Rudi De Winter and Françoise Chombar: The Belgian Entrepreneurial Couple with a Fortune of Over 1 Billion Euros

Rudi De Winter and Françoise Chombar

Located in Heusden-Zolder in Limburg, Melexis is a well-known company in the field of property management, with a tendency to increase the value of its assets. The company is currently ranked in the TOP 40 and is run by Françoise Chombar and Rudi De Winter. The couple holds significant influence through 50% controlled shares in the Xtrion group, which oversees the listed companies Melexis and X-Fab. Rudi De Winter and Françoise Chombar have a combined fortune of over 1 billion.

Françoise Chombar - CEO of Melexis:

• Manages a company specializing in microelectronics for the automotive sector.
• Each vehicle contains an average of eleven Melexis components.
• Orientation towards more economical and safer driving thanks to on-board electronics.
• Positioned among the world's top five suppliers of automotive sensors.

Rudi De Winter - Main figure of X-Fab:

• X-Fab specializes in semiconductor production, notably for Melexis.

Chombar and De Winter's professional development is closely linked to that of Roland Duchâteletwith whom they have worked on previous projects in the semiconductor industry. Following different career paths, the couple occupy significant roles while they continue to distance themselves from the public spotlight, unlike Duchâtelet.

In summer 2021, Chombar chose to hand over the reins as CEO of Melexis to take on the role of Chairman of the Board, succeeding Duchâtelet. In 2023, the De Winter-Chombar couple and Duchâtelet split their joint business interests. At that time, the Xtrion holding company sold an equivalent number of Melexis shares to Elex (Duchâtelet's holding company) and Sensinnovat (Chombar-De Winter family holding company).), reflecting a desire for independence and preparation for generational succession.

Xtrion's recent structural changes demonstrate a distinct investment strategy for each family, while maintaining a mutual commitment to the advancement of the companies. Their ambition for Melexis and X-Fab remains unchanged, with no plans to sell or reduce their shareholdings.

Educational contributions and prizes:

• Chombar and De Winter are graduates of Ghent University.
• Françoise Chombar was honored with the title of ICT Personality of the Year, received the BNP Paribas Global Prize for Women Entrepreneurs and the BNP Paribas Global Prize for Women Entrepreneurs.he Vlerick Award.

Other investments:

• The couple holds interests in companies such as Umicore, Barco and Elia, and have invested in a healthcare company called Byteflies.
• Chombar has also taught at the Antwerp Management School.

With such expertise and clear leadership, the Chombar-De Winter couple illustrate the influence of Belgian entrepreneurs in the global microelectronics sector. Rudi De Winter and Françoise Chombar are one of Belgium's wealthiest couples, with over 1 billion in assets.