EIB Group Boosts Belgian Ties with Opening of Dedicated Brussels Office Led by Torsten Brand

EIB Group Boosts Belgian Ties with Opening of Dedicated Brussels Office Led by Torsten Brand

(IN BRIEF) The European Investment Bank (EIB) Group has established a dedicated country office in Brussels to enhance its strategic support for Belgium’s public and private sectors. Headed by Torsten Brand, a senior EIB banker and Belgian-German national, the new office will operate from the Group’s Permanent EU Representation. The move signifies the EIB’s ongoing commitment to fostering sustainable and innovation-driven growth in Belgium, where it has already invested €44.5 billion in key sectors including energy, healthcare, education, and biotech. The initiative was welcomed by EIB Vice-President Robert de Groot and Belgian Finance Minister Jan Jambon as a significant boost to local collaboration and financing access.

(PRESS RELEASE) LUXEMBOURG, 28-Jul-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — The European Investment Bank (EIB) Group has strengthened its long-standing relationship with Belgium by inaugurating a dedicated country office in Brussels. Strategically located within the EIB Group’s Permanent EU Representation, the new office aims to enhance the Group’s ability to support Belgium’s sustainable development, innovation ecosystem, and economic resilience. Torsten Brand, a Belgian-German national with a decade of experience at the EIB, has been appointed to head the new office.

This initiative reflects the EIB Group’s broader commitment to providing tailored support for local investments and improving engagement with Belgian public authorities and private enterprises. The EIB Group, comprising the European Investment Bank and the European Investment Fund (EIF), has contributed €44.5 billion in financing to projects across Belgium since its first operation in 1962.

These investments span critical sectors including renewable energy infrastructure such as the Princess Elizabeth Island project, healthcare and education, digital connectivity, national rail networks, and the country’s vibrant biotech industry. The EIB and EIF also maintain strong partnerships with Belgium’s promotional banks and financial institutions to ensure continued support for innovation and infrastructure development.

Robert de Groot, EIB Vice-President responsible for BeNeLux operations, emphasized the strategic value of the new office, stating, “This presence will enable us to respond more rapidly and effectively to Belgium’s evolving investment priorities. Whether in climate action, innovation, or social infrastructure, we’re determined to work closely with our Belgian partners to drive sustainable progress.”

Belgian Finance Minister Jan Jambon, who serves on the EIB Group’s Board of Governors, welcomed the development: “The opening of the EIB Group’s country office underlines Belgium’s strategic importance and will reinforce collaboration. It improves access to finance for vital initiatives across both the public and private sectors.”

Torsten Brand, who joined the EIB Group in 2015 and has been active in public sector financing since 2022, expressed his appreciation for the new role: “Representing the EIB Group in my adoptive home country is a privilege. This step will strengthen our collaboration with Belgian stakeholders and bring real benefits to businesses and communities alike.”

Brand holds a PhD in law from the University of Passau and has previously worked for the German Permanent Representation to the EU and two German regional governments.

Background Information

The European Investment Bank is the long-term lending institution of the European Union, owned by its Member States. It finances investments that contribute to EU policy objectives. EIB projects bolster competitiveness, drive innovation, promote sustainable development, enhance social and territorial cohesion, contribute to peace and security, and support a just and swift transition to climate neutrality. The Group’s AAA rating allows it to borrow at favourable conditions on the global markets, benefiting its clients within the European Union and beyond. The Group has the highest ESG standards and a tier one capital ratio of 32%.

Media Contact:

Press Office
press@eib.org
+352 43791

SOURCE: European Investment Bank