Photo: DPG Media · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Nationality Belgian — Business / finance / tech

Christian Van Thillo

Documented profile covering 9 controversies, including “Confidential handling of Jaak Smeets's sexual misconduct” and “Lack of transparency and lobbying surrounding press distribution subsidies”.

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Profile No. 0098 · Updated on 12 October 2026

9Documented controversies+ 1 background event

19Sources

0Formal charge · all time

0Conviction

§ Legal statuses reflect the documented sources as of the date shown; they replace neither court decisions nor the presumption of innocence. Counts are not a rating. Methodology

I. Documented controversies

2020–2026

Restructuring and job losses despite strong profitability

No legal proceedings

DPG has repeatedly cut jobs, reduced editorial budgets and increased pressure on freelancers while reporting hundreds of millions of euros in EBITDA and financing major acquisitions.

State of the evidence: Redundancy programmes, profits and dividends documented
Attribution: Institutional and strategic responsibility as executive chairman

Sources · 2

[1]
DPG Media GroupDPG Media achieves revenue growth and stable earnings in 2024Official documentHigh reliability
[2]
MédorDPG Media, merci beaucoup monsieur Van ThilloInvestigative journalismHigh reliability

Last verified: 1 September 2026

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2020–2026

Opaque ownership structure and substantial dividends paid to Epifin

Allegations

DPG is 99.2% controlled by Epifin, whose precise beneficial owners cannot be publicly identified. The holding company has received hundreds of millions of euros in dividends, including €90 million for 2025.

State of the evidence: Control structure, shareholders not publicly identifiable and dividends documented
Legal status — source text: No illegality established
Attribution: Direct involvement as a member of the controlling family and executive chairman

Sources · 2

[1]
Euromedia Ownership MonitorOwnership structure of DPG MediaresearchHigh reliability
[2]
De Rijkste BelgenRecorddividend van 90 miljoen euro voor Christian Van ThilloMediaMedium reliability

Last verified: 1 September 2026

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2021–2026

DPG Media fined for collusion in the public tender for newspaper distribution

Civil / administrative proceedings

DPG, Mediahuis, bpost and PPP coordinated PPP's withdrawal to secure the 2023–2027 press distribution concession for bpost. DPG received a reduction for cooperation and settlement.

State of the evidence: Infringement acknowledged in a settlement with the authority and final fine imposed
Legal status — source text: Belgian Competition Authority decision of 13 February 2026; fine of €3,786,574 imposed on DPG
Attribution: Institutional responsibility as executive chairman and director responsible for strategy; no personal participation established

Sources · 2

[1]
ReutersBpost avoids fine in Belgian newspaper distribution procurement caseMediaHigh reliability
[2]
Bird & BirdBeyond the corporate veil: Belgium fines individuals in bid-rigging caseHigh reliability

Last verified: 1 September 2026

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2019–2025

Advertising tracking practices and litigation over cookie consent

Civil / administrative proceedings

DPG's advertising operations rely on collecting and profiling reader data. Complaints challenged the absence of a refusal button as prominent as the acceptance button on several Belgian websites.

State of the evidence: Advertising models documented and complaints admitted; no final infringement established in the Belgian case
Legal status — source text: Belgian case concerning cookie banners allowed to proceed in 2025
Attribution: Institutional responsibility as executive chairman and owner; no personal technical manipulation alleged

Sources · 2

[1]
PPC LandBelgian data protection case moves forward against DPG MediaPressMedium reliability
[2]
DPG Media GroupPrivacy policyOfficial documentHigh reliability

Last verified: 1 September 2026

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2024–2025

Court ban on critical book 'Man bijt Van Thillo'

Civil / administrative proceedings

DPG obtained a court order preventing former editor-in-chief Guido Van Liefferinge from publishing a highly critical book about the group and Van Thillo, relying on a non-publication clause linked to a settlement of approximately €4 million.

State of the evidence: Interim injunction followed by substantive prohibition documented
Legal status — source text: Publication prohibited by the Brussels Enterprise Court in 2025 on the basis of a 2015 settlement
Attribution: Direct involvement as the person protected by the agreement and executive of the claimant group

Sources · 2

[1]
Follow the MoneyDPG Media blokkeert kritisch boek over het bedrijfInvestigative journalismHigh reliability
[2]
VillamediaBrusselse rechtbank verbiedt uitkomen boek Man bijt Van ThilloMediaHigh reliability

Last verified: 1 September 2026

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2021–2025

Opaque agreements with Google and criticism over use of European funding

Allegations

DPG publicly opposed Google's dominance while concluding confidential News Showcase agreements with it. The group was also criticised for paying dividends after receiving a favourable loan from the European Investment Bank.

