I am one of the four partners at Stipo. My tasks are divided between working in projects and leading the rest of the team. I really like the different disciplines and talents present at Stipo: young colleagues, experienced colleagues: different people with different interests. Finding ways in which our individual qualities strengthen the overall team is a challenge I enjoy.
In projects, my passion lies in answering complex strategic questions by means of connecting different parties/topics. Directing and leading these connections is what I really enjoy doing. I do so in various roles, i.e. as project leader, advisor or interim-manager.
Besides my work at Stipo, I am also a Board member at the LanatarenVenster cinema and jazz venue, the Architecture Film Festival Rotterdam, Inspiring Cities and the film programme ‘Films in Rotterdam'.
2011: A busy start to the year. My projects include: a neighbourhood development plan in Roosendaal, the economic vision for Goedereede, a plinth strategy for the Weesperstraat and various training courses in Dordrecht and the Bouwfonds, amongst others.
2010: I work in several projects. Together with Ester Heiman, I develop a toolbox for creating a child-friendly Poelenburg in Zaandam. In Rotterdam, I help develop a plinth pilot project for the inner city and give a training course to the Policy and Evaluation department of the OBR. In the Hague, I work in a project about new ways of working (co-working).
2009: I work in several projects in Rotterdam, the Hague, Binnenmaas and the ‘Drechtsteden'. Besides these projects, I spend a lot of my time working on concept development and public relations.
2008: Stipo. The pull of a business career and the move to the Stipo knowledge team. It's wonderful to work with colleagues like this; people like me who are looking to create links. Links between organisations, between subjects that matter. My first projects with Stipo are as a manager on the Utrecht Zoning project for the Utrecht city authority and as a programme coordinator in the Drechtsteden.
2006: Establishment of ErasmusPC, the international network for culture and cities: www.erasmuspc.com. A place where international professionals from all sorts of sectors have passionate and inspiring exchanges about the development of cities. As well as being a meeting place, ErasmusPC is also an organisation that supplies services related to process management and inspirational conferences. While being based at Stipo, I work for ErasmusPC on projects like the organisation of an inspiration day about the future of Hillegersberg-Schiebroek.
2005-2008: Rotterdam City Building and Public Housing Authority. I worked here as the Spatial Planning assignment manager on improving the relationships between Rotterdam and other government authorities. I enjoyed watching the teamwork grow.
2000 and 2002: Birth of my children, Jonas and Rosa.
1999-2005: Rotterdam Development Corporation. Back to Rotterdam. Both to live and work. Rotterdam is my city. Worked in the Strategy department on exciting new ideas for the city. Particularly proud of achievements in getting policy ideas introduced into operational practice.
1996-1999: Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment. As a policy officer/senior policy officer, actively engaged on the interface between housing and spatial planning. Wonderful to work at the national level for a while.
1994: I meet my future wife, Edith, and start my working career with Bouwwinkel Zeeland as a researcher.
1993-1994: Graduate in Dublin. With an Erasmus grant. Like a fish in the water with people from everywhere in Europe with a passion for cities and culture. I still have many friends from that time.
1990: First visit to the Rotterdam International Film Festival. Since then, I have spent ten days underground every year in or near the Schouwburgplein in Rotterdam, looking for new cinematic masterpieces.
1988: University and a flat in Amsterdam. Planology, and contacts with urban planning at Delft Technical University, tourism in Groningen. The golden age of free student travel.
1969: Born in Rotterdam as the elder of two children.