As of 1 September 2025, Jan Ingels will take over as CEO of the Tiense Suikerraffinaderij. He succeeds Guy Paternoster, who played a key role in the further growth and development of the company over the past six years.
Ingels will temporarily combine his new position with his current role as Director Sugar Factories. On 1 March 2026, he will take on the full CEO role. Paternoster will continue to focus on the company's political affairs.
Jan Ingels has been active at Tiense Suiker since 2007 and has been responsible for the operational management of the sugar factories in Belgium and the Netherlands since 2018. In those years, he has built a strong reputation as a forward-looking leader with a clear focus on sustainability and technological innovation and the pursuit of operational excellence.
Under his leadership, the new diffusion tower in Tienen was built and the largest innovative industrial heat pump in Europe was installed - both milestones in the greening of sugar production. As regional leader, Jan Ingels is a member of the Südzucker sugar division operational management team.
In addition to his role at Tiense Suiker, Ingels is also active as chairman of Fevia Flanders and the Food Port, and is a board member of Voka Vlaams-Brabant, Voka regio Tienen and the Strategic Committee Environment and Energy of Fevia Flanders. He started his career as technical director in an international packaging company and obtained degrees in mechanical engineering, maintenance management, innovation and international business management.
Guy Paternoster has an impressive career behind him at Raffinerie Tirlemontoise. He started at Tiense Suiker in 1992 as head of the agricultural department, then became Plant Manager in Brugelette, and played a key role as project manager in the construction of the Beneo Orafti factory in Chile. Since 2006, he has been a member of the Board of Directors and Director of Raw Materials and Production, and since March 2019 CEO. He also holds management positions at Biowanze, Wagralim, the IRBAB-KBIVB and the AKT.
Raffinerie Tirlemontoise would like to sincerely thank Guy Paternoster for his years of dedication, strategic insight and unifying leadership. His contribution to the success and positioning of Tiense Suiker as a sector reference is invaluable. We wish him good health and a well-deserved retirement.
At the same time, we wish Jan Ingels the best of luck in his new role. With his vision on sustainable production, his experience and his commitment to innovation, we look to the future with great confidence.
