The Belgium Embassy hosted a farewell function for a senior diplomat who played a distinguished role in cementing Saudi-Belgian ties in commercial and diplomatic fields. Jean-Jacques Manigart, trade commissioner, mastered the art of diplomacy with his down to earth approach.

"Concluding 40 years of diplomatic service upon leaving KSA, this long-term Belgian diplomat is considered a 'proton' minded person," said Belgian Ambassador Geert Criel in a farewell speech recently. He said that Manigart relentlessly served his country as a "connector" and bridge-builder for Belgian businessmen in order to connect them with people from the countries where he has been posted.

The ambassador quoted Manigart as saying: "Brussels is the pool of action of so many lobbyists, mediators, organizations, political authorities. With so many compromises and consensus reached in this city specialized in mediation, one can say that the art of compromise is the essence of Belgian talent."

Brussels is a natural center of gravity, filled with "positive protons," where networking naturally happens, the ambassador added.

Highlighting his approach, the envoy said that Manigart built a talent in connecting and networking through a positive and conducive spirit. "Manigart's motto seemed to be to be connected and build relations in a constructive way as a good proton therapist would do. So the next time you are thinking of developing your network, think of JJ's Proton Therapy, the Brussels Sprout way and be delighted with the results," the envoy added.

He said that in a world where connectivity, mingling, networking and proactive approach is the key to any business success, "we are lost for ways of identifying and maintaining contacts in our day-to-day life. Finding the right environment to conduct, develop and sustain our networking is another challenging question."