The Katrien Meire Prize for incompetence
The following letter will be sent to the University, its Law Department and the Alumni branch in London on Monday.
Dear Sirs,
I read with some concern that the VRG-Alumni Prize for 2016 has been awarded to Katrien Meire the current CEO at Charlton Athletic Football Club in London. It is surprising to me and other close colleagues that a University of such standing and with such an outstanding record of achievement has not undertaken basic research into the ‘achievements’ of the intended recipient of the VRG-Alumni Prize in this particular case.
Clearly, Dr. Droshut will have elaborated on the reasons for Katrien Meire’s award at the recent presentation. However, the published summary on the law.kuleuven web-site appears to suggest that Katrien Meire has been awarded the prize simply for being young, female and energetic irrespective of her performance in the role which she currently holds. I must inform you that Katrien Meire is not held in high regard in this country by the fans of the football club (Charlton Athletic) of which she is the CEO. In fact it is quite the opposite and a campaign is actively being waged in London to seek her removal from office. Her stewardship of the club has been called into serious question on a number of occasions for which she has never supplied a satisfactory answer nor has she ever issued a personal apology.
Firstly, I would like to draw your attention to a publicity stunt devised by Charlton Athletic approximately one year after Katrien Meire was installed as CEO and which was intended to raise awareness of the Club’s ability to hire out the pitch for reasons other than the playing of football games. Whilst the underlying intention may have been laudable the advertising campaign involved the collusion of staff at the Club in filming a couple simulating the sex-act whilst in the middle of the pitch. The video of the couple was purported to be taken from a security camera and was intentionally ‘leaked’ to the media by the Club. The story went viral for 24 hours before the Club revealed that it was a publicity stunt (1). The campaign subsequently received a banning order and reprimands from the British Advertising Standards Authority (2).
Secondly, I would like to draw your attention to Katrien Meire’s unprofessional attitude toward Charlton Athletic Football Club. In an interview given to a Brussels newspaper she stated: ‘‘I know I shouldn’t say this but I don’t care about the history of the Club’(3). As an historian I take great exception to this statement which is unbecoming of an academic who has received five years training at KU Leuven. The fact that she recognises that what she is about to say shouldn’t actually be voiced even if she believes it only serves to heighten the impact of the insult and is grossly disrespectful to the Club which employs her and to the many thousands of the Club’s fans who hold its history very dear. Charlton Athletic FC is part of the fabric of the community in South-East London and has been so for over 100 years. Katrien Meire however sees fit to dismiss this with one calculated single, unforgiving sentence.
Sirs, I ask you to consider withdrawing your 2016 alumni award to Katrien Meire and to award it instead to a more worthy recipient and one who has not so blatantly abandoned academic standards.
Yours
Dr. ********* BA. FSA.
1) More than a million people watched a video of a couple 'having sex' on Charlton Athletic's football pitch before it was revealed as a publicity stunt. Extract from the Daily Mail 26th February 2015.
2) The ASA said that the sexual content made it unsuitable for children and that running the ad on Charlton Athletic’s official YouTube channel meant that it was likely to be seen by young fans. (The Guardian, 3rd June 2015).
3) L'Echo 28th. September 2015.
Comments
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Brilliant, Dr Coyote0
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I would think one of those online petitions to express dismay at Meire recieving this reward would be appropriate! It might attract a few signatures...5
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What's the email address you used @Coyotejohn1947 as an historian I will chip in if ok and send my tuppence worth4
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She should certainly be mocked for this at the next game. Only bloody thing anyone at Charlton has won this season mind you1
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Found it on another thread now and email sent3
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Great email @Coyotejohn1947 well done0
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thankscabbles said:Great email @Coyotejohn1947 well done
cabbles
you are doing great work with your -email 'exchanges' which many are suggesting should be collected together
(something for the Museum digital archive?)
When she's gone we will need something to remind us all that we kept a sense of humour throughout this stupid regime
and it will be something to hold on to during the re-building process that will be necessary.14 -
After a lengthy journey back, this has made my day. Good work mate:)0
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Great work @Coyotejohn1947 .
I had a look on the Leuven website and found a longer article about her award pp4-5. I've copied it below with the help of Google translate, in case there's anything anyone would like to take up.
