Hans Willems

I started my career at STAGECO where I led the R&D department for 13 years before shifting to motion engineering. Craving a new challenge, I threw myself on the market as a freelance technical designer. First came Belgian megastars Clouseau, then Holiday on Ice, followed by Bon Jovi. I saw stage demands getting increasingly challenging and creatives frustrated with the limits of standardized packs. I got obsessed with figuring out advanced solutions. Customized automation became the core of WICREATIONS which I founded in 2005. Located in Heist-Op-Den-Berg Belgium, ‘WI’ quickly exploded to become an international provider of jaw dropping live effects powered by automation technology. From design over engineering, fabrication and assembly. Soon all WI solutions were operated by our proprietary motion software patented as WIMOTION. We’re now 50 creative and technical solutioneers together with worldwide operators. WICREATIONS is a rock solid international player: SHOWS & TOURS Roger Waters, Beyoncé, Take That, The Rolling Stones, Cirque du Soleil, Tomorrowland, Genesis, Ed Sheeran, Bad Bunny, Zillion Illuminati TELEVISION Eurovision, UEFA 2024, NANT Studios Melbourne, Olympics 2024 THEATRE ABBA VOYAGE and all automation for the Studio 100 musicals 14-18, Daens, Red Starline and the pimped war drama 40-45 in the theatre of the Netherlands in Barneveld. January 2023, Hedwig De Meyer, founder and CEO at the STAGECO Group, asked me to be the new CEO with an assignment to empower the company to cope with the new challenges on the global battlefield of live productions. After 2 fulfilling years as CEO at STAGECO, my team and I successfully navigated a generational transition and a digital transformation during an exceptionally turbulent time. By January 20, 2025, by mutual agreement, I handed over my responsibilities to focus on the development of WI’s core business being unique motion-driven live effects, innovative integrations and smart solutions.