Special guest1.2.3.4.5.Being a managermeans ...1. TrustingThis really is essential for a growing SME. Thereare now 43 of us and we are planning to recruit 40new people over the next five years (25 in Belgiumand 15 in Asia): you can’t do that without trust.2. FacilitatingBy temperament, I’m not someone who goes intominute detail, but more someone who works onbig objectives, the general vision for the company.We have brought in a Managing Director, PatrickPoty, to work more on the operational side.3. Promoting curiosity as a valueThis is a crucial factor when I recruit someone. It’salso a value that constantly motivates mepersonally. In our sector, you cannot focus only ontechnology, you have to know the “biotope”, youhave to understand the market’s expectations.4. Expressing yourself clearly when you delegateThere comes a time when you cannot doeverything yourself and you have to delegate.However, you have to make sure that the otherperson has understood what you mean, becausewords do not always mean the same thing todifferent people. This is an essential criterion forsuccess in an SME.5. Not reducing everything to pure technologyIn many projects, the human factor is important.In my life, I have built up many long termrelationships by spending evenings with peopleand not talking business…. This also means youcan improve your knowledge of the market© Tilt“By going to our ‘historical’ partners,we are trying to protect ourselvesfrom the vagaries of the bankingmarket. Considering our sector ofactivity, we remain relatively insulatedfrom the crisis that is affecting themajor industrial sectors…”Success comes from“market” orientationThis confidence is supported by agood working knowledge of the market.For example, the Vietnamesecommercial office, set up in 2003,which will generate around600,000 euros in 2008. “Since theoffice was set up five years ago,I have been in Vietnam very often andI see how things are actually done.This is what gives me confidenceabout our impending new office inMalaysia, which will be a ‘cut andpaste’ of Zentech’s Belgian headquarters.To make this Asian operationa success, we have to keep ourears to the ground and see howthings work. In concrete terms, I amgoing to Malaysia next month and Iintend to take my time, to get a bitinvolved in life on the ground so I canget a better feel for the market…”This ‘market analysis’ aspect is reallywhat is lacking in the majority ofinnovative companies, believes Jean-Claude Havaux. “In Belgium and inEurope, it is generally very difficultto make money from innovation.We have very good universities andexcellent spin-offs but we experiencereal problems when it comes to hardselling. It’s quite logical that thefounder of the company, who is oftena researcher, and who spends yearsworking his fingers to the bone todevelop his company, finds itUNBEARABLE that one day he has toallow people in and dilute his ownership.But this is often what isrequired in order to put together astaff with this “market” orientation.The head of Zentech is half Italianand <strong>des</strong>cribes himself as multi-cultural.“I’m a convivial type. You mustn’treduce everything to pure technology.In many projects, it’s the humanfactor that’s important. In my life, I’vebuilt up many long-term relationshipsby spending evenings with peopleand not talking business…”Besi<strong>des</strong> business and turnover, thething that motivates Jean-ClaudeHavaux in his professional life is to beinvolved in improving the health ofvery young children. “Making it possibleto improve the health of childrenin their first weeks of life is an excitingand meaningful challenge. I’mvery proud that Zentech is part of thisadventure.” ■© TiltA helping hand from EuropeThe development of a new kit costs between100,000 and 150,000 euros. SomeEuropean subsidies are available to providefinance to limit the risk. So Zentech’s activitiesinclude participation in certain projectsof the European Framework Program forresearch and development. Like otherWalloon companies, Zentech has benefitedfrom the advice of the team at the NationalContact Point for Wallonia (NCP-Wallonia)which provi<strong>des</strong> a link between theEuropean Commission, the research centersand Walloon companies (small,medium or large) working in the field ofresearch and innovation. This team of professionalsoffers its free services at eachstage of your project.More information? +32 (0)10 48.50.39,ncp-wallonie@uwe.be, www.ncpwallonie.be8. Dynamisme December 2008
24 HOURS IN THE LIFE OFGet upI leave the house by bike or by car, depending on theweather and the day’s schedule (meetings outsidethe office or not).06:3007:30I BASE MY SCHEDULEON DIFFERENT TIMEZONES : MORNINGSARE FOR PHONE CALLSTO ASIAI begin the day by going throughmy letters and e-mails.08:15An hour of debriefing with Patrick Poty,who deals with the day-to-day runningof the company.09:0010:15I use the morning to make phone calls toAsia. Skype is the best invention for SMEslike ours… We have a commercial office in Vietnam andwe plan to set up a head office in Malaysia. Each projecthas its own “Business Plan”, which means we can do aproduct by product survey.I use my afternoons for outside contacts, either bytelephone or on the road.14:00I also like to maintain a network of contacts: as wellas serving as a director of other companies (DNAVision, for example), I am involved in the AST(Technological Stimulation Agency), the Bio-Vallée inGosselies, the Biowin cluster, Biotech Coaching, etc.17:00Return home.18:30I spend my evenings between channel surfing ontelevision and surfing the Internet. This is often alsowhen I reply to e-mails. ?20:00The end of my day. 00:30Behind the sceneBorn in 1955, Jean-Claude Havaux trained as a zoologist (ULg). His career began with 3 yearsin Côte d’Ivoire, where he developed a fish farming project supported by the United Nations.This was where he discovered his taste for sales. Returning home, he launched the Biotech departmentof the Brussels-based firm Sanders-Probel, before joining Techland (the future Zentech)in 1985. The University of Liège spin-off came under Italian control at the end of the 1980s, butcircumstances changed ten years later when its Italian owner died. In 2000, a management buy-outwas orchestrated by none other than Jean-Claude Havaux. A father of three grown children(25 to 19 years old), his hobbies include photography and motorcycles© TiltDynamisme December 2008 .9