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Laureate VRG - Alumni Price 2016 Katrien Meire CEO football club Charlton Athletic FC
VRG-Alumni Price 2016 goes to Katrien Meire - promotion 2007. With more than ten years professional on the counter they already went through a varied and surprising career path. Daisy started her career, however, according to a traditional recipe and tested: in the harsh legal sector, as a practitioner of competition laws by the European Commission and some renowned law firms. But in the meantime you can find her back in Greenwich, on and around The Valley, home of Charlton Athletic FC in the English Football League, namely as CEO of this English club tradition. With the award of the Alumni Price VRG-Alumni will recognize its special course. Katrien Meire left the obvious path and went all out for an ambitious and not always obvious role in a world that too often surprised reacts when an enthusiastic and energetic young lady in the field, in the lodges or at the negotiating table appears and there, even in turbulent waters, knows how to stand her ground. She is a living example that you can strike the most diverse ways with a law degree, that can quickly and gender nor age there today to have to stand in the way, even in bastions where it remained until recently very tough hurdles .
By Dimitri Droshout
Could you outline how your career has expired so far?
After Leuven I am going bijstuderen extra a year in London at UCL where I obtained a Master in Competition Law. Then I went to work in the competition department of the law firm Freshfields. After a year I completed an internship at the European Commission in the cartels Department of DG Comp. It was good to see again the side of the authorities, after which I returned to Freshfields and then through a few law firms Baker & McKenzie landed before I decided to stop legal profession.
I just started in the year of the banking crisis in 2008. Although it probably was one of the most impressive periods in my career, since we closely involved in one of the bank records, this meant that it would be much harder for the legal profession be. Suddenly, the number of mergers and acquisitions which had to be notified to the European Commission fell by half. I have both worked in Belgian and European competition dingingsdossiers, I found an interesting mix. I think competition is still one of the most exciting branches of law and miss sometimes a little bit, because I have not enough time to track it all.
During my internship in the legal profession then I came in contact with a case on the collective selling of TV rights for football games. I started reading about it and immerse myself in it. Since I am always a big sports / football fanatic I've been, began with the idea to play to specialize me extra competition for sports shops (TV rights, state aid for stadiums, etc.). When I read in the paper that Roland Duchatelet, then chairman of my football team STVV, suggested the collective selling of TV rights in question, I have it on good luck send an email to say I was a specialist in this and moreover fan of his soccer team.
To my great surprise, I received an invitation to meet him and talk to him about it. After our meeting and some advice, I sent Roland Duchatelet sporadic legal developments that seemed relevant to me for its football clubs.
After a few years we had met again and he asked me if I would be interested to come and work for him. The job description was vague, I would of course follow the legal dossiers for his football club and also have networks with other clubs. I realized that this was an incredible opportunity to be working with a highly successful person who also has very visionary ideas. On the other hand, I had just started with Baker & McKenzie, and I was really enjoying myself, I worked in a great team and interesting cases.
But "you only live once." I realized I would not get even get such a chance and did not regret later that I had not tried. During 2 months I worked for Standard de Liège, when Roland Duchatelet suddenly Charlton Athletic bought in London. I was involved in the sale and since I had studied in London, the idea arose to involve me in that club by my driver. When we arrived at the club and interviewed all employees, it soon became apparent that someone had to be permanently present to direct everything, but also to translate Duchatelet Roland's vision and style of doing business to the club. Of course I do not have to think long and have packed my suitcases in the week in Belgium and moved to London.
What does a typical day / week for you?
Quite varied , from a job as a lawyer I was writing 10-12 / day at the computer texts, I evolved into a much more operational job.
I have every Monday senior management meetings where we plan the week ( ticketing , communications, commercial etc). Furthermore, I am at least 1x per week through our training ground where to train our young players and senior players , for about 40 people work at that location. Usually I have the rest of the day meetings with players' agents and stakeholders in English football and also a lot of networking. I try 1-2 days a week to take no appointments , so I have time to drive the team . The most important aspect of my job , the contract negotiations. We have 48 professional players , so there are always a few that need to be renegotiated and it takes still fast a few weeks before there is an agreement.
And on Saturdays I go to the match , both home and away . When we play at home I usually before and after the match back agreements with players' agents and commercial partners. During an away game , we usually commercial partners with which we have to ' entertain ' . In addition, building good relationships with colleagues occupying the same position as me with other clubs also very important.
