Partena Professional

What Partena Professional does

Partena Professional is a Belgian non-profit association, founded in 1948, that provides HR, payroll, and social secretariat services to employers, self-employed individuals, and starters across Belgium. The organisation operates through four core subsidiaries: Partena Sociaal Secretariaat (social secretariat for employers), Partena Ondernemingsloket (business counter for entrepreneurs), Partena Sociaal Verzekeringsfonds voor Zelfstandigen (social insurance fund for the self-employed), and Partena Business Solutions (HR consulting for large enterprises). The firm's service portfolio covers the full lifecycle from business registration and social contributions management through payroll processing, legal consulting, and pension/insurance products, processing approximately 920,000 payslips annually.

The technology foundation is a cloud-based HR and payroll platform integrated with Belgian social security systems, featuring proprietary products including ExpertSalary (payroll software with Word/Excel export), SmartSalary (payroll tool for SMEs), My Social Security Manager (self-employed social insurance self-service), and the My Partena Professional customer portal. The business model is predominantly subscription/recurring (social secretariat membership and social insurance fund fees) supplemented by professional services revenue (HR consulting, legal advisory, training at €545/participant), licensing/royalty income from insurance products distributed in partnership with P&V Assurances, and training revenue from the Partena Academy. Distribution combines direct office consultation across four Belgian locations (Brussels, Drongen, Antwerp, Berchem), digital self-service portals, an accountant partner network, and banking/association partnerships.

Recent strategic positioning reflects a shift toward ecosystem integration and platform play. The April 2026 strategic partnership with Odoo (described by Odoo's CEO as at least ten times larger than Odoo's current biggest contract) targets an integrated HR and payroll SaaS launch in early 2027. The June 2026 agreement with Cevi and Civadis establishes Partena Public for the Belgian public sector. The January 2026 'Start for Free' platform with BNP Paribas Fortis and Accountable bundles financial, administrative, and accounting services for new entrepreneurs, with reported cost savings of €540-650. Leadership is headed by CEO Roeland Dessel, with the firm employing 1,001-5,000 people.

Name

Partena Professional

Legal name

Partena Professional

Website

https://partena-professional.be

Company type

Private

Founded year

1948

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Partena Professional is a Belgian non-profit association providing HR, payroll, and social secretariat services to employers, self-employed individuals, and entrepreneurs. Operating since 1948, it processes approximately 920,000 payslips annually through cloud-based software and a four-office Belgian network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

HR & Payroll Services

NAICS

Payroll Services (541214), Employment Placement Agencies (561311)

SIC

Services-Employment Agencies (7361), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Employee Benefits Brokerage & Consulting (FSAEADAC)

Keywords

• HR and payroll services
• Social secretariat services
• Payroll management software
• Self-employed social insurance
• Belgian HR consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Brussel

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Social Secretariat Services: Payroll processing and HR administration services for employers, handling salary calculations, social contributions, and compliance with Belgian labour regulations.
2. Social Insurance Fund Services: Caisse d'assurances sociales services for self-employed, including social contributions management, rights protection, and career advisory.
3. Business Solutions: HR consulting, legal advice, change management, and outsourcing services for large enterprises.
4. Training Services: Partena Academy provides paid training programs including ExpertSalary training (€545/participant), payroll courses, and workshops for clients and prospects.
5. Insurance Products: Supplementary insurance products including hospitalization, professional liability, guaranteed income, and pension insurance offered in partnership with P&V Assurances.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Partena Professional is a Belgian social secretariat and HR services provider delivering payroll processing, social contributions management, HR administration, and legal advisory for employers, alongside social insurance fund services and business startup support for self-employed individuals and entrepreneurs. Its offering combines proprietary digital tools (ExpertSalary, SmartSalary, My Partena Professional portal) with personalized expert consulting across offices in Brussels, Drongen, Antwerp, and Berchem, complemented by insurance products and the Partena Academy training program.

Product overview

Partena Professional operates as a comprehensive HR and business services provider in Belgium, functioning as a Social Secretariat (Sociaal Secretariaat) with a platform-plus-modules architecture. The core offering centers on payroll processing and HR administration through products like Payroll Tool, ExpertSalary, and SmartSalary software, complemented by the My Partena Professional online customer portal. The company serves distinct segments including startups (through Dreams Work and Dreams Lab programs), self-employed individuals (via Social Insurance Fund services), employers of all sizes (from small enterprises to large corporations), and accountants (through the Accountant Desk). Additional services include professional insurances, legal consulting, International Pack for cross-border employment, and the Partena Academy training division. Recent partnerships with Odoo (announced April 2026, targeting early 2027 launch) and the Start for Free platform with BNP Paribas Fortis and Accountable expand the integrated HR and business services ecosystem.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Dreams Work: A free three-workshop program for starters and entrepreneurs providing personalized guidance at each stage of business development
• Dreams Lab
• ExpertSalary
• SmartSalary
• My Partena Professional
• Partena Academy

