Walter De Brouwer (°1957) studied Philology at the University of Ghent and started his career as an assistant university lecturer. He left academia to become an entrepreneur in 1989. In 15 years' time he set up more than 40 companies, co-arranged 2 international IPO's (Stepstone [LSE: sso] , Eunet-Qwest [nyse:Q] ), stood at the cradle of long-distance carriers in two continents ( Eunet, Qwest), founded an international publishing house taken over by VNU , created IT companies that merged with others and ran an ad agency in a very competitive market and once ran the mythical Starlab Laboratories (now defunct). Up to now Walter has negotiated 5 M&A's, 7 MBOs, 9 acquisitions, 2 reverse take-overs, 2 LBO's, 2 bankruptcies, 1 cramdown, 4 IPO's, 3 asset deals, 3 voluntary liquidations, 2 securitizations, 7 IP transfers, 5 private placements, 9 syndicated investments and the sale of 14 of his companies. In his present portfolio there are 15 active business interests. Together with Rowland Capital he invested in Resourceworks plc which became a thriving natural resources merchant banking company in London. He set up Tashbury Capital (a Nevada-based investor syndicate) and Turing Industries (a Belgian investment holding company). He is the president of Fork Capital, an investment vehicle in financial institutions which took over the Patronale, a subprime mortgage house ( www.phmbank.com ) in the financial district of Brussels (Rue Béliard). At the moment Walter teaches entrepreneurship at the University of Monaco to the MBA students.