How do you look back on your time as a student ?
Leuven is a great university and a great city for students. I had a wonderful time : the five years have flown by and my adolescence as well ( laughs).
On which subject / what Professor in Leuven you save the best / worst memory and why?
The worst memory I have of Sources and Principles of Professor Tilleman . I think it was the first year he taught in Leuven. He went around with the microphone and everyone involved in the lesson , whether you wanted it or not ! It was also my first exam at the university. I joined him and the first thing he said was that my papers looked too messy for a lawyer!
What is the value of your law school for your (current) career?
I think you're really at the law school and later as a lawyer learns to pay attention to the details. You will also learn to give advice that is supported by research and reading texts after infinitum . The standard is very high , and that attitude comes later you anywhere useful.
What you experience , from daily practice as a shortcoming during your studies?
I think " people management " , negotiation techniques and speak in public, surely should be in every program , not just in rights.
What is your message for the law students of today?
Work hard and try during holidays to gain practical work experience that you have after your studies have a better idea of what you want to do . Rights is a good basis , but after your studies you need to prove yourself again and you look away , where it is important to know what you want and then go for it.
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Won an award, youre having a laugh, won an award your having a giraffe.....4
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Sadly this cow is more interested in raising her own profile than raising Charlton up the league.
Spends more time fiddling while Charlton burns.9 -
Leuven must have some God awful people there if that's the standard needed to win an award.11
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The shame of it is, the's obviously not stupid, having got a batchelor's and a master's, so why is she so useless at this job?0
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Katrien. Age 13Stig said:Great work @Coyotejohn1947 .
I had a look on the Leuven website and found a longer article about her award pp4-5. I've copied it below with the help of Google translate, in case there's anything anyone would like to take up.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Laureate VRG - Alumni Price 2016 Katrien Meire CEO football club Charlton Athletic FC
VRG-Alumni Price 2016 goes to Katrien Meire - promotion 2007. With more than ten years professional on the counter they already went through a varied and surprising career path. Daisy started her career, however, according to a traditional recipe and tested: in the harsh legal sector, as a practitioner of competition laws by the European Commission and some renowned law firms. But in the meantime you can find her back in Greenwich, on and around The Valley, home of Charlton Athletic FC in the English Football League, namely as CEO of this English club tradition. With the award of the Alumni Price VRG-Alumni will recognize its special course. Katrien Meire left the obvious path and went all out for an ambitious and not always obvious role in a world that too often surprised reacts when an enthusiastic and energetic young lady in the field, in the lodges or at the negotiating table appears and there, even in turbulent waters, knows how to stand her ground. She is a living example that you can strike the most diverse ways with a law degree, that can quickly and gender nor age there today to have to stand in the way, even in bastions where it remained until recently very tough hurdles .
By Dimitri Droshout
Could you outline how your career has expired so far?
After Leuven I am going bijstuderen extra a year in London at UCL where I obtained a Master in Competition Law. Then I went to work in the competition department of the law firm Freshfields. After a year I completed an internship at the European Commission in the cartels Department of DG Comp. It was good to see again the side of the authorities, after which I returned to Freshfields and then through a few law firms Baker & McKenzie landed before I decided to stop legal profession.
I just started in the year of the banking crisis in 2008. Although it probably was one of the most impressive periods in my career, since we closely involved in one of the bank records, this meant that it would be much harder for the legal profession be. Suddenly, the number of mergers and acquisitions which had to be notified to the European Commission fell by half. I have both worked in Belgian and European competition dingingsdossiers, I found an interesting mix. I think competition is still one of the most exciting branches of law and miss sometimes a little bit, because I have not enough time to track it all.
During my internship in the legal profession then I came in contact with a case on the collective selling of TV rights for football games. I started reading about it and immerse myself in it. Since I am always a big sports / football fanatic I've been, began with the idea to play to specialize me extra competition for sports shops (TV rights, state aid for stadiums, etc.). When I read in the paper that Roland Duchatelet, then chairman of my football team STVV, suggested the collective selling of TV rights in question, I have it on good luck send an email to say I was a specialist in this and moreover fan of his soccer team.