Products and services

• Social Secretariat (Sociaal Secretariaat) Core HR services providing payroll administration, social secretarial functions, and compliance with Belgian labor regulations for employers.
• ExpertSalary
• SmartSalary
• My Partena Professional (Klantenportaal)
• Dreams Work
• Dreams Lab
• Partena Academy
• Social Insurance Fund (Sociaal Verzekeringsfonds)
• Professional Insurances
• Accountant Desk
• Legal Consulting
• International Pack
• Start for Free Platform

Quantifiable outcome

• 920,000 payslips processed annually
• +1 more outcomes

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered strategic, core, regional and flagship.

• CevistrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 June 2026Partena Professional, Cevi and Civadis signed agreement for creation of Partena Public, a new service company dedicated to payroll administration and HR management for the public sector in Belgium.
• CivadisstrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 June 2026Partena Professional, Cevi and Civadis signed agreement for creation of Partena Public, a new service company dedicated to payroll administration and HR management for the public sector in Belgium.
• BecicoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 17 June 2026Partnership with Beci and Beldoc to launch simplified entrepreneurship registration path in Brussels. Enables starting a business or becoming self-employed in a few clicks through digital administrative processes.
• BeldoccoreTechnology or Integration · 17 June 2026Technology partner in Beci.be simplified entrepreneurship initiative, providing digital documentation and registration capabilities.
• AKT CCIWallonie picarderegionalGTM or Marketing Partner · 2 June 2026Strategic partnership to strengthen entrepreneurship support in Wallonia Picardy region, offering enriched and structured services to local businesses, self-employed, and starters.
• OdooflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 April 2026Strategic partnership to build a fully integrated HR and payroll solution for the Belgian market. Consolidates tasks such as leave requests, approvals, and payroll management into a single platform. Odoo's CEO stated the deal is at least ten times larger than their current biggest contract. Joint product development starting with Belgium's largest labour categories, with launch targeted for early 2027.
• BNP Paribas FortiscoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 6 January 2026Joint launch of 'Start for Free' platform - an all-in-one digital platform for new entrepreneurs in Belgium combining startup administration, financial management, and accounting services. Platform offers cost savings of approximately €540-650 depending on banking pack.
• AccountablecoreTechnology or Integration · 6 January 2026Partner in 'Start for Free' platform providing real-time accounting functionality for self-employed individuals. Also partnered for electronic invoicing solutions.
• P&V AssurancescoreOthersInsurance partner offering Pension Libre Complémentaire pour Indépendants (PLCI) and other pension products in collaboration with Partena Professional for self-employed clients.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• SD Worx: Belgium-headquartered payroll and HR services provider operating a pan-European social-secretariat model with proprietary software; closest direct competitor to Partena Professional in Belgian payroll outsourcing and employer HR administration.
• Acerta: Belgian social secretariat and HR services company serving employers and self-employed with payroll, social contributions, and HR advisory — directly overlapping with Partena's core social-secretariat and insurance-fund offering.
• Securex: Belgian social secretariat and HR services firm providing payroll, employee benefits, insurance, and well-being services; competes head-to-head with Partena across SMEs and self-employed segments.
• Group S: Belgian payroll and HR services company offering social secretariat, legal advisory, and workforce solutions to Belgian employers; comparable in scale and customer base to Partena Professional.
• Attentia: Belgian HR services provider covering payroll, well-being, safety, and social secretariat functions; directly competes with Partena for employer clients in Belgium.
• Liantis: Belgian social secretariat and HR services group supporting employers, employees, and self-employed with payroll, advice, and prevention services; directly comparable to Partena's social-secretariat and insurance-fund offerings.

Broad incumbents

• Visma | Raet: European HR and payroll software vendor with established Belgian presence; competes for larger enterprise payroll outsourcing deals where Partena's Business Solutions segment also plays.
• ADP: Global payroll and HR services incumbent with multinational employer solutions; a broad incumbent that competes with Partena for large Belgian employers seeking outsourced payroll.

Emerging players

• Odoo: Open-source ERP platform with a rapidly expanding HR and payroll module; the announced strategic partner of Partena Professional and a credible emerging threat that has now been converted to an ally.

Regional players

• Bazzz: Dutch payroll and HR solutions provider operating in the Benelux region; comparable in payroll SaaS mechanics but serves the Dutch rather than Belgian market — relevant for benchmarking cross-border Benelux expansion.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/partenapro
• Facebookfacebook.com/partenaprofessional
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/partena

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Partena Professional