60Entrepreneurship has always been a natural fit for Frik De Meyere. With more than twenty years of international business experience, he has combined vision and practical expertise to build a thriving real estate career in Belize. As founder of Prime Belize Real Estate, he now helps clients discover opportunities across the country’s vibrant property market.
Frik’s professional path began in Belgium, where he was born and raised in a small farming village near the Dutch border. Through studies in Ghent and Antwerp, he earned degrees in information technology and emergency medical services. Always eager to deepen his knowledge, he pursued an MBA at Flanders Business School and later completed a second MBA at the Kellogg School of Management in Chicago.
Before moving to Belize, Frik built a broad career in Europe. He worked in several industries, including real estate development, information systems, cosmetics, food production, and construction. Over a decade, he led and invested in over twenty startup ventures, many of which matured through mergers or acquisitions. In addition, he completed the construction and sale of more than one hundred residential units, giving him hands-on insight into the real estate sector.
Frik’s first visit to Belize came in 2004, during a business scouting trip with his partner, Ilse Van Keer. Intrigued by the country’s emerging real estate market, he began acquiring properties. In 2011, he and his family relocated to Belize, where he joined BMA Real Estate in Placencia.
At the time, BMA was a small firm handling fewer than fifteen transactions annually. Over the next decade, Frik played a key role in driving growth. Under his leadership, the firm expanded to more than twenty professionals and increased its annual transaction volume to over one hundred. BMA also gained a reputation for marketing high-value listings, such as private islands and luxury beachfront homes, helping to elevate Placencia’s standing among international investors.
In 2023, Frik decided to take a new step forward by launching Prime Belize Real Estate with trusted colleagues and local agents. The firm officially opened its doors in January 2024. Built on a modern, flexible structure, Prime Belize Real Estate offers improved client responsiveness and increased visibility for listings. Today, he leads the firm’s sales, strategy, and business development, managing a portfolio that includes land parcels, beachfront villas, and fully developed private islands.
Beyond real estate, Frik has developed additional ventures. He founded 501properties.com, a real estate classifieds platform, and established Placencia Storage, now Belize's largest storage rental facility. Along with Ilse, he also opened Chillpoint, a coffee shop, ice cream bar, and wine lounge that has become a community favorite in Placencia.
As a naturalized Belizean citizen and Justice of the Peace, Frik is deeply committed to supporting his community. He contributes to local education, youth sports, public safety, and housing initiatives. He has fostered children and adopted a daughter from Belize with Ilse, further strengthening their family’s bond with the country they now proudly call home.