De Barbaren
The content of this factsheet is in Dutch.
Sinds 2018 is De Barbaren actief als brandingbureau uit Gent. Op de loonlijst staan ongeveer 5 voltijdse equivalenten. Het aanbod bestrijkt strategie, branding & identiteit, creatie & reclame en content & copy. De ervaring zit vooral in kmo's, freelancers/zelfstandigen, horeca en gepassioneerde ondernemers.
How this agency makes money
Revenue, margin and what an hour of work brings in. Everything on the earning side sits together here.
Can the agency take a hit
Buffer, cash position and payment behaviour side by side, so you can see where they disagree.
Signals and strengths
Events from the CBE and the Official Gazette over the past 24 months, plus positive markers derived from the figures.
Continuity
No serious signals- Zichtbaarheid verschoven · 1 Sep 2026 · Google Autocomplete
- Zichtbaarheid verschoven · 1 Aug 2026 · Google Autocomplete
- Zichtbaarheid verschoven · 1 Aug 2026 · Google Autocomplete
- Board change · 18 Jun 2025 · StaatsbladAppointments or resignations on the board. Routine during growth, succession or a new partner. Ask about it when several changes follow each other closely.
What this agency does well
- Gross margin grew 4 years in a row
- EBITDA margin above the sector median (35,1%)
- Strong buffer: 11,2 months of payroll in equity
- Team grew (+4,3% FTE in the latest year)
- Value-added per euro of payroll above the sector median (1,54)
- Margin per hour worked rose 4 years in a row
- Healthy working capital (current ratio 2,17)
- Equity was earned, not injected (reserves 11,0× the capital contributed)
- Comfortable cash position: 424 days of payroll
All the figures
Reference material, not a starting point. Expand it if you want to read the series yourself.
5 financial years, 2021 to 2025Result, staff and balance sheet
| 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result | |||||
| Gross margin | € 175.017 | € 263.356+50,5% | € 316.389+20,1% | € 323.933+2,4% | € 370.805+14,5% |
| EBITDA | € 9.821 | € 73.176 | € 80.005 | € 82.772 | € 130.286 |
| EBITDA margin | 5,6% | 27,8% | 25,3% | 25,6% | 35,1% |
| Staff | |||||
| FTE | 4,0 | 4,4+10% | 5,0+13,6% | 4,7-6% | 4,9+4,3% |
| Gross margin per FTE | € 43.754 | € 59.854 | € 63.278 | € 68.922 | € 75.674 |
| Payroll cost per FTE | € 40.885 | € 42.550 | € 37.444 | € 50.848 | € 48.829 |
| Balance sheet | |||||
| Equity | € 21.530 | € 68.729 | € 116.537 | € 165.173 | € 222.383 |
| Cash | € 56.276 | € 126.672 | € 179.856 | € 192.371 | € 277.954 |
| Liquidity ratio | 0,96 | 1,30 | 1,67 | 1,92 | 2,17 |
Payroll cost per FTE comes from the social report where available, otherwise from the Remuneration line. Both are gross costs including employer contributions.
What this factsheet does not know
- How good the work is. Figures do not measure creativity, strategy or chemistry.
- How the client portfolio is spread. Concentration is not in the accounts.
- Freelancers and subcontractors are not in the FTE figures. An agency with 40 staff may in practice run with 70 people.
- The figures cover financial year 2025, filed on 03/07/2026. At a fast-moving agency reality today may differ.
Based on publicly filed annual accounts (NBB) and official records (CBE, Belgian Official Gazette). An indication, not financial advice. Sector medians calculated on 5 Oct 2026. Sector medians based on financial year 2024: the last year for which nearly all accounts have been filed.
What the agency actually does 8 services
Sector focus
Publicly known clients
Rubenshuis, Karel de Stoute, Molaris Tandartsen, De Republiek, De Bijloke, Sans Cravate, Schelstraete Delacourt, Pump Repair Center, Cotee, Bobbie Bahama, Hola Pola, Bricks Advocaten, Hof van Busleyden, Coerant, Paardensport Vlaanderen
Based on IKAg research and public sources. Incomplete or outdated? Let us know.
People 8 people mapped
The heart of this team is creative: 4 of 8 profiles are makers. Within that core, Design, Copywriting and UX/UI Design stand out. Notably, no declared strategists in sight — this agency would rather make than philosophise.
Based on public profiles. Something wrong? Let us know.
Seniors or juniors?
Payroll cost per FTE is the best public proxy for a team's experience level. Higher is not automatically better, but it says something about who sits at the table.
Will your team stay?
Inflow and outflow from the social report. This series only counts people on the payroll: freelancers who invoice do not appear in it. A low figure therefore means two very different things, a stable permanent team or a small core with heavy outsourcing. A high figure usually points to short contracts. Compare only within the same type of agency.
Source: annual accounts and social reports (NBB), collected by IKAg. Financial year 2025. Calculations by IKAg; an indication, not financial advice. Sector medians based on financial year 2024: the last year for which nearly all accounts have been filed.
Frequently asked questions about De Barbaren
- When was De Barbaren founded?
- In 2018.
- Where is De Barbaren located?
- In Gent, Belgium.
- What is De Barbaren specialised in?
- Brand strategy & positioning, Brand identity & design, Storytelling & narrative, Copywriting & long-form content, Print & AV production, SEO & GEO.
- How big is De Barbaren?
- Around 5 full-time equivalents (financial year 2025).
- Who are the clients of De Barbaren?
- Among others Rubenshuis, Karel de Stoute, Molaris Tandartsen, De Republiek, De Bijloke, Sans Cravate, Schelstraete Delacourt, Pump Repair Center, Cotee, Bobbie Bahama, Hola Pola, Bricks Advocaten, Hof van Busleyden, Coerant, Paardensport Vlaanderen.
Figures from the annual accounts up to financial year 2025. Company details checked against the CBE register on 2026-09-12.