“Every customer has different needs and it is my job to translate those into the right carrier solutions,” says Robert van Beurden, Business Developer at LCL, with deep expertise in AI, hyperscalers, and carrier ecosystems. “Carriers are crucial to our ecosystem, but customers often struggle to navigate the complexity. My role is to make that journey easier by matching our customers’ needs with the right partners, and ensuring everyone moves forward together.”
How did you build up your expertise and what is your role at LCL?
Robert van Beurden: “I started out in the carrier world more than 25 years ago, working for companies like Colt, Telia Company and Lumen. Along the way I built a broad international network and learned the industry from the ground up. At LCL, I use that experience in a neutral role. I’m not here to sell a specific product. I listen to customers, help them map their requirements, and connect them with the right carrier or ecosystem partner. Think of me as a guide or matchmaker, making sure customers get fast, neutral and future-ready connectivity.”
“We make life easier for customers and help carriers get in front of the right opportunities”
Why the need for such a matchmaker?
“The carrier landscape is complex. Enterprises often don’t know which provider best matches their needs, whether that’s latency, reach, resilience, or compliance. As a carrier-neutral data center, LCL can pre-select and introduce carriers, without bias. That makes life easier for customers and helps carriers get in front of the right opportunities.”
How do you approach this in practice?
“Depending on the situation, I wear different hats. Sometimes I’m a consultant, helping customers compare technical and commercial offers. Sometimes I’m a sounding board, ensuring their long-term strategy stays aligned with connectivity trends. And often, I’m the matchmaker who introduces them to the right carrier or hyperscaler. Customers come with all kinds of questions: ‘How do I connect securely to multiple clouds? How do I guarantee redundancy between sites? Which carrier offers the best performance for my international traffic?’ My job is to cut through the complexity and point them in the right direction.”
“What makes Belgium attractive? It’s the EU capital, has strong power availability, and is perfectly positioned as a hub”
What trends are shaping the carrier ecosystem right now?
“Artificial Intelligence is driving a massive increase in data flows. Media companies, for example, are looking for bandwidth on demand: huge capacity during prime time, less when it’s quiet. Sovereignty is another big topic. Enterprises want more control over where their data is stored and how it’s connected. That makes Belgium attractive: it’s the EU capital, has strong power availability, and is perfectly positioned as a hub. Multi-cloud connectivity is also growing fast, as companies spread workloads across providers.”
What challenges are carriers and customers facing today?
“Speed is often the biggest issue. A customer might suddenly need a cross-connect or an urgent backup solution, and it has to be delivered on the spot. At the same time, the ecosystems are becoming more international and more complex. That means building trust and ensuring transparency between all parties. At LCL we provide the neutral ground for that, but it still requires strong coordination.”
“Carriers like working with us because they know customers can freely select them”
How does LCL’s ecosystem support this?
“Our neutrality is the foundation. We don’t push one provider. We facilitate choice. Carriers like working with us because they know customers can freely select them. Customers, on the other hand, appreciate the simplicity and predictability. We organise network opportunities, foster personal connections and help shape ecosystems. That’s where my role comes in: bringing people together seamlessly.”
Why should carriers or enterprises reach out to you?
“Because I make things happen. Whether it’s identifying the right carrier, connecting with a hyperscaler, or solving an urgent capacity issue, I can open the right doors quickly. My aim is always the same: to make life easier for customers, and to help carriers build sustainable business in Belgium. If you’re looking for someone who knows the ecosystem and can connect the dots, that’s me.”
Interested in exploring connectivity options at LCL? Contact Robert van Beurden for tailored advice and introductions.
