Werner Vanderhaeghe

Senior Counsel

Werner Vanderhaeghe is senior counsel in Morgan Lewis's Business and Finance Practice. Mr. Vanderhaeghe has more than 35 years of experience in international mergers and acquisitions, finance transactions, and governance matters. He has advised clients both as a private practitioner in international law firms and as general counsel of the Bekaert Group and the Agfa-Gevaert Group.

Mr. Vanderhaeghe has experience in acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, project financings, workouts, and industrial turnkey projects. He has represented clients and advised on transactions throughout Europe and in Latin America, Asia, the Middle East, and the United States.

Prior to joining Morgan Lewis, through the law firm he created in 2001, Mr. Vanderhaeghe acted as an external legal advisor to the Agfa-Gevaert Group, a world leader in the development, production, and distribution of analog and digital imaging systems and IT solutions. In addition, he assumed the position of general counsel and company secretary of the Group from 2001 until 2008, where he played a leading role in developing and implementing the company's strategy and oversaw corporate restructuring, the demerger of business divisions, and the international expansion of the company.

In January 2010, Mr. Vanderhaeghe was also retained as special counsel to the board of directors of Ageas NV/SA, formerly Fortis NV/SA, in connection with the Dutch legacy issues following the 2008 breakup of the Fortis Group.

Prior to his tenure with the Agfa-Gevaert Group, Mr. Vanderhaeghe served as general counsel of the Bekaert Group, where he was actively involved in the legal, operational, and strategic aspects of the restructuring and worldwide expansion of the company.

Mr. Vanderhaeghe has written and lectured frequently on corporate governance and on Belgian and EU law, including compliance issues in the area of competition and environmental law. He has also served as a member of the board of directors of Tele Danmark, the supervisory board of Matav/MagyarCom, the board of directors of the Belgacom Art Foundation, and the supervisory board of Agfa-Gevaert AG.

Mr. Vanderhaeghe earned a CEDEP Certificate from the General Management Program at the INSEAD Business School, France in 1992. He earned his M.C.J. from the University of Texas at Austin School of Law in 1975. He earned his LL.B., magna cum laude, in 1974 and his Ph.B., cum laude, in 1971, both from the State University of Ghent. He is fluent in Dutch, English, French, and German.

Mr. Vanderhaeghe is admitted to practice in Brussels.