Ingrid de Swart (a.s.r.): ‘This job is even more intense than I thought’
Ingrid de Swart has been CEO of insurance group a.s.r. since May 20. She prepared thoroughly for her role, but is nonetheless surprised by the extent to which she constantly has to be ‘on.’ ‘It is more than I am used to; I could not prepare for that. The spotlight is always on you, even when you are not saying anything.’
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Heleen Herbert: ‘Strengthening the investment funnel’
Building an economy that brings broad prosperity to the Netherlands not only today, but also twenty years from now. With a background in the business world, minister Heleen Herbert is more than familiar with the challenges entrepreneurs face. And with what it will take to make investment, innovation, and growth possible again.
Annette Mosman and Willemien Terpstra: ‘Do not let AI run away with you’
As a CEO, how do you deal with AI? The days when AI was the sole responsibility of IT seem largely over, but does that mean that you, as CEO, should take charge of the issue yourself? Willemien Terpstra, CEO of public grid operator Gasunie, and Annette Mosman, CEO of pension administrator APG, believe so.
Conflicts of interest in the boardroom: inevitable, not insurmountable
How do you handle conflicts of interest in the boardroom responsibly, and what role can company secretaries play in this? That question was central to a breakfast session hosted by Management Scope, A&O Shearman, and The Board Practice. ‘Company secretaries play a key role.’
‘Pensions should not be a black box’
Making pensions more accessible… that is the mission of BeFrank. On the fifteenth anniversary of the defined-contribution pension provider, CEO Kaya de Lange and Commercial Director Jan Hein Rhebergen look back and ahead. How a challenger in the market is now leading the way in the transition to the new pension system.
Pieter Duisenberg (Netherlands Court of Audit): ‘A passion for accountability’
The President of the Netherlands Court of Audit is more interested in concrete goals and results than in highbrow visions.
Allard Castelein: ‘The path to greater resilience will be long’
The Special Representative for the Raw Materials Strategy advises on how to make supply chains more resilient. To begin with, this requires increased awareness.
‘We need to work together to help startups grow’
Julia Padberg (SET Ventures) and Alex Bakker (Photon Capital) understand what is needed to help innovative startups grow into the champions of the future.
Three experts on AI in the healthcare sector
These three healtcare executives agree on one thing: good governance in this new era does not start with technology, but with leadership.
‘A modern leader needs a strong sense of reality’
Two CEO's from the Northern Netherlands discuss the choices executives must make when the environment is changing fundamentally.
Derk te Bokkel (Royal IHC): ‘The only way was forward’
After years of setbacks, Royal IHC, the shipbuilder of yesteryear, has reinvented itself. The company is now primarily known as a systems integrator.
Stacey Caywood (Wolters Kluwer): ‘AI gives us new energy’
While outsiders and shareholders are sometimes skeptical about the impact of ai on Wolters Kluwer’s revenue model, Caywood puts the threat into perspective.
Analysis Top-100 Corporate Women 2026: Get Involved
Miriam van Dongen is once again the most influential woman in corporate Netherlands. What stands out is that ‘our’ 100 women are not very visible—which is sorely needed.
The five pitfalls of CEO succession
Finding the right CEO is probably the most complex task facing the supervisory board. A successful succession requires a strategic, ongoing process. How does a board approach this effectively?
CEO NEO NL: ‘Nuclear power plants are long-term projects’
The CEO of the state-owned company Nuclear Energy Organization Netherlands (NEO NL) is working on the delivery of two new large-scale nuclear power plants.
Why AI is also a governance issue
AI is developing rapidly and unpredictably. that no one knows exactly what to prepare for. How do executives make sensible decisions about a technology of which the full consequences are still unknown?
Base your compensation policy on what really matters
The fear of lagging behind the market when compensating executives almost always wins out. Frederic Barge, founder of Reward Value, advocates for an active shift.
Marike Bonhof (Ymere): ‘Small investment, huge impact’
The CFO of the housing association Ymere faces major social challenges. 'Not everything can be done at once, even though it really should be.’
Janine Vos (Rabobank): ‘We need to recalibrate HR’
What must organizations do to survive in the digital age? Janine Vos, CHRO at Rabobank, talks about the enormous implications of the digital age for HR and the workforce.
Gender equality at the top: five lost years
Rosalien van ’t Foort-Diepeveen sees that the women's quota in the Dutch boardroom has not brought about the necessary change.
Marcel Beukeboom (Naturalis): ‘Our natural environment is in crisis’
Marcel Beukeboom, general director of Naturalis, advocates for greater attention to nature’s resilience.
Human judgement is the scarce resource of the AI era
AI investments consistently fall short of expectations. We are noticing this often in our conversations with executives, board members, and other experts.
David Knibbe (NN Group): ‘Leadership begins where analysis ends’
David Knibbe, CEO of NN Group, was in the running to become Young Captain in 2009. When asked what had gone wrong during the financial crisis and how to proceed, he lingered too long on his analysis. He did not win. That proved to be a lifelong leadership lesson. Plus: Knibbe on the war for talent, talent development, and AI at NN Group.
Joseph Kuling: 'A director and major shareholder actually wants you to be critical'
Supervisory board member Joseph Kuling talks about the lessons he learned on the supervisory board – in good times and in times of crisis. He cannot avoid the Sanderink case: ‘When we decided to suspend and dismiss Gerard Sanderink, I thought that no owner-manager would ever appoint me as a supervisory board member again.’
Jeroen Tiel (Randstad): ‘The labor market must be priority number one’
What must companies, organizations, and the government do to survive in the digital age? Jeroen Tiel, CEO of Randstad Group Netherlands, about the impact of AI on the labor market. ‘The speed of change is overestimated, but the impact is underestimated.’
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Leadership in turbulent times requires collaboration
How to lead organizations responsible for the future-proofing of critical infrastructure, while simultaneously scaling up, digitizing, and preparing for crises? The experts at our roundtable agree that leadership in these times requires a fundamentally different mindset.
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Ralf Knegtmans (De Vroedt & Thierry) on fifty years in executive search
On the fiftieth anniversary of executive search firm De Vroedt & Thierry, managing partner Ralf Knegtmans looks back on the far-reaching changes that have radically transformed his profession. He also looks ahead. AI is becoming increasingly important and will be able to take over large parts of the search process in the future.
Gavin van Boekel (Heijmans): ‘The CEO-CFO partnership has become more important’
At construction company Heijmans, Gavin van Boekel forms a tandem with the CEO. This creates a unique dynamic.
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‘Strategy is all well and good, but then it needs to be executed’
Building a diverse portfolio of supervisory board positions is, according to Peter Bommel, ‘a combination of what comes your way and what you seek out yourself.’
The relationship between CEO and CFO requires constant nurturing
Close collaboration between CEO and CFO is no longer merely a functional necessity but has become a strategic requirement, was the message at Deloitte’s CFO dinner.
Annemieke Roobeek: ‘Democratization, anchoring, and imagination’
Emeritus professor Annemieke Roobeek sees innovation shifting away from institutions, driven by the many who no longer wait for the few.
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A workforce budget for every organization
AI is set to transform the nature of work more deeply than most organisations realise. It is time for a new tool to navigate this shift: the workforce budget.
Dick Berlijn on the triangle of industry, investors, and defense
Defense is in need of innovative strength. A major shift is needed to capitalize on opportunities and possibilities, says the former Commander of the Armed Forces.
Ralph Hamers: ‘A CEO should never delegate strategy’
True innovation requires looking beyond your own sector. That is the key lesson Ralph Hamers took from his time as CEO of ING and UBS.
Why AI projects fail
Organizations invest a great deal of money, time, and effort into AI development, often with sky-high expectations. In practice, however, Dutch companies are still deriving limited real benefit from their investments.
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