Ingmar De Vos – FEI’s President

Ingmar De Vos - FEI's President

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Ingmar De Vos – President of “Fédération Equestre Internationale“.

In the world of sports there are institutions that establish the regulations under which such sports are governed for a better performance.

These institutions allow that everything is duly written at the moment of presenting a particular or exceptional situation. These institutions are responsible for:

Establish the regulations that participants must respect.
In case of violating any of these rules are also responsible for applying the corresponding penalties such as fines or suspensions.
Indicate the direction for the development and growth of said sports to be in tune with the social changes.

Therefore, these organizations merit people with great leadership with the right skills to take charge. In this field, the “Fédération Equestre Internationale” or more known as FEI is the International Federation for Equestrian Sports. The FEI is the sports organization that has the function of regulating equestrian sports.

Currently who serves as president of the International Equestrian Federation is Ingmar de Vos who we will discover as an expert manager and leader of the equestrian world in the next lines. Let’s meet him.

Who is Igmar de Vos?

Ingmar de Vos

Ingmar de Vos a Belgian sports manager, born on August 5, 1963. Within his academic career he has many following degrees:

Political Sciences
Master in Political Science
Master in International and European Law
Business Administration
Sports Management (Belgian Olympic Academy)

His political studies were taken at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel a German-speaking university which gives an idea of his versatility

His preparation in the political, legal and management fields make him a versatile candidate. He is not satisfied with performing well in his field but is constantly growing

In relation to the work environment began his career as a counselor of the Belgian Senate and later gave the 180 degree turn to the sports world.

In the sporting world, Ingmar de Vos started in the equestrian world nothing more and nothing less than in the Equestrian Federation of his native country.

This 55-year-old Belgian has an equally active family life. Ingmar de Vos is married to Sabine Cox. Together Ingmar and Sabine have four children: Olivier, Philippe, Jacco and Flo

What is the work experience of Igmar de Vos?

We know that Ingmar de Vos is the current president of the FEI. But we want to know how this excellent manager came to that place of honor

In relation to the work environment, as mentioned above, Ingmar de Vos began his career as a counselor in the Belgian Senate.

Later, he made the leap to the equestrian world, starting in the Equestrian Federation of his native country. There he assumed the role of general director in 1990. Subsequently he assumed the role of General Secretary of the Belgian Equestrian Federation from 1997 until 2011.

During his tenure with the Belgian National Federation, he assumed an extremely active, important and highly responsible role. From there he led the team of his native country of Belgium in the World Equestrian Games competitions of the International Equestrian Federation in the period from 1990 to 2010. In addition to boost the country’s national team in the three Olympic Games of the year 2000 to 2008 carried out in the countries of Australia, Greece and China.

In 2011 he assumed the role of Secretary General of the FEI during the presidency of Princess Haya bint Hussein, daughter of the King of Jordan. From the General Secretariat of the FEI promoted the improvement of communication between the FEI and national federations. Likewise, it also established lines of communication with other stakeholders in equestrian sport. For this, it established the FEI Sports Forum, an annual event where the FEI deals with the issues with all those involved in a transparent manner.

In this way he radically changed the commercial strategy of the FEI and achieved one of the most interesting trade agreements for the federation with the watch manufacturer Longiness, current sponsor of the FEI.

Ingmar De Vos

Ingmar de Vos to the FEI’s presidency

The Haya bint Hussein left his nomination for a new presidency in 2014. With this huge trajectory, Ingmar de Vos achieves a landslide victory. He achives the victory for the election to the presidency of the FEI with 98 votes out of 131 (75%)

Ingmar De Vos was elected president of said organization in 2014 for the period 2014-2018

The five pillars of its program to the Presidency of the FEI are:

1. Service to our community;
2. Sport: Our main business;
3. The equestrian sport in the Olympic Games;
4. Solidarity: The engine of development;
5. Horses as companions.

Also in the round of acknowledgments he made special mention to his wife and his predecessor the Princess of the Hague. The latter gave him his trust and great support since he began as general secretary of the institution in 2011.

“I am very honored and overwhelmed by this great support […] and I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for your confidence”

Ingmar de Vos (during the election event)

Ingmar De Vos is again elected FEI’s president

Opening of the General Assembly of the International Equestrian Federation in Manama (Bahrain)

De Vos was reelected without opposition as president of the International Equestrian Federation in November 2018 for the period 2018-2022, at the General Assembly held in Manama (Bahrain).

Ingmar de Vos pledged to take advantage of the success of his first term in office. The Belgian received unanimous support for a second four-year term from the delegates representing the 133 National Federations of the FEI.

It is the first time since 2002 that there has been an unopposed election for the FEI’s main position. The Belgian is the thirteenth president of the FEI since the Federation was founded in 1921, and only the fourth since the beginning of the International Olympic Committee.

New FEI President Ingmar De Vos

“I believe in our sport, in our community and in our potential. […] These are exciting times for horse racing. We are growing, our fans are diversifying and we have seven unique and incredible disciplines to promote: heaven is really the limit!. […] Together, and this is the key word.

Together we can and will continue to develop our sport and attract new athletes, new fans and new sponsors, and we will do so by guaranteeing a great sport, avant-garde formats and excellent products world level to show the unique attributes of our disciplines and our sport. One of my highest priorities is to keep our community together because that is how we can continue to take the sport to the top. We are all on this trip together. It is not the mission from a single person, but from a community, and I am grateful to everyone in this room for all we have achieved and all that we will follow achieving. “

Ingmar De Vos during the speech of acceptance of the position of President of the FEI

Humility first of all

This illustrious lawyer and sports manager has had a dazzling career in the equestrian world so much that he is the current president of the International Equestrian Federation.

Ingmar de Vos is also part of the International Olympic Committee.

Ingmar De Vos became a member of the International Olympic Committee last year

These achievements are the product of his great academic preparation and good performance in the international equestrian scene. Hence, success lies in working according to what we want to achieve. Apparently this man has reached the peak of what is the ultimate governing body of the equestrian world.

This Belgian sports manager has transformed the FEI. He has promoted a sport and business that was believed to be in decline. Igmar de Vos will continue to speak for years to come. To learn more about this sports manager, we will talk more about him and the FEI in the next edition.