Implementation and Transformation
A good strategy is one thing, actually implementing that strategy is quite another. Obviously, the parameters include good people, good leadership, a good HR system. But when it comes to the implementation itself, the past few decades have been a true roller coaster for the chief operating officer (COO) and his/her troops.
At the cradle of this roller coaster are some major trends. At an accelerating pace after the fall of the USSR, companies have started to look internationally for their purchasing and supply chains. Complex factors affect those decisions. Price matters, but so does quality of production, availability of raw materials, other production, and so on. For a few years now, however, the trend of internationalization has been halted: the trade relationship between China, the United States, European countries and Russia has come under increasing pressure.
Both this earlier expansion of the supply chain and the recent setback present COOs with major challenges. First it was ‘am I on the right track?’ Now it is also ‘what if the course I took no longer exists?’ Since 2020 this trend has been reinforced by the threat of pandemics, which can simply endanger companies' access to certain countries: a logistical nightmare.
The second major trend is that of digitalization. That is nothing new, of course. The letter was followed by the wire transfer and then by the fax and telephone. But with the arrival of the Internet combined with fast computers, this evolution has accelerated. ‘Digitalization’ is what we call it, and disruption: business models are changing so fast through digitalization and the rise of artificial intelligence that it is no longer a question of evolution but rather of revolution. It is up to the COO to keep up with this pace in the process of implementation.
This is a hell of a job because it means that such an implementation requires not only its own implementation strategy but also a great deal of entrepreneurship. After all, which IT infrastructure do you choose, does it have to be top of the line or perhaps cheaper than that used by the competition? Do you develop it yourself or do you outsource? Does the same hold for technological progress in production? What about marketing automation, robotization, warehousing, fulfilment and other logistics? How sustainable should your transport be? How local will production need to be?
The COO position may still be a position that, in the hierarchy, is just below the executive board, frequently in the executive committee (the ExCo), but, in terms of responsibilities, the position is not inferior to the top jobs of CEO and CFO.
Siete Hamminga and Guus Verhees on Robin Radar's scale-up journey
From birdwatcher to drone detector: Robin Radar has grown into a global company. We are in conversation with the founder who was fifteen years ahead of his time with the smart doorbell, and with the investor who had to endure three years of losses: Siete Hamminga of Robin Radar and Guus Verhees of SHIFT Invest. Together, they look back on Robin Radar's tumultuous scale-up journey: ‘We went from about twenty radars a year to six a week. That requires an agile organization.’
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Many organizations are actively working to optimize their digital work environment. However, it is often too narrowed on technology and processes, with too little attention paid to the needs of employees. This is evident from the recent Future of Work study commissioned by KPN. Just as companies map out the customer journey, they should also continuously measure the digital interactions and experiences of employees, writes Jurgen de Jong.
Do more to prevent absenteeism and be open to employees who do not fit the ideal picture. With this appeal to employers, Maarten Camps, who is chairman of the UWV, the Dutch Employment Insurance Agency, and number 81 in the Top 100 Supervisory Board Members, hopes to address the shortage in the labor market and reduce the rapidly increasing waiting times for a WIA, the Work and Income (Capacity to Work) Act, assessment. But changes are also needed within his own organization. ‘We will have to create more uniformity in the working methods of our professionals.’
Invest in a people-centric digital work environment
Many organizations are actively working to optimize their digital work environment. However, it is often too narrowed on technology and processes, with too little attention paid to the needs of employees. This is evident from the recent Future of Work study commissioned by KPN. Just as companies map out the customer journey, they should also continuously measure the digital interactions and experiences of employees, writes Jurgen de Jong.
Maarten Camps (UWV): ‘A different mindset is needed’
Do more to prevent absenteeism and be open to employees who do not fit the ideal picture. With this appeal to employers, Maarten Camps, who is chairman of the UWV, the Dutch Employment Insurance Agency, and number 81 in the Top 100 Supervisory Board Members, hopes to address the shortage in the labor market and reduce the rapidly increasing waiting times for a WIA, the Work and Income (Capacity to Work) Act, assessment. But changes are also needed within his own organization. ‘We will have to create more uniformity in the working methods of our professionals.’
What benefit does the private sector really have from the government? And what does it need? Johan Kerver (evofenedex) discusses these questions with Ingrid Faber, CEO at Faber Group, and Jan Nooitgedagt, member of several supervisory boards. Both see the value of government leadership and direction, but they feel the government is not fully embracing its role. Collaboration, too, is lacking. ‘The gap between the private sector and government is truly astonishing.’
The Dutch Climate Act requires the Netherlands to have reduced CO2 emissions by 55 percent by 2030 compared to 1990. That goal is jeopardized by the barriers industrial companies experience in reducing their emissions. Hans Grünfeld of the Association for Energy, Environment, and Water, and Frank Meens of energy company Vattenfall, discuss the turning point we are facing and whether it is still possible to make the transition in time. ‘The situation is worrying, but the path is clear: it is vital for the government to remove existing bottlenecks.
