Peter Bommel: ‘Strategy is all well and good, but then it needs to be executed’

Can you tell us something about how you became who you are?
‘I was born in Meersen, South Limburg. My father was the director of ABN AMRO’s predecessor, which meant we had to move frequently. From the age of five, I grew up in Overveen, near Haarlem.’

How did that childhood shape you?
‘I had a stable, happy childhood with a touch of adventure. We went everywhere, and I started doing that myself from the age of eighteen, traveling through Europe by train and such. My hobbies were playing guitar, chess, and field hockey. The guitar was especially popular with the girls, and I gave up playing when I met my wife, hahaha. My years at the VU as a member of the student association were also formative, with the clubhouse back then still located on the Herengracht. Looking back on my youth, you can already see signs of that interest in innovation, mobility, and the exact sciences.’

And after that?
‘After five years working at PwC’s predecessor, I lived on Aruba for eight years. Three of my four children were born there. I worked at a large family business with a hundred-year history, entrepreneurial but also very solid. I learned a tremendous amount there. Later, I became CFO of a subsidiary active in mining in North and South America. I was used to being an entrepreneur. When I joined Deloitte, I focused heavily on market and business development.
Gradually, innovation became one of my key priorities at Deloitte. We put innovation on the map with a dedicated innovation unit. Later, we began developing innovative propositions together with the client: in areas such as data analytics, AI, and cybersecurity. Our new office building in the Zuidas was, for a time, the most sustainable office building in the world, which helped with that positioning.’

That sounds ambitious; you want to make your mark?
‘Certainly. If you look at the colors, my drive is orange and green, meaning people-oriented and focused on achieving something. You often see that orange among professional service providers. But I do not need the applause meter to go off the chart. When I first took on my role as CEO at Deloitte, I wanted to be friends with everyone and have support everywhere. But you quickly realize that this is impossible. Everyone has an opinion about you, so there is absolutely no point in worrying about it.’

How did that influence your leadership style?
‘The chairman left; I was vice-chairman and became CEO overnight, so that took some getting used to. What approach and style are you going to adopt? There were many opportunities for growth in the corporate advisory market – that is where we primarily focused our strategy at the time. Next, it is about forming the right leadership team with good people who can contribute something. Finally, a leader must be a unifier, able to build bridges.’

The way we did things ten years ago is not how we do them now. How do you view that as a board member in a supervisory role?
‘The best leadership style is people-oriented, connecting, and strategically thinking. Without bossy behavior. But at the decisive moments, it is you who need to be able to make the tough decisions. That is a fine line. In the past, the boss was the boss; there was a huge distance. I was on Deloitte’s European board. In England, the CEO was the big boss. We do not need to have that model here, certainly not in the service industry.’

Is that typically Dutch?
‘Germany is also very hierarchical, just like the US and France, whereas Scandinavia is not. You could see those differences on the Deloitte European board. It has to do with our egalitarian mindset: not to focus too much attention on yourself. For me, this leadership style has always worked well, but when things get tough, you do have to be on deck. I prefer this inclusive style.’

As supervisor, how do you build such a diverse portfolio?
‘It is a combination of what comes your way and what you seek out yourself. NOC*NSF had always been a dream, so I sought that out. I served on the fund for elite sports for five years, and at the right moment for me, a vacancy opened up. Beyond that, it comes down to whether you click with the people at a company. The common thread in my board memberships is that all these companies are in the midst of a transformation. At FloraHolland, auction volumes are under pressure and direct trade is growing. APG is dealing with the new pension law, which requires a massive transformation. Flynth has to deal with private equity, AI, and tight labor markets. NOC*NSF adopted a different governance model: the executive became the board, and the board became the supervisory board. We were given a different role; we now have to exercise oversight.’

How can you remain a good supervisor if you really enjoy something?
‘You do indeed have to be careful not to get overly enthusiastic. And sometimes you also have to dive into the details to scrutinize the risks of an opportunity that, on the face of it, seems wonderful.
When I joined Flynth, they were in the process of a major acquisition. Together with fellow supervisory board member Kees van Dijkhuizen, I went through the excel sheets with the various scenarios. That level of detail made us chuckle a bit, but it was very enlightening and useful for getting a feel for the opportunities and risks.’

How far can you go in that process without stepping into the CEO’s shoes?
‘I believe that when it comes down to it, you are allowed to get quite deep into the details. With respect for, of course, and in this case, in collaboration with the CFO. Incidentally, I have a fifth role alongside my four supervisory board positions: I am also an advisor to our family business, Imperial Feet Cosmetics, founded over twenty-five years ago by my wife and taken into the international digital world by my daughter. As a thirty-something, she is familiar with the latest developments, and we work with a team of all young people. This has brought me in contact with things such as agentic AI in combination with e-commerce, and I am quite well-informed about the latest developments in the digital world. Knowledge that I gratefully take with me into my various supervisory board positions.’

