The perfectly directed CEO handover
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shared expertise, bigger impact
international press coverage
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manley is a strategic PR and storytelling agency. We help organisations earn the recognition they deserve through the media, so their impact lands with audiences and policymakers. Since 2014 we've spotted the strongest stories inside companies and put them on the page with edge. From Antwerp, across Europe. In a world full of AI content, authentic stories are the only ones that still count.
deep tech · 3.2M reach · €45,136 media value
A CEO handover at the peak of your company's growth is a delicate moment. It calls for strategic finesse. Result: 3.2 million in reach and €45,136 in media value, with full control over the timing and content of the communication.
Robovision is a Ghent-based AI tech company specialised in computer vision — the platform that lets companies without deep technical backgrounds build and roll out visual AI solutions at scale. Their technology drives everything: from robotic plant pruning to precise quality control of computer chips. Today the scale-up is active in more than 40 countries, with leading clients in agriculture, manufacturing, retail and healthcare.
In the summer of 2022, Robovision faced one of the most delicate communication exercises a fast-growing tech company can make: a change at the top. Founder Jonathan Berte, who had successfully led the organisation since its founding in 2007, handed over to Thomas Van den Driessche — a sector heavyweight, former CEO of satellite communication pioneer Newtec and chairman of the space industry group SSPI. With his impressive track record in senior international roles, Van den Driessche brought exactly the maturity needed to take Robovision into its next phase.
The decision was considered and driven by genuine optimism. Even so, a CEO handover inevitably raises questions externally. As structural PR partner, manley was tasked with proactively safeguarding the narrative and giving the handover the right, positive framing.
Article in De Tijd: Jonathan Berte, founder of Robovision
two strong voices, one clear story
To keep the company's strong momentum, the right positioning was critical. Jonathan Berte was already an established name in the press. manley's strategic goal was to present his new role as global evangelist seamlessly alongside the arrival of the new CEO and Robovision's global ambitions.
Together with management, manley built a clean foundation of core messages, in which every voice got its own clearly defined role inside the same success story.
Thomas Van den Driessche took the forward-looking story: the strategic goals, the ambitious growth plan and the further international expansion. Backed by his proven track record in the global tech world, he was positioned right away as the right leader for the market.
At the same time, Jonathan Berte got the space to speak freely and authentically about his personal motivations: his need for mental space and his deliberate choice to keep promoting the Robovision platform worldwide as global evangelist. Two voices, two angles, one strong whole.
the exclusive in-depth interview as the anchor
To do this layered story justice, manley chose a deliberate, two-part press strategy. A classic press release was simply too brief for the depth of this handover. So an exclusive in-depth interview with De Tijd served as the strategic anchor of the campaign.
By offering the editorial team a candid, detailed conversation, the market got the full and correct perspective right away. Only after that lead piece was published did we send a broad press release to the business press, the tech trade press and international media to maximise reach.
Robovision press clipping — Jonathan Berte interview
Robovision press clipping — interview continued
The strategy paid off on every front. In the week after the announcement, quality publications appeared at home and abroad:
De Tijd
(print + online): a prominent, exclusive in-depth interview
DataNews
(NL + FR) &
Bloovi
: broad coverage across the Belgian tech and business scene
International trade press
: strong visibility in Automation Magazine, Semiconductor Digest (US) and Hortidaily (NL)
- 3.2 million
- people reached
- €45,136
- media value (AVE)
The most important result couldn't be measured in numbers — it was in the tone of the coverage. There was no room for noise or doubt. The focus was entirely on the continuity, professionalisation and scaling of Robovision.
Robovision — image illustrating the CEO handover and strategic gain
A major leadership change succeeds when the underlying story holds up and when both lead figures carry their role with conviction. By giving Thomas Van den Driessche the space from the start as the strategic architect for the future, and letting Jonathan Berte speak from his own strength and authenticity, Robovision got the perfect stage.
The market got a clear picture of a calm, planned handover. Just a strong scale-up ready for the next funding round and international growth.
about manley
manley is a strategic PR and storytelling agency. We help organisations earn the recognition they deserve through the media, so their impact lands with audiences and policymakers. Since 2014 we've spotted the strongest stories inside companies and put them on the page with edge. From Antwerp, across Europe. In a world full of AI content, authentic stories are the only ones that still count.