Next50 Non-Executive Directors
Next50 Non-Executive Directors 2025
A ‘returner’ heads the Next50 this year. Compared to last year, the list includes seventeen new names. It is striking (or perhaps disturbing) that the number of women on the list has decreased and that the list has fewer people of colour than in previous years. Young people are also far from overrepresented. We wonder if there could have been a few more.
(-) Sandra Berendsen
Sandra Berendsen, who has the rather unique job title ‘dairy farmer/member of supervisory board on her proverbial business card, is a member of the supervisory boards at KPMG, FrieslandCampina and Rabobank. She has an impressive portfolio with interesting directorships in ‘food & agri’ and ‘finance’, with a specialization in complex cooperative or partnership environments. This portfolio gives her – with a clear lead – a crystal clear and convincing number one ranking in the Next50. In fact, with this portfolio, we will probably not see Berendsen in a next edition of the Next50, she will almost certainly take her position on the Top 100 Non-Executive Directors.
(19) Annette Ottolini
Second place in the Next50 is reserved for Annette Ottolini. She is CEO of Evides and has been supervisory director at the Nederlandse Waterschapsbank for some time, but her relatively new position as chairman of the supervisory board of facility service provider Vebego earns her a significant number of impact points. Thus moving her from nineteenth place last year, to an impressive position on the podium this year.
(16) Cees 't Hart
The number three in the ranking is someone from the category 'old hand in the trade' (said with the greatest respect), former Carlsberg CEO Cees 't Hart. After ’t Hart left the historic brewery complex in Copenhagen for good in 2023, he collected an interesting portfolio of supervisory positions. Among other things, he is non-executive director at the American food giant Mondelez International, known for brands such as Milka, Oreo, Cadbury and Toblerone, and chairman of the supervisory board at Randstad. The latter position counts heaviest in our list, because Randstad is located in the Netherlands. In 2024 he fortified his portfolio with supervisory roles in the social sector, such as at charity organization SOS Children's Villages. If 't Hart were to use his extensive experience in the supervisory board of a listed company this year, we could well see him back in the Top 100 Supervisory Board Members.
(33) Dirk Anbeek
At number 4, we find business economist and former CEO of Landal Greenparks, Dirk Anbeek. The current supervisory board member of Roompot and Sligro, among others, said ‘yes’ last year to one of the more unique supervisory board memberships in the Netherlands, at football club Ajax. This is a supervisory board that requires a certain appetite, as in the past the position has often been surrounded by supporter upheaval, emotions running high and mocking comments in programs such as the Dutch Vandaag Inside. With his appointment in the Johan Cruijff Arena, Anbeek rises by a huge margin from number thirty-three last year to number four this year – a position Ajax would, as it is, not want to hold.
(14) Daniëlle Jansen Heijtmajer
Number five, Daniëlle Jansen Heijtmajer, is also making solid progress. She rises from fourteenth to fifth place. This is mainly because of her supervisory role at insurer a.s.r., but she is also a member of the supervisory board of Uber Payments, in addition to her executive role as global director finance, shared services & enterprise risk management of FrieslandCampina.
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Justification
A non-executive director is eligible if he or she holds one or more positions as a supervisory board member or director at the major companies in the Netherlands. By this we mean companies listed on the AEX, AMX (MidCap) or AScX (SmallCap) index and unlisted companies with an equity capital of more than 500 million euros. Unlike the Top-100 Non-Executives, it is not just about the points. The timing of the supervisory board memberships should also be taken into consideration: Non-execs should be evolving, not deteriorating. From the universe of non-execs at the above-mentioned companies, non-executive directors have been selected who still have a management position or who had until recently. Candidates must also have accepted new directorships within the last two years. The reference date is 1 February 2025.
Allocation of points
The Supervisory Board members are awarded points based on the level of the equity capital of the companies where they hold a position. Supervisory positions at these companies weigh more heavily than executive roles. In addition, the members of the Supervisory Board receive points for chairmanships of supervisory boards, chairmanship positions of boards of directors and chairmanships of audit, remuneration and nomination committees.
Finally, points are awarded for supervisory positions at large foreign companies, universities, colleges, hospitals and other large companies.