à Polytechnique, il a entrepris des études d’histoire.
Il commence sa carrière dans la communication événementielle en 1996, co-fonde l’espace K-nal à Bruxelles en 2003 avant de créer en 2004 le Zoute People Group (magazines «people» high level), puis de reprendre la direction de Pan (journal satirique) en 2009.
Il crée le cercle d’affaires B19 (présent dans les 5 grandes villes du pays) en 2011 et co-fonde Momentum en 2015.
La vision du B19 est claire : créer un monde des affaires inclusif et diversifié, où chaque individu a sa place et apporte sa contribution unique. Contrairement à d’autres cercles qui privilégient l’élite, le B19 défend l’ADN des PME et accueille un public varié, âgé de 30 à 65 ans.
Partner(s)
