Sara Vercauteren

Speaker
Dutch
French
English
Sara Vercauteren

Who is Sara Vercauteren?

Sara Vercauteren has more than 25 years of experience as a communications expert and spokesperson. First as a spokesperson in politics for a number of ministers, then for ten years as director of communications and spokesperson at DPG Media. There, she also chaired the crisis communications team. Between 2021 and 2025, she headed the PR and strategic communications agency Bepublic Group as managing director. She currently provides (crisis) communication advice and media training through her own business Buzz & Fuzz PR. She is also a lecturer at Thomas More and is author of the book and host of the podcast ‘No Comment. 101 Tips for Spokespeople and Press Officers.' In 2018, she was spokesperson of the Year.

Sara Vercauteren regularly gives presentations and training to individuals and groups (executives, CEOs, politicians, administrators, communications teams). In doing so, she provides guidance on media and camera training, crisis communication, personal branding, public speaking, training and coaching, in short, to anyone who has to speak up from time to time.

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  • No comment

    Organisations are increasingly facing crises. Good communication during a crisis can reduce or even avoid reputation damage. In this crisis communication workshop, Sara Vercauteren gives tips and tricks on how to prepare for the most diverse crises as an organisation. She gives insight into how she has managed well-known crises communicatively and what can be learned from them.

  • How to get in the news

    Many organisations want to get in the news with their stories. But how do you do that? What news criteria should you take into account? And which communication tools are best to use to approach journalists? Because communicating with the press is much more than sending out a press release.

  • Building support through communication

    Most organisations occasionally have to make decisions that are not met with applause among their stakeholders. Well-prepared communication can help build support for this decision anyway. In this keynote, Sara Vercauteren starts from practice. In 2021, the various TV channels and telco operators had to announce that you could no longer flush the advertising on your digicorder. A tightly prepared communication to all stakeholders preceded this. An inspiring story that can help prepare difficult communications.

  • Personal branding

    In this very personal workshop, Sara Vercauteren will explore your unique story. Through in-depth questions, your personal brand gradually becomes clear, ranging from defining values and narrative to formulating core themes, roles and the right communication tools. You will leave with a clearer view of your personal story and how to show it to the outside world.

  • Media training

    Dealing with journalists and giving interviews... it often causes stress for people who have to deal with it. Sara Vercauteren puts you at ease in this media training. She draws on her own experiences to guide you in giving interviews and dealing with journalists. In this workshop, you will gain insight into which interviews are better not to give, what preparation is needed when a journalist comes knocking on your door, how to smuggle your key messages into an interview and how to answer difficult questions authentically. 

  • Telling a difficult personal story...how do you do it?

    Preparation is everything. So reads tip 76 from the book ‘No Comment. 101 Tips for Spokespeople and Press Officers.' by Sara Vercauteren. The same Sara takes you behind the scenes at VTM where she worked as a spokeswoman in 2018 and had to prepare a very remarkable communication. A VTM NEWS journalist wanted to come out as transgender and asked Sara for communication help. The story behind Bo Van Spilbeeck's coming out shows very concretely how to tell difficult personal stories in the outside world and build support.

Communication specialist Sara Vercauteren provides incredibly fascinating insights regarding spokespersons and speaking in the Medialabweek at the @VUBrussel.

Tim Raats

Professor Vrije Universiteit Brussel

Baudouin became Bo. Sara Vercauteren reveals how this communication was strongly orchestrated. Preparation is everything. You can even prepare for crisis communication.

Kristof Geens

Spokesperson for the Fire Brigade Zone Antwerp

Micro

Nice explanation of how the story 'Boudewijn becomes Bo' had to be primarily a story about Bo's transition. Opens your eyes to how much preparation was involved and how difficult it is sometimes to keep control.

Nora Ed-Daoui

Coordinator and lecturer at Odisee Hogeschool college