Jan is an experienced entrepreneur, chairman and investor with a proven track record in TMT, corporate finance, and consumer growth.

After completing his mandatory military service as an officer, Jan started his career in sales at Rank Xerox, before moving into sales and sales management at Dow Jones. He then transitioned into corporate finance, joining ABN AMRO (TMT Division) as a Senior Banker, where he led landmark transactions for clients including Euronext, Reuters, SWIFT, Wolters Kluwer and Dow Jones.

He went on to become CEO of MarketXS, scaling the company to win the Deloitte Fast 50 award before steering its $50M exit to Markit. At Markit, Jan was instrumental in driving acquisitions and strategic development, contributing to the company’s expansion and its eventual $44B merger with S&P Global.

As founder and former CEO of Vascobelo Group, he built a premium lifestyle coffee brand from the ground up to more than 30 locations across Europe, positioning it as an award-winning player in coffee and hospitality.

Today, Jan is the Founder and CEO of Citizens Group, a founder-led digital transformation collective in the Benelux, and Chairman of Vesper Ventures, an M&A boutique and investment advisory firm. He also serves as a board member and advisor to several ventures, supporting startups, scale-ups and SMEs on sustainable growth, M&A strategy, and business transformation.

Jan studied Law at the University of Antwerp and completed an executive course in Finance at INSEAD. He brings a unique blend of strategic insight, entrepreneurial drive, and cultural sensitivity, with a focus on building companies that combine purpose, innovation, and long-term value creation.

Jan is married to Isabel Miquel Arqués, a Spanish artist and writer, and together they have four children. Beyond business, he is passionate about tennis, art, opera and culture, and he enjoys curating experiences that bring people together. He is also the founder of a culinary club, where gastronomy and friendship meet. His love for aesthetics, books, and refined craftsmanship reflects the same drive he brings to his professional life: creating things that last, with meaning and beauty.