Reflecting on five transformative months – A Chinese New Year message 

Chinese New Year is traditionally a time to pause, reflect, and look ahead. For our company – and for me personally – the past five months have truly been a rollercoaster. We not only lost our beloved brother and friend Bart, but also our Managing Director and the face of our company. Bart carried that responsibility with dedication after the passing of our father in 2008. 

Working alongside Bart for 24 years has been a true honour and a privilege. Together, we navigated many challenges, always with serenity, hard work, patience and perseverance. We often needed only a few words to move forward – an understanding built on mutual respect and shared experience. Bart’s guidance, knowledge and integrity have shaped my own development in doing business with China. His passing leaves a profound emptiness, both in our company and in our family. 

A family legacy with deep roots in China 

In the past months, while keeping the business running, we also took time to reflect on our history, our current position, and our future. Our family’s connection with China goes back to 1979, when my father Joos first travelled to China on behalf of Janssen Pharmaceutica at the personal request of Dr. Paul Janssen. The foundation for our company was laid in 1996, and strengthened when Bart joined my father in 1999. 

Today, both are no longer with us – but their dream remains alive: supporting European companies in doing business with China. To honour their legacy, we created an ‘In Memoriam’ page (see following link) on our website to recognize their contributions to our company.

Stepping into a new role

Taking on the role of Managing Director in our family-owned company, I am fully aware that I am following in the footsteps of two truly remarkable predecessors. With the same family characteristics – hard work, perseverance and long-term commitment – we are determined to carry forward their mission in a way that would make them proud. 

The period following Bart’s passing was intense: grieving, supporting his children and our family, managing practical arrangements, and maintaining the continuity of the business. Together with Tom, we set clear priorities, making it our first goal to ensure that our customers continued to receive uninterrupted support. Together with our dedicated team in China, we were able to keep all projects on track. At the same time, we onboarded several new clients and focused on defining the strategic direction of our company. While this remains an ongoing process, one thing is certain: we will continue to do what we have done successfully for many years. 

Both my father and Bart were widely recognized as ‘China-experts’. Initially, I worried that much of this expertise might be lost after Bart’s passing. However, the past few months have shown that the knowledge I have built over many years is significant and valuable as well. Looking ahead, I will take on the responsibility of sharing that expertise more actively, though it may be more business-focused. Due to recent priorities, we have shared less content recently, but you can expect more insights, updates and analysis after Chinese New Year. 

Prepared for the future 

Despite recent challenges, we are more than ready for the future. Interest in China is rising again, but doing business there requires local knowledge and a tailored approach. This is exactly where our strength lies: decades of family experience, a strong presence in China and a loyal, highly skilled team in both Belgium and China. With offices in Xi’an and Guangzhou, we offer a wide range of services all over China. Four of our Chinese colleagues have been part of our team for more than 20 years. They – as well as the others in our team – remain crucial in the years to come. 

On Tuesday, February 17th, we celebrated Chinese New Year. The lunar calendar marks 2026 as the Year of the Horse, a symbol of strength, perseverance, progress and vitality. These qualities strongly align with our journey ahead, both for the company and for me personally. 

This year is also a year of milestones. We celebrate the 30^th anniversary of our company, my 25^th year with the company, and Tom’s 10^th year as part of the team. 

Looking ahead, in 2029 we will proudly commemorate 50 years of the Horsten family’s enduring connection with China. 

I want to sincerely thank our customers, partners and colleagues for their ongoing trust and support. Through hard work, ambition and determination, we will continue the dream of our father and Bart into the future. 

Wim Horsten, Managing Director Horsten International