The atmosphere was studious at the first Forbes x B17 of the new 2025-2026 season, an exclusive event where speech was free and questions came without filter.
In a setting that was both convivial and focused, the audience came to hear an inspiring story: that of Laurent Louyet, CEO of the eponymous family group since 2013. Back then, the company counted just 60 employees. Today, it employs 1,400—a remarkable trajectory, told with candour, and one where people remain at the very heart of the journey.
It only takes a few minutes to understand why these gatherings are so appealing: the B17 x Forbes talk format is built on authenticity and simplicity. No frills, just an atmosphere conducive to openness. “What’s said here stays here,” joked moderator Pierre-Yves Lanneau de Saint-Léger, who led the free-flowing conversation. This spirit of confidentiality created the feel of an exclusive club, where speech was free and questions came without filter.
Laurent Louyet spoke with disarming simplicity. He described his marathon days—starting early in Belgium with his teams, continuing in Luxembourg, often ending on the road in what he calls his “rolling office.” But above all, he emphasised what drives him: the people behind the group. “Our human resources are our greatest wealth,” he reminded the room.
A family success story built on strong values
The company’s history dates back to Laurent Louyet’s grandfather. A former professional cyclist, he won several Tour de France stages before turning to business, first selling bicycles under his own brand, Louyet, and then moving into the automotive sector with a BMW garage in Charleroi. That laid the foundation for what would become the Louyet Group. From those roots, generation after generation, the family has become a key player in the luxury automotive sector in Belgium and Luxembourg—and more recently, on the French Riviera—representing prestigious brands such as BMW, Rolls-Royce, Aston Martin, Jaguar, and McLaren.
But behind the numbers and the glittering logos, it is four simple yet powerful values that shape the company’s journey, through a strong corporate culture: respect, teamwork, enthusiasm, and perfectionism. “You can have all the skills in the world, but if you don’t share these values, it doesn’t work,” Louyet stressed. This conviction dates back to the early days, when the dealership was still a small regional SME, and today it runs through an organisation of over a thousand people.
Controlled growth and family governance
Family governance plays a central role in this trajectory. The Louyet family retains 100% ownership of the capital, which allows leadership to prioritise stability and long-term transmission over short-term profitability. “Our goal is not to double our workforce in five years, but to make sure we don’t miss the strategic turns of the market,” Louyet explained. Growth has been financed through structured loans, obtained by convincing financial partners—without ever giving up equity. A deliberate choice that reflects the will to remain in control of the company, while seizing opportunities at the right time.
In the room, admiration was palpable—but so was inspiration. Beyond entrepreneurial success, what stood out was Louyet’s deep attachment to his roots and the idea of transmission. He spoke of his father, his grandfather, and his children—Lola and Louis—with tenderness, weaving a family thread that spans generations.
The evening closed with a lasting impression: more than just a CEO, Laurent Louyet is a bearer of values, convinced that a company is not simply a machine for growth, but a living organism to be nurtured and passed on. In short, a first talk of the season that set the tone: an unfiltered look at the challenges of leadership, at the crossroads of strategy, governance, and values.
