MARCEL DANIËLS
INTERNATIONAL DIRECTOR
Marcel Daniëls from Kortenberg, Belgium, was elected to serve a two-year term as an
international director of Lions Clubs International at the association’s 105th International
Convention in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, July 7 through July 11, 2023.
Director Daniëls is retired after more than 40 years of professional experience in government
affairs and policy, international relations, and corporate communications. He last served as vice
president for international corporate affairs and policy for Merck Pharmaceutical KGaA in
Darmstadt, Germany.
As a professional, he has been recognized for establishing international expert teams across
Europe and in Canada in various companies and/or fields including petrochemicals, aluminum
and pharmaceuticals. Additionally, he has successfully implemented “access to medicines”
projects, developed business opportunities in Eastern Europe by opening doors for joint venture
projects and achieved tariff reductions for aluminum imports from Canada into the EU. He also
played an active role in a multi-disciplinary international team focusing on the fight against
falsified medicines.
Looking to make a difference as part of an inspired team, he joined the Kortenberg Hertog Jan
Lions Club in 1994 and serves with them to this day. He has held a number of offices within the
association including multiple district marketing chairperson and multiple district public
relations & Lions information chairperson. He has been a certified guiding Lion since 2017 and
an LCIP certified instructor since 2019. Currently, he is serving as a board member for Lions
Belgium Medico.
In recognition of his service to the association, he has received numerous awards including an
International President’s Award and an International President’s Leadership Award. He is also a
Progressive Melvin Jones Fellow.
In addition to his Lions activities, Director Daniëls (who speaks six languages) is active in
numerous professional and community organizations. He is co-founder for the Boy Scouts unit in
Sint-Joris-Weert, Belgium, as well as co-founder of the Canada-EU Round table for business. He
has also served as a board member for “Medicines for Europe”, as a board member for
“Europabio” and other industry associations.
Director Daniëls and his wife of 44 years, Vertongen Marie-Louise, have two children and four
grandchildren.