State of the evidence: Agreements and funding documented; precise amounts partly estimated
Legal status — source text: No offence established
Attribution: Institutional and strategic responsibility as executive chairman

Sources · 2

[1]
MédorDPG Media, merci beaucoup monsieur Van ThilloInvestigative journalismHigh reliability
[2]
Brussels SignalDPG media, after cheap EU loan, gives €35 million to shareholdersMediaMedium reliability

Last verified: 1 September 2026

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2024

Threats of legal action and denials concerning the biography 'De Belg'

Allegations

Before Mark Koster's book about Van Thillo was published, DPG described several questions and allegations as false, defamatory and unfounded, warning that legal action could follow.

State of the evidence: Legal letter and publication of the book documented; allegations in the book disputed
Legal status — source text: Legal action threatened; no judgment against the book documented
Attribution: Direct involvement alongside DPG

Sources · 2

[1]
MarketingReportBoek Mark Koster over Christian van Thillo maakt controverse losMediaMedium reliability
[2]
NetkwestiesVan Thillo over zijn biografie: Ik vond het vreselijkMediaMedium reliability

Last verified: 1 September 2026

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2019–2023

Lack of transparency and lobbying surrounding press distribution subsidies

No legal proceedings

DPG and Mediahuis indirectly benefited from hundreds of millions of euros in distribution subsidies through bpost. Investigations criticised the lack of transparency and the political influence exerted to preserve the system.

State of the evidence: Public funding amounts and transparency controversies documented; personal corruption not established
Legal status — source text: Public audits and reform of the scheme; no personal conviction
Attribution: Institutional responsibility as owner-executive of a major beneficiary

Sources · 2

[1]
Journalismfund EuropeThe political lobby of DPG Media and MediahuisHigh reliability
[2]
The Brussels TimesSearches underway at offices of DPG Media groupMediaHigh reliability

Last verified: 1 September 2026

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2016–2022

Confidential handling of Jaak Smeets's sexual misconduct

No legal proceedings

Following complaints from female employees, Van Thillo commissioned an investigation and then dismissed director Jaak Smeets. DPG nevertheless announced his departure without disclosing the reason, and its newspapers did not report the case until 2022.

State of the evidence: Internal investigation, dismissal and subsequent public silence confirmed
Legal status — source text: Internal dismissal; no criminal proceedings against Van Thillo documented
Attribution: Direct responsibility as CEO informed of the matter and deciding the internal response; sexual misconduct attributed to Smeets

Sources · 2

[1]
NOSDirecteur DPG Media in 2016 ontslagen wegens grensoverschrijdend gedragMediaHigh reliability
[2]
ApacheOntslag van Jaak Smeets bij DPG Media was meer dan een MeToo-verhaalInvestigative journalismHigh reliability

Last verified: 1 September 2026

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II. Documented background

Documented biographical or institutional milestones (elections, appointments, foundings, acquisitions…). These are not controversies and are not counted as such.

2023–2025
Acquisition of RTL Nederland and strict conditions to preserve media pluralism
DPG acquired RTL Nederland, greatly expanding its presence in Dutch print media, television and streaming. The regulator identified risks to free news provision, editorial independence and pluralism.
Sources · 2
1. ACM — ACM attaches strict conditions to acquisition of RTL Nederland
2. Reuters — RTL to sell Dutch subsidiary to DPG Media for 1.1 bln euros

III. Constellation of documented links

No documented link with another published profile for now.

Two profiles are linked when a documented controversy of one names the other. The link points to that controversy and its sources; it does not indicate a personal relationship.

IV. Has something changed?

A new court decision, a missing source, a mistake? Tell us what should be updated: every request is read by the editorial team.

I. Documented controversies

Sources · 2

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Sources · 2

II. Documented background

Acquisition of RTL Nederland and strict conditions to preserve media pluralism

III. Constellation of documented links

IV. Has something changed?