Thursday, April 4, 2024 – 9:00 PM I by Editorial Staff
Should Antwerp fear the worst? Ghelamco, the company of chairman Paul Gheysens, is in dire straits. We are now also reading ominous reports in Het Laatste Nieuws.
“This may cast substantial doubt on the group’s ability to continue as a company,” Ghelamco’s annual report reads literally. It was written by KPMG’s auditor, who examined the construction company’s books.
There are 1.34 billion euros in debt, of which 895 million euros must be repaid within a year. Financial expert Pascal Paepen knows that KPMG rarely sends out such warnings. “That almost never happens. As a company manager, I would be ashamed to have to read that.”
“Gheysens has had to sell a lot of buildings recently and will have to continue to do so to guarantee the survival of his company. A few months ago it sounded like there was nothing wrong with the air, but now it appears to be different,” says Paepen.
For the time being, there are no consequences for Antwerp, which is trying to become self-sufficient anyway. However, the club should not expect much more from Gheysens in the near future. That also seems clear.
