Lausanne, Vaud, Switzerland
Systemic Thinker, Explainer, Keynote speaker, Board Member, EU Policy & Government Relations Advisor. Former Vice President at Royal Dutch Shell, with global business experience with energy/environment projects, government relation and policy shaping. The latter for Shell, WBCSD and now for the DCCI - Direct Climate Cooling Initiative, working together with scientists to offer relieve by peak-shaving the looming heat overshoot, in order to avoid HothouseEarth conditions setting in. Worked in many sectors of energy business: supply, trading, marketing, finance, strategy, business development, innovation (initiator of Shell V-Power), change management, government relations and regulatory affairs. Served as sherpa to 2 Shell CEO's in the European Roundtable of Industrialists and as member of BusinessEurope's Advisory and Support Group. - 30+ years experience in managing international and cross-functional teams in energy and government relations practices. - Experienced compromise broker, initiated innovative lobby practice of 'multi-stakeholder joint advocacy' platforms and accordingly break-through results. - Thought-leader in promoting the position of science and education in public policy to strengthen societal resilience and acceptance for increasingly technology rich solutions. - Experience in corporate, public and private foundation boards. - Comfortable working at senior corporate and government levels; in several languages - Frequently asked conference speaker on systemic change of Human Eco-System, energy & resource challenges, resource security & resilience matters. (Atlantic Strategy Group, Bilderberg, Climate Change Summit, COP21, EU Business Summit, Science Conference European Parliament, WEF, etc) - Advise & Briefings for Corporate Top Teams and Public Policy bodies/Ministries Specialties: Government Relations; Building multi stakeholder coalitions as interest representation platforms; Policy shaping; Leading Innovations (e.g. Shell V-Power); Communication & Education; Inspirational Storytelling & Public Speaking. Systemic thinking.
The Institute for INTEGRATED Economic Research (IIER) is a non-profit research organization focused on developing an unbiased view of global economic processes. IIER tries to re-focus economic research away from individual subsystems, towards a broader understanding of the larger forces driving overall progress or retreat in the Human Eco-System. The global economic crisis that began in 2008 is a good example of why this is necessary - traditional economic science neither provided the ability to predict the subsequent downturn, nor does it sufficiently explain the current mechanisms at work. IIER is an academia-type (and -related) institution, without a political or economic agenda, bound to science rather than opinion. It has built an economic model that works, and is building tools that can be used by society as we speak. It has been right about almost everything in economics during the past 15 years, including resource/energy price dynamics and the rise of extreme parties. For more information visit : www.EnergyAndStuff.org Speaker at international conferences e.g. Bilderberg Conference; COP/21 - Paris; European Business Summits; World Economic Forum; and giving Master Classes at Universities & Business Schools
Next Generation Agro-Forestry with Pongamia Pinnata. In the light of our use of land and resources, deforestation and fossil fuel combustion are the largest anthropogenic sources of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere causing climate change. The most positive impacts on climate change are therefore reforestation and the appropriate use of land for the production of energy and food. Next generation or sustainable agriculture can be defined as "an integrated system of plant and animal production practices having a site-specific application that will last over the long term". Investancia's Pongamia Oil production grows on barren land not suitable for agriculture. The trees are 'legumes' that fertilise their own soil with nitro pods. After a while sheep could graze under the trees, giving the land a double usage. In a given year one hectare of Pongamia trees absorb more CO2, that the combustion of pongamia oil from that same hectare would emit in CO2. This Green Fuel is therefore a CO2 sink. Dependent on the energy needed for further treatment it can be (close to) a CO2 neutral fuel. Pongamia oil will be processed in HVO (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil) plants to produce middle distillates (diesel and kerosine) that can be stored and distributed in existing infrastructures and co-mingled and used in existing engines. Thus it combines in a unique way existing system integration & environmental friendliness. As in an honest CO2 calculation not only the variable CO2 emissions, but also the CO2 emissions to build new installations and infrastructures ought to be measured.
Chairman of Family Foundation
The EU STEM Coalition aims to get Talent be more conciously recognised as 'a precious asset' for a future proof society. It then logically follows that it should be treated strategically by all parts of society, in particular by the triple helix : Government - Schools - Business. Over 30 regional, national and pan-europeans STEM Platforms now exist, sharing the communality of being supported by the triple helix partners. The EU STEM Coalition is a 'best practices sharing platform' that provides experience and network contacts to establish fit for purpose STEM Platforms. It has broad and high-level support. Initially funded by the Dutch national STEM Platform, it now has received funding from the European Commission, who also endorse and introduce/refer the EU STEM Coalition to EU member state governments as part of their future talent strategy development. In May 2025 l gave an overview of 20 years work on strengthening the EU STEM Talent Pipeline at an Engineers for Europe event in the European Economic & Social Council https://lnkd.in/eFbeX-sM
Strategic advise to new incoming President. Dissemination among stakeholders and engagement with policy makers in Europe for WBCSD's "Changing Pace" document as a blueprint / pathway to realise the vision for a sustainable future : "In 2050, 9 billion people, living well, and within the limits of the planet".