Contribute provides custom solutions based on Oracle technologies. Filip, an Oracle specialist with years of expertise, has been at the helm since Contribute’s founding. ‘In 2015, Pascal Van Meerbergen and I began shaping Contribute into what it is today,’ I had already started a few years earlier as a consultant at Contribute’s predecessor, but at some point, I took over the company to further develop it,” Filip explains. “Since then, together with my colleague Sandra Noé, I have been leading Contribute.”
“I know it sounds like a cliché, but the people really make Contribute. Many companies do what we do, but they don’t have the team and atmosphere that we have.”
More than 25 years of Oracle expertise
Filip’s roots are with Oracle itself. For over 25 years, he has proudly been an Oracle expert. “I started my career in 1998 as a consultant at Oracle in Vilvoorde. After 8 years, I transitioned to a presales’ role within Oracle and eventually moved to Cronos,” Filip continues. “I initially jumped into ongoing projects, but soon I was also starting new projects with technologies like ADF. We wanted to promote the Oracle story further in the market, and that’s how Contribute eventually came about.”
Over the years, Filip, alongside his colleagues, has built Contribute into what it is today. The company has grown exponentially, spawning subsidiaries like RKITEK, CraftCode, and Droppar. “We have in-house architects, provide cloud-managed services, build custom applications. As a final milestone, we established the APEX software factory,” explains Filip. “Contribute has undergone a great evolution. Now we can launch new projects more quickly and focus on reducing administrative hassle. I’m really proud of where we are now with Contribute.”
From consultant to managing partner
But not only has Contribute evolved; Filip himself has had a remarkable journey. “I started as a consultant, but I’ve worked on a wide range of projects, from pure development to architecture and security design. Because of this diversity, I was often asked to conduct workshops on various technologies. I’ve worn many hats—consultant, architect, leader of an ADF group, and eventually managing partner. This has allowed me to see a lot of variety, face many challenges, and of course, learn many lessons,” Filip shares.
“Besides my current role as managing partner, I’m continue working for clients,” Filip adds. “Right now, I’m working for about six active clients, using technologies such as Forms, Java, APEX, and so on. For large projects, I usually take on the architect role. I work out the strategies and receive support from our developers, who then do the implementation work.” Alongside his client work, Filip also takes on administrative tasks. “I’m also involved in ISO-related matters. I like the balance between managing responsibilities and technical projects. It lets me continue focusing on what I enjoy. However, in the future, I’d like to invest even more time in our company operations, such as defining the strategic direction of the company and organizing workshops.”
The strength of Contribute
Filip is fortunate not to be doing it alone. “I’m mostly focused on the technical side, while Sandra handles the operations and my colleague Saskia supports us with everything HR-related. We complement each other and form a well-oiled team. This ensures Contribute can continue growing. Right now, we’re fully focused on the APEX software factory. Given the market, it won’t be long before new developments and technologies emerge, and we’ll be following those too,” Filip emphasizes. “This has always been our strength. We follow the evolution of Oracle and always respond to the needs of the Belgian market.”
Although Filip focuses heavily on the company, he still considers the people to be the most important. “I want our people to feel good here. Our software factory is a fantastic initiative, and we want to continue developing it, but that can only happen if our consultants feel comfortable here. I know it sounds like a cliché, but the people really make Contribute. There are many companies that do what we do, but they don’t have the team and atmosphere that we do. The great connection, both within our team and among the teams of our sister companies, is unique,” explains Filip.
Filip is proud of what Contribute has achieved and is delighted to see it recognized by external parties. “We’ve won many awards in recent years. These were real team efforts, where we worked together so well with a diverse team and complemented each other. That’s how we’ve been able to deliver great projects. We are now also Oracle’s preferred partner for Platform-as-a-Service and middleware,” concludes Filip.
Would you like to join the Contribute team? Check out our job openings or contact us.
