Page 3 – Worldconnectors, affiliate Earth Charter

Koen Eising

Koen is the CSR Director at Alliander, one of the three major regional grid operators in the Netherlands, operating at the heart of the energy transition. Before joining Alliander, he worked for various consultancy firms at the intersection of organizational development and sustainability. Koen studied public administration and political science in Leiden and completed the post-academic program in Organization and Change Management at VU University. He recently finished the Comenius Philosophy Course. With this background, he is fascinated by how today’s large corporations dare to make significant decisions that are urgently needed. He is interested in understanding the leadership we should trust or distrust. Koen believes that public companies must play a leading role in the sustainable transition. He shapes this belief as the initiator of the Green Networks coalition, where 8 infrastructure companies collaborate intensively on climate, circular, biodiversity, and impact measurement. He is the chairman of the Infrastructure Value Theme Center of Next Generation Infra. Koen is also affiliated with the Impact Economy Foundation.

Personal motto

A sustainable world requires not money or technology but a different set of values.

Charlotte Heystek

in Worldconnectors

Professional background

Charlotte is a communications consultant and team leader at the Acceleration Plan for Education Innovation with ICT, a four-year programme of VH, VNSU and SURF. Prior to this, she lived in Christchurch, New Zealand for five years, where she worked as a communications consultant in the tech sector.

In addition to her work, in recent years Charlotte advised the Canterbury Development Corporation in Christchurch and the CEO of Nepal’s Kalpavriksha on communication and gender.

Previously, Charlotte was editor and later editor-in-chief of Indisch3.0, a platform for and by third-generation Indian youth, and did an internship at the Dutch embassy in Bangkok. Charlotte also participated in ASEF’s 2nd and 3rd Young Leader Summits.

Charlotte holds a master’s degree in Intercultural Communication from Utrecht University, and bachelors in Communication and Information Sciences and Comparative Women’s Studies in Culture and Politics.

In her spare time, Charlotte is a runner and triathlete, and is writing her first book.

Persoonlijk motto

When in doubt, choose change – Lily Leung

Dennis Kerkhoven

in , , Worldconnectors

Professional background

Dennis is one of the founding partners of YesAndMore, a Special Purpose Impact Vehicle for regenerative regions, cases for change, and corporates. They work towards “markets fit for purpose” and “thriving societies” through a “trusted space.” Dennis, as an entrepreneur, executive, investor, and philanthropist, has a broad background in the corporate world, governments, knowledge institutions, citizen movements, and financial institutions.

In addition to his work at YesAndMore, he guides boards of directors, supervisory boards, and shareholders through conflicts and complex situations from the standpoint of good governance. He is a guest lecturer at institutions like Nyenrode and chairman of the foundation 0.0. He coordinates the alliance for SDG 16.

Personal motto

Nature only knows optimized abundance.

Ralien Bekkers

in , , Worldconnectors

Professional Background

After two years serving as the Dutch Youth Representative for Sustainable Development to the UN, from Rio+20 to COP20, Ralien Bekkers moved to the United States for a master’s program at Yale University. There, she worked on the agreement and implementation phase of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including at the office of the UN Secretary-General. Currently residing in Washington, Ralien works with an international coalition for the implementation of the Paris Agreement: NDC Partnership (ndcpartnership.org). From 2019-2021, the Netherlands co-chairs this coalition. Ralien collaborates with developing countries to accelerate the implementation of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), mobilize necessary financing, and enhance international ambition to implement climate actions in alignment with the SDGs.

Personal Motto

“The greatest gift that life has to offer is the opportunity to work hard at work worth doing”
– Theodore Roosevelt

Imad el Fadili

in , , Worldconnectors

Professional background

Imad has worked as an adviser in different private and public agencies (a.o. Deloitte) in the financial field. For the past three years, Imad has focused on the world of Islamic Finance and more specifically, Islamic social finance. This is a discipline that implements innovative and sustainable solutions for present-day challenges (e.g. debt issues and poverty reduction).

Personal motto

”Don’t aspire to make a living, aspire to make a difference.”
This quote includes two core values that are central in Imad’s life, humility and determination.

Marieke Rietbergen

in , , Worldconnectors

Professional Background

Marieke is the director and founder of Design Innovation Group (DIG). DIG is a strategic design consultancy dedicated to accelerating and improving transitions in organizations and society. The agency leverages creative intelligence, design thinking, and action, employing imaginative power, dialogue strength, and designing for behavior(change). This ensures a seamless integration of humans and technology.

Marieke studied occupational therapy (HvA) and political science (UvA) and previously worked at Nederland Kennisland, OMA – Office for Metropolitan Architecture, and as an independent professional for clients such as the creative industry top sector and Droog Design.

Marieke is a mother of two daughters and resides in Utrecht.

Personal Motto

Every day a wiser woman with beautiful stories.

Jan Bouke Wijbrandi

in , Zelfstandige Worldconnectors

Professional background

Jan Bouke studied international economics and anthropology at the Vrije Universiteit. His work focused on international cooperation, with a detour into science (research among refugees in Sudan) and media. He worked within the sector for organizations such as Stichting Oecumenische Hulp (Head of Food and Nutrition), Médecins Sans Frontières (Head of Communication and Fundraising), Oxfam Novib (Director of Campaigns), and UNICEF Netherlands (General Director). He has experience at the international level and has been involved in various projects related to international cooperation and the SDGs. Jan Bouke has a keen interest in the intersection between international cooperation, the SDGs, and societal support.

Personal motto

The urgent problems of our time require personal commitment and credibility, collaboration across borders, and open and inclusive dialogue.

Veronique Swinkels

in , , Worldconnectors

“It doesn’t interest me
who you know
or how you came to be here.
I want to know if you will stand
in the centre of the fire
with me
and not shrink back.”
(oriah mountain dreamer)

Professional Background

Veronique Swinkels aims to change the world through creativity and activism. Until recently, she served as the director of BBK/Door Vriendschap Sterker, a communication agency for a better world. Currently, through Go for Good, she is actively working to systematically bring the SDGs and sustainability onto the agenda of businesses and policymakers. Veronique is a facilitator and next-generation coach, awakening the activist spirit in the new generation of leaders to drive faster changes in companies and systems. She is the founder of Duurzaamheids Dialoog and Global Goals Accelerator, an Earth Charter friend, and a board member of Worldconnectors and Lab Toekomstige Generaties (Future Generations Lab). She also serves on the board of LEAP, an international think tank that releases the Global Europe Anticipation Bulletin every month. Veronique studied Communication and Communications Policy, completed the mediation training at the Center for Conflict Resolution, Deep Democracy at the Dialogue Hunters, Creative Leadership at THNK, and the online Sustainability Management program at Cambridge University.

Personal Motto

Learn from nature about the power of collective intelligence.

Ewald Wermuth

in , , Worldconnectors

Ewald Wermuth is CEO of the European think and do tank ECDPM. ECDPM provides policy advice for governments and other institutions, especially on the field of EU-Africa relations. The think thank focuses on generating knowledge serving cohesive and inclusive development policy.

Professional background
Former positions were CEO International & Public Affairs at IDH, the Sustainable Trade Initiative and permament representative at the UN organisations concerning food and agriculture, such as the FAO and IFAD. Next tot his, Ewald Wermuth held various positions in policy advising and management at various ministries and ambassies. He has gained much experience on developing partnerships with businesses during his time as Secretary-General of the MVO and IDH.

Personal motto
Policy matters!

Rachida Talal-Azimi

in , Worldconnectors

Rachida Talal-Azimi is secretary to the Board of the Worldconnectors. Currently, she is working on her PhD at the Radboud University Nijmegen. Rachida is conducting research on the diversity of rules and systems within the international market of Islamic banking.

Professional background

Rachida used to work at the department of Economic Research at the Rabobank. Here, she was involved with research at a macro-economic level and a broad range of topics concerning the financial sector. Before that, she worked at the Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets. During her study, Rachida completed an internship at the ‘Immovable Property Knowledge Group’ at the Ministry of Finance (Dutch Tax & Customs Administration). Rachida holds a Master degree in Islam and Arabic, and obtained a Bachelor degree in Arabic language and culture and Middle Eastern studies. She is the founder of the Muslim Student Association Nijmegen. Furthermore, Rachida started the foundation Nour el Hayat, a small foundation that is, among other things, concerned with unprivileged children in Morocco.

Personal motto
“No work is insignificant. All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence.” – Martin Luther King