To my great surprise, I received an invitation to meet him and talk to him about it. After our meeting and some advice, I sent Roland Duchatelet sporadic legal developments that seemed relevant to me for its football clubs.
After a few years we had met again and he asked me if I would be interested to come and work for him. The job description was vague, I would of course follow the legal dossiers for his football club and also have networks with other clubs. I realized that this was an incredible opportunity to be working with a highly successful person who also has very visionary ideas. On the other hand, I had just started with Baker & McKenzie, and I was really enjoying myself, I worked in a great team and interesting cases.
But "you only live once." I realized I would not get even get such a chance and did not regret later that I had not tried. During 2 months I worked for Standard de Liège, when Roland Duchatelet suddenly Charlton Athletic bought in London. I was involved in the sale and since I had studied in London, the idea arose to involve me in that club by my driver. When we arrived at the club and interviewed all employees, it soon became apparent that someone had to be permanently present to direct everything, but also to translate Duchatelet Roland's vision and style of doing business to the club. Of course I do not have to think long and have packed my suitcases in the week in Belgium and moved to London.
What does a typical day / week for you?
Quite varied , from a job as a lawyer I was writing 10-12 / day at the computer texts, I evolved into a much more operational job.
I have every Monday senior management meetings where we plan the week ( ticketing , communications, commercial etc). Furthermore, I am at least 1x per week through our training ground where to train our young players and senior players , for about 40 people work at that location. Usually I have the rest of the day meetings with players' agents and stakeholders in English football and also a lot of networking. I try 1-2 days a week to take no appointments , so I have time to drive the team . The most important aspect of my job , the contract negotiations. We have 48 professional players , so there are always a few that need to be renegotiated and it takes still fast a few weeks before there is an agreement.
And on Saturdays I go to the match , both home and away . When we play at home I usually before and after the match back agreements with players' agents and commercial partners. During an away game , we usually commercial partners with which we have to ' entertain ' . In addition, building good relationships with colleagues occupying the same position as me with other clubs also very important.
How do you look back on your time as a student ?
Leuven is a great university and a great city for students. I had a wonderful time : the five years have flown by and my adolescence as well ( laughs).
On which subject / what Professor in Leuven you save the best / worst memory and why?
The worst memory I have of Sources and Principles of Professor Tilleman . I think it was the first year he taught in Leuven. He went around with the microphone and everyone involved in the lesson , whether you wanted it or not ! It was also my first exam at the university. I joined him and the first thing he said was that my papers looked too messy for a lawyer!
What is the value of your law school for your (current) career?
I think you're really at the law school and later as a lawyer learns to pay attention to the details. You will also learn to give advice that is supported by research and reading texts after infinitum . The standard is very high , and that attitude comes later you anywhere useful.
Her 'Jim'll fix it' promotion to the top of our club makes me feel sick.
University! Whoever wrote that needs to think about going back to school. The grammar!!2 -
, when Roland Duchatelet suddenly Charlton Athletic bought in London. I was involved in the sale and since I had studied in London, the idea arose to involve me in that club by my driver.
That drver's got a lot to answer for.17 -
Ive known a lot of really academically clever people in my time, but not all had any common sense, which made there so called cleverness ineffectual.AddicksAddict said:The shame of it is, the's obviously not stupid, having got a batchelor's and a master's, so why is she so useless at this job?
2 -
This will really upset her as it will be seen by her as a direct attack on her.
Has anyone ensured that she is aware and has had sight of the correspondence?1 -
I'd like to know what a "dingingsdossiers" is.7
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Mate, I know countless people who have academia coming out of every bodily orifice imaginable!! However, what many lack is a grasp of reality and any modicum of common sense and holistic awareness!! Lots of letters after your name and qualifications doesn't make you the be all and end all!! I give you Katriene Meire!!AddicksAddict said:The shame of it is, the's obviously not stupid, having got a batchelor's and a master's, so why is she so useless at this job?
'It's your attitude, not your aptitude, that determines your altitude'!!!!!!!!9 -
Yes, Google translate is a bit basic (but not as basic as Ticket Office Mandy's command of the English language)! Then again the question "Could you explain how your career has expired so far?" is completely accurate as far as we are concernedcarly burn said:
Katrien. Age 13Stig said:Great work @Coyotejohn1947 .
