Baloise Chief Executive Gert De Winter is keeping fit doing his daily exercise and by riding his bike. But he finds true relaxation in an activity most of us will see as a chore, he told finews.com.
When do you carve out time for yourself?
Riding my bike. It allows me to clear my mind – but also to consider specific questions in depth and in peace.
What is your favorite ritual?
It may sound a little strange, but I find it relaxing to open my physical mail on weekends, to sift through the letters and make my administration (laughs). In the advent season it was a great pleasure with all the Christmas cards.
How do you keep fit?
I exercise ten minutes every morning and I ride my bike as often as I can. I also try to eat as healthily as possible.
How do you reward yourself?
A nice trip together with my wife and my two grown-up daughthers.
Where (how) do you learn?
By nature I'm very curious and try to be open for different ideas and viewpoints. It is important to listen, my colleagues have valuable know-how, I learn incredibly much in doing so. And I try to read as many books about topics such as futurology, innovation, history and philosophy.
Gert De Winter, a citizen of Belgium, has been CEO of Baloise insurance company since 2016. The five-question interview with De Winter is the first in a series of short interviews with executives and managers from the business world and society at large.
