Olivier closes the digital divide with Close the Gap

Started as a university project, the social enterprise Close the Gap has now grown into the life’s work of Olivier Vanden Eynde. The non-profit organisation refurbishes discarded computers in a refurbishment centre in Mechelen and then delivers them to schools in Africa, for example. Olivier hopes to systematically close the digital gap and is also counting on the expertise of Grant Thornton to do so.

Transparent from the get-go

“Close the Gap started as a micro-enterprise in university,” says Olivier. “I received start-up financing and pitched my business idea to a number of large companies in Belgium and the Netherlands that often write off computers, like banks and law firms. The ball started rolling quickly. Of course, I didn’t expect to get where I am today. Even though I made conscious growth-oriented choices from the start.”

“One of the most important decisions? Having Close the Gap audited by Grant Thornton almost immediately. That in itself was not mandatory, but I wanted to be as transparent as possible for my customers, investors and other partners. I certainly owe the fact that Close the Gap has grown so much over the past twenty years to Grant Thornton. No wonder it’s one of the partners I’ve been working with for the longest time.”

Challenging the board of directors

“Gunther quickly proved his worth,” Olivier remembers. “Not only as an auditor, but also as a point of contact when we have other questions. For example, he put me in touch with the VAT experts at Grant Thornton, who helped ensure that we, as a non-profit organisation, can recover our VAT. This provided me with additional financial headroom which proved very handy in the early days of my company.”

“Thanks to the audits, I have also made great strides in the governance of my company. Gunther and his team have grown into a proactive sparring partner who does not shy away from occasionally challenging our board of directors. This external critical scrutiny is extremely valuable for the growth of a company.”

“Grant Thornton’s audit mandate recently expired. But because we didn’t want to lose such a valuable partner, we appointed Grant Thornton as our accountancy partner. I am sure that Gunther’s colleagues will also help me enormously in this way.”

Grant Thornton opens doors

Even in his new Mombasa base, Olivier won’t lose sight of his trusted advisor. “The fact that Grant Thornton is active all over the world, including in most African cities, is very useful. For example, the name ‘Grant Thornton’ opened doors when I was still a new kid on the block here. But Grant Thornton’s international network is also useful if, for example, you need to open a bank account abroad. By the way, the local Grant Thornton branch is now also auditing the Kenyan arm of Close the Gap.”

“The people of Grant Thornton don’t hesitate to come onto site either. Gunther has even been to Africa on several occasions. Over those two decades, this professional collaboration has blossomed into a personal friendship. Gunther and his colleagues have always been there for me, even in difficult times. This unconditional support gives me a lot of confidence for the challenging years ahead.”