Young people grasp the latest technological developments much faster than you and I, while it is mainly people in their fifties and sixties who hold supervisory roles. Can someone over sixty still be a good board member?
‘To do that, you have to constantly keep yourself up to date; otherwise, you will not make it. I do that on the job, in my supervisory roles, but certainly also by learning from the young team at Imperial Feet, and through the necessary courses. In the boardroom, we discuss the necessity of professional education. At APG, we have an educational afternoon twice a year led by someone from the field on a topic we choose ourselves. For example, about cybersecurity or geopolitics.’

What causes you concern?
‘The geopolitical developments and the instability that are currently affecting the entire world. The positive aspect of this is that it is bringing Europe closer together and that we are accelerating the expansion of our defense. My second concern is: where is our data, and is it secure? The third is the breakthrough of quantum computing. The biggest risk of quantum computing is that it can break existing encryption, making digital security, privacy, and financial and national security vulnerable in one fell swoop. Another concern is our energy consumption. Is there enough electricity? Furthermore, our grid is not equipped for this. Companies are already unable to be connected.’

Which region currently holds the good cards?
‘The one that is leading the way in innovation and looking toward the long term holds the best cards. For a long time, it was Asia, but we are now seeing vulnerabilities in China and India as well. The EU is not in a good position, but the right steps have been taken. Though this may take a long time.’

Do you see a different role for regulators since, say, Trump? Due to geopolitics and the desire for strategic autonomy, economic and business solutions are no longer always the best solutions.
‘You need to fully understand what those geopolitical factors mean for your company. Think about risk analysis and mitigating factors. At all the companies where I serve as a board member, we hold strategy sessions. After all, they are all undergoing a transformation or have just developed a new strategy. That led to intensive discussions.
If you want to be at the forefront of AI and robotization, supervisory board members also need to learn from other companies. We visited Jumbo’s distribution center in Nieuwegein with other board members. There are hardly any people walking around there.
The carts going to the store need to be loaded as efficiently as possible. That process is being mechanized, and AI is continuously improving this. How can we apply that at FloraHolland—robotization and AI? That is up to management, but it is important that we, as the supervisory board, ask the right questions and contribute our insights.’

Do you want to take on more supervisory board roles?
‘My portfolio is well-filled, so it would have to be a particularly well-suited role. But in theory, there is room for one more. I enjoy the role of supervisory board member.’

What is your intrinsic motivation for continuing to do this? You could spend more time at your daughter’s company and exercise more?
‘I do that too. And I also want to contribute in our society. That might be in my DNA. My father retired from ABN at age fifty-seven, went on to study theology, and started a second career as a theologian and writer. I am affiliated with a church, but it would be going too far to say that my motivation stems from that Christian background. The fact is that I was raised this way. Equally important is to stay involved with nice people and interesting companies, to remain socially relevant, and continue to develop yourself.’

In a company with shareholders, and especially if they are not based in the Netherlands, the goal is to be as profitable as possible. But if, given the developments of the major digital platforms and data centers, we want to switch to European counterparts, that is going to cost money. How does that align with your moral compass as supervisor?
‘I notice that there is certainly an awareness that you need to look at your company's profitability differently. In general, I see that ‘my’ companies want to reduce their dependence on America. But you are often locked into systems with long-term contracts. Where data is stored is also relevant. The moral compass has always played a role for good supervisory board members. For example, that as a large company you want to pay your fair share of taxes, responsible tax.’

The biggest concerns of the CEO of one of the largest retailers I recently spoke with are populism and cybersecurity. His hope lies in technology and Gen Z: generations that invest energy into finding solutions. What are your thoughts on this?
‘Cyber ​​is tied to quantum computing: if that succeeds, it creates a major security issue, and you can break into anything. So that is correct. Technology brings enormous possibilities. There will be a shakeout and a lot of turmoil, but new opportunities will also emerge. New jobs will appear for jobs that disappear due to AI, and people may have more free time. Technology is both a threat and a solution. In the field of energy, I see a future in nuclear fusion.’

According to ‘climate general’ Tom Middendorp, we should put photos of our children and grandchildren in every boardroom. After the meeting, you look at that photo and then say to each other: we are doing this in their interest too. What is your take on that?
‘That is not a bad idea at all. Incidentally, I see active social engagement in my children. They are more concerned than I was back then with, for example, climate, sustainability, polarization, and the growing disparities between rich and poor.’

Does a strategy still make sense if the playing field changes every six months?
‘That dot on the horizon must be clear; in the execution, you can certainly move left and right. During execution, you have to keep asking yourself whether you are still on the right track. Precisely as a supervisory board, you have a role in safeguarding the course.
I was a chess player in my youth but did not have time for it during my working life. After my time as CEO, I started playing again, I joined a club, and I play online. And I immediately jumped in, very actively and fanatically, with a coach, playing tournaments, and putting a lot of time into it. That is my orange color: if I participate, I also want to win.’ (laughs)

Your role as a supervisor at NOC*NSF was a dream come true for you. What do you hope to achieve there?
‘The goal of NOC*NSF is to get twelve million Dutch people actively exercising by 2032. That really energizes me, because sport fosters camaraderie and creates connection within society. When people are physically active, they stay healthy longer and healthcare costs go down. I sincerely hope that the political and business communities continue to invest in sports.’

This interview was published in Management Scope 05 2026.