I had a look on the Leuven website and found a longer article about her award pp4-5. I've copied it below with the help of Google translate, in case there's anything anyone would like to take up.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Laureate VRG - Alumni Price 2016 Katrien Meire CEO football club Charlton Athletic FC
VRG-Alumni Price 2016 goes to Katrien Meire - promotion 2007. With more than ten years professional on the counter they already went through a varied and surprising career path. Daisy started her career, however, according to a traditional recipe and tested: in the harsh legal sector, as a practitioner of competition laws by the European Commission and some renowned law firms. But in the meantime you can find her back in Greenwich, on and around The Valley, home of Charlton Athletic FC in the English Football League, namely as CEO of this English club tradition. With the award of the Alumni Price VRG-Alumni will recognize its special course. Katrien Meire left the obvious path and went all out for an ambitious and not always obvious role in a world that too often surprised reacts when an enthusiastic and energetic young lady in the field, in the lodges or at the negotiating table appears and there, even in turbulent waters, knows how to stand her ground. She is a living example that you can strike the most diverse ways with a law degree, that can quickly and gender nor age there today to have to stand in the way, even in bastions where it remained until recently very tough hurdles .
By Dimitri Droshout
Could you outline how your career has expired so far?
After Leuven I am going bijstuderen extra a year in London at UCL where I obtained a Master in Competition Law. Then I went to work in the competition department of the law firm Freshfields. After a year I completed an internship at the European Commission in the cartels Department of DG Comp. It was good to see again the side of the authorities, after which I returned to Freshfields and then through a few law firms Baker & McKenzie landed before I decided to stop legal profession.
I just started in the year of the banking crisis in 2008. Although it probably was one of the most impressive periods in my career, since we closely involved in one of the bank records, this meant that it would be much harder for the legal profession be. Suddenly, the number of mergers and acquisitions which had to be notified to the European Commission fell by half. I have both worked in Belgian and European competition dingingsdossiers, I found an interesting mix. I think competition is still one of the most exciting branches of law and miss sometimes a little bit, because I have not enough time to track it all.
During my internship in the legal profession then I came in contact with a case on the collective selling of TV rights for football games. I started reading about it and immerse myself in it. Since I am always a big sports / football fanatic I've been, began with the idea to play to specialize me extra competition for sports shops (TV rights, state aid for stadiums, etc.). When I read in the paper that Roland Duchatelet, then chairman of my football team STVV, suggested the collective selling of TV rights in question, I have it on good luck send an email to say I was a specialist in this and moreover fan of his soccer team.
To my great surprise, I received an invitation to meet him and talk to him about it. After our meeting and some advice, I sent Roland Duchatelet sporadic legal developments that seemed relevant to me for its football clubs.
After a few years we had met again and he asked me if I would be interested to come and work for him. The job description was vague, I would of course follow the legal dossiers for his football club and also have networks with other clubs. I realized that this was an incredible opportunity to be working with a highly successful person who also has very visionary ideas. On the other hand, I had just started with Baker & McKenzie, and I was really enjoying myself, I worked in a great team and interesting cases.
But "you only live once." I realized I would not get even get such a chance and did not regret later that I had not tried. During 2 months I worked for Standard de Liège, when Roland Duchatelet suddenly Charlton Athletic bought in London. I was involved in the sale and since I had studied in London, the idea arose to involve me in that club by my driver. When we arrived at the club and interviewed all employees, it soon became apparent that someone had to be permanently present to direct everything, but also to translate Duchatelet Roland's vision and style of doing business to the club. Of course I do not have to think long and have packed my suitcases in the week in Belgium and moved to London.
What does a typical day / week for you?
Quite varied , from a job as a lawyer I was writing 10-12 / day at the computer texts, I evolved into a much more operational job.
I have every Monday senior management meetings where we plan the week ( ticketing , communications, commercial etc). Furthermore, I am at least 1x per week through our training ground where to train our young players and senior players , for about 40 people work at that location. Usually I have the rest of the day meetings with players' agents and stakeholders in English football and also a lot of networking. I try 1-2 days a week to take no appointments , so I have time to drive the team . The most important aspect of my job , the contract negotiations. We have 48 professional players , so there are always a few that need to be renegotiated and it takes still fast a few weeks before there is an agreement.
And on Saturdays I go to the match , both home and away . When we play at home I usually before and after the match back agreements with players' agents and commercial partners. During an away game , we usually commercial partners with which we have to ' entertain ' . In addition, building good relationships with colleagues occupying the same position as me with other clubs also very important.
How do you look back on your time as a student ?
Leuven is a great university and a great city for students. I had a wonderful time : the five years have flown by and my adolescence as well ( laughs).
On which subject / what Professor in Leuven you save the best / worst memory and why?
The worst memory I have of Sources and Principles of Professor Tilleman . I think it was the first year he taught in Leuven. He went around with the microphone and everyone involved in the lesson , whether you wanted it or not ! It was also my first exam at the university. I joined him and the first thing he said was that my papers looked too messy for a lawyer!
What is the value of your law school for your (current) career?
I think you're really at the law school and later as a lawyer learns to pay attention to the details. You will also learn to give advice that is supported by research and reading texts after infinitum . The standard is very high , and that attitude comes later you anywhere useful.
Her 'Jim'll fix it' promotion to the top of our club makes me feel sick.
University! Whoever wrote that needs to think about going back to school. The grammar!!11 - Sponsored links:
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That interview is hilarious. Leaving aside the amusing translations (dingingsdossiers!) she's a chancer that dropped our Glorious Leader an email at an opportune time, he took a shine to her, got her to do a bit of legal work on the take over and then decided to take on the top job on the advice of her fecking driver!.
Nothing particularly new, other than she places too much faith in the advice of people paid just to drive her around, but it confirms once again she is the very definition of the Peter Principle.2 -
Can you share it on this thread please?SE7toSG3 said:Found it on another thread now and email sent
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This surely has to be one for Cabbles, as he obviously has intimate knowledge of her:-)CharltonKerry said:This will really upset her as it will be seen by her as a direct attack on her.
Has anyone ensured that she is aware and has had sight of the correspondence?
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Nowhere to hide Daisy.
Get out now while you still have a career to save
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I intend to post this as a letter on Monday to the head of the KU University, to the head of Law Dept. and to the KU Alumni Branch in London. A letter will be harder to ignore than an e-mail and if KU don't respond to my request that they withdraw the award (or try to justify it) there will be the opportunity to press with further letters.CharltonKerry said:This will really upset her as it will be seen by her as a direct attack on her.
Has anyone ensured that she is aware and has had sight of the correspondence?
I hope KM is upset by this approach to KU as she has clearly presented a very glossy picture of her life at Charlton so I would say - grin your way out of this one Katrien - maybe just maybe she will have to face up to some of the consequences of her appalling and incompetent handling of the CEO role
I lost any sympathy for her (in the sense that I hoped she would be an independent CEO and not simply be a puppet) when she made the statement in Brussels that she didn't care about the history of the club.
That was a nasty comment betraying a hidden agenda (i.e. what I believe it means is the the dismissal of an existing/loyal fan base and its replacement with a largely new customer-based fan group prepared to be 'educated' to attend matches on a game-by-game basis to enjoy the match-day experience).
This scenario, if true, and I believe it is, lends weight to the rumour at the Club that she enjoys annoying the 'protest' fans. She may arrogantly believe that she can do without them (as she can do without the history of the Club) and replace both with a new version of the club with a new fan base.
That she should be recognised for an award for pursuing policies at Charlton Athletic which are hidden from the fans and the people who recommended her for the award (remember 'I shouldn't really say this but............') is an insult to this club and to the KU University and this scandal should be brought to the attention of the KU in the necessarily polite and academically sound manner which I am now proposing.
Too angry to continue further....................18 -
Would you please put the relevant address's on this thread?0
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Brilliantly written letter from Coyotejohn1947. Have you considered applying for the recently vacated head of comms role ?4
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This should be used as the foundation of the next CARD demonstration. Humiliate her in her hour of glory in front of her adoring home customers3
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All main contacts are here. The head man (Rector) is Rik Torfs. Just click on the various names to expand and find their email addresses. Click on the departments and it expands to give you the other main people in those areas too.Algarveaddick said:Would you please put the relevant address's on this thread?
http://www.kuleuven.be/wieiswie/c/en/unit/50000050
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Are they any local papers to send the letter to.
Could be local to the uni or local to sain truiden.7