How intelligent will the future be? This question is both complex and fascinating as it relates to technological progress and, in particular, artificial intelligence (AI). As computer scientist Alan Kay noted: ‘The best way to predict the future is to invent it.’ In this piece, Rudy Kuhn and Michiel Pieters from data processing company Celonis explore the three possible forms of partnerships when AI is equipped with process-specific knowledge and deployed in decision-making.
Ingrid Faber and Jan Nooitgedagt on public-private partnerships: ‘Improvement is often simple’
What benefit does the private sector really have from the government? And what does it need? Johan Kerver (evofenedex) discusses these questions with Ingrid Faber, CEO at Faber Group, and Jan Nooitgedagt, member of several supervisory boards. Both see the value of government leadership and direction, but they feel the government is not fully embracing its role. Collaboration, too, is lacking. ‘The gap between the private sector and government is truly astonishing.’
Hans Grünfeld and Frank Means on barriers in the energy transition
The Dutch Climate Act requires the Netherlands to have reduced CO2 emissions by 55 percent by 2030 compared to 1990. That goal is jeopardized by the barriers industrial companies experience in reducing their emissions. Hans Grünfeld of the Association for Energy, Environment, and Water, and Frank Meens of energy company Vattenfall, discuss the turning point we are facing and whether it is still possible to make the transition in time. ‘The situation is worrying, but the path is clear: it is vital for the government to remove existing bottlenecks.
From Human to Hybrid Decision-Making
How intelligent will the future be? This question is both complex and fascinating as it relates to technological progress and, in particular, artificial intelligence (AI). As computer scientist Alan Kay noted: ‘The best way to predict the future is to invent it.’ In this piece, Rudy Kuhn and Michiel Pieters from data processing company Celonis explore the three possible forms of partnerships when AI is equipped with process-specific knowledge and deployed in decision-making.
Rutger van der Leeuw (Enexis): ‘More copper in the ground is not the solution’
For two years now Rutger van der Leeuw has been CEO of Enexis, the grid operator responsible for the construction, management, and maintenance of the gas and electricity grids in the south and northeast of the Netherlands. In a sector that is almost constantly under scrutiny, he strives to achieve a balance between social impact and business results. ‘It is our job to be flexible at the front end and to maintain as much calm as possible at the back end.’
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Paul de Krom (Louwman Group): ‘Mobility Services Are the Future’
The Louwman group is transitioning from car importer to mobility provider. Paul de Krom has been the new CEO of the family-owned company since spring 2023. ‘Our automotive activities are at the essence of this company, but our ambition is mobility for life.'
Marnix van Stiphout: 'ING is Not Your Usual Company'
Marnix van Stiphout has been COO and member of the management Board of banking group ING for a year and a half. During this time, he mainly worked on the realization that operations form an extremely important part of the bank.
‘ESG as a Bridge Between Industry and Society’
Michel Lamie (Achmea): ‘The Role of CFO Has Become Broader’
ESG Can Bridge the Gap Between Industry and Society
Shareholders as allies in the sustainable transition
Madeline Dessing (UWV): ‘Meaningful Work Contributes to Employee Well-being’
Trust And Cooperation As Building Blocks Of The Energy Transition
The Challenges in Making the Value Chain More Sustainable
For a product to be sustainable from cradle to grave, eight phases of the life cycle must be considered during design. However, a strategic plan to integrate design for sustainability into the entire business operation is often lacking. Designing with prolonging of use and end of life in mind is therefore a complex operation that requires strong leadership, argue Remko de Bruijn and Pim Rossen.
HEMA has been doing well since it changed hands in 2020. In 2021, the company wrote black figures for the first time in years. In 2022, profits grew to 31.6 million euros. What does this mean for the logistics operations, the backbone of any well-functioning retail company? Chief Technology Officer Pieter Heij explains: ‘Selling as many manageable, easily transportable products as possible, that is the key.’
Sustainable Design: Eight Phases and a Different Mindset
For a product to be sustainable from cradle to grave, eight phases of the life cycle must be considered during design. However, a strategic plan to integrate design for sustainability into the entire business operation is often lacking. Designing with prolonging of use and end of life in mind is therefore a complex operation that requires strong leadership, argue Remko de Bruijn and Pim Rossen.
Pieter Heij (HEMA) on an Efficient Logistics Chain
HEMA has been doing well since it changed hands in 2020. In 2021, the company wrote black figures for the first time in years. In 2022, profits grew to 31.6 million euros. What does this mean for the logistics operations, the backbone of any well-functioning retail company? Chief Technology Officer Pieter Heij explains: ‘Selling as many manageable, easily transportable products as possible, that is the key.’
The COO Operates Innovatively And Beyond Established Frameworks
Brian Tjemkes on Public-Private Collaboration: ‘Everyone Is Focused on Their Own Piece of the Puzzle’
Annemarie van Doorn en Elisabeth Post: ‘Direction Needed In Sustainability Efforts’
Pension Advisor Jacintha van Bijnen-Den Haag (Aon): ‘Companies Face Significant Challenges’
Wim Blaauw On The Enormous Digital Development Of IKEA
