■Stijn D’Hondt is a brand thinker, creator, and co-founder of Loobas, a studio at the crossroads of art and branding. With a deep belief that branding is a living organism, he builds identities that resonate, stand out, and stay unforgettable. For Stijn, strategy alone isn't enough, a brand needs to beat with emotion and pulse with originality.

His work has earned (inter)national acclaim, including the prestigious Henry van de Velde Award and Future talent award. His personal art projects ‘Artbeats’, famous for transforming real heartbeats into visual stories, have been exhibited alongside Rubens at KMSKA, and showcased in Mexico City and the MoMA Medellín.

Stijn brings this same emotional intensity into branding and visual concepts, creating bold, authentic identities for cities like Stad Kortrijk, Vilnius, and Stad Gent. Whether working with municipalities, museums, or missions, he ensures every brand dares to be unmistakably different.

As a keynote speaker, Stijn challenges audiences to go beyond “beautiful”, because in a world of sameness, only the bold get remembered.

Keynote topic

Shape Your Remarkable Childhood Dream

What would you like to be when you grow, other than up?
Remember when we were kids, before the world told us who to be? Our dreams back then? Wild. Untamed. Raw with possibility. No limits, no filters, no boring job titles. Just pure authenticity, the fierce hunger to create, to express, to own our story without apology.

But somewhere along the way, adulthood hits. The noise of “shoulds” and “norms” drowns out that primal voice. We start playing it safe. Blending in. Conforming. Our once-bold dreams shrink into polite little whispers. Safe. Predictable. Forgettable.

Stijn D’Hondt is here to say: No more. It’s time to rip off the mask of sameness and reclaim that fiery original vision. Branding? It’s not just pretty logos or catchy slogans. It’s your soul, raw, real, unapologetic. Whether it’s a city, a company, or YOU as a person, your brand is the loudspeaker of your truth.

Picture your brand as a person. Who the hell would that be? Why Beyoncé commanding the stage with unstoppable charisma and Stromae captivating hearts with his raw, vulnerable lyrics? Who are you really trying to attract? The crowd that craves safe and sterile, or the tribe that’s hungry for something different, something daring, something remarkable?

This talk isn’t about playing dress-up. It’s a call to arms to break the mold, ignite your authenticity, and own your space with unstoppable confidence. Forget fitting in, the world needs you to stand out. Loud, proud, and unmistakably YOU.

Want to book Stijn for an inspirational talk?

Contact: Stijn D’Hondt
E-Mail: stijn@herenloebas.be
Phone: +32 496 78 54 10