Steven Couwels
Steven Couwels is the founder and director of real-to-desk, a company he started in October 2009 and continues to lead from Antwerp. Between May 2021 and October 2023 he was also founder and director of Real To Desk Asia. From October 2005 to October 2025 he was the founder and general manager of Globe (Shanghai) Advanced Technical Services.
Earlier in his career he was managing consultant at Competence@ China from October 2003 to February 2005, and before that spent eight years at Globe NV as a management assistant, from September 1995 to September 2003.
Couwels studied at the Vrij Technisch Handelsinstituut Herentals before completing a master in commercial sciences and international relations at Lessius Hogeschool Antwerpen in 1994, followed by a postgraduate programme in droit et gestion de l'information et de la communication at the Université de Namur. He took Chinese lessons from 1996 to 2001 and obtained an MBA from Vlerick Business School in 2003.
Career
Real To DeskFounder and directorOct 2009 – Present
- Real To Desk AsiaFounder and directorMay 2021 – Oct 2023
- Globe (Shanghai) Advanced Technical ServicesFounder and General ManagerOct 2005 – Oct 2025
- Competence@ ChinaManaging ConsultantOct 2003 – Feb 2005
- Globe NVManagement AssistantSep 1995 – Sep 2003
Vlerick Business School#3schoolMaster in Business Administration, MBA2001 - 2003
- Chinese les1996 - 2001
Université de Namur#18schoolPost Graduate, Droit et gestion de l'information et de la communication1994 - 1995
- Lessius Hogeschool Antwerpen#90schoolMaster, Master in commercial sciences and international relations1989 - 1994
- Vrij Technisch Handelsinstituut Herentals1982 - 1989
From public career histories · 10 entries