Guided by experience. Strengthened by insight.

I am a Safety Leadership researcher, ISSA Vision Zero ambassador, independent safety consultant, and incident investigator with the Flying Squad. My journey began in Marine Engineering, followed by service in the Navy and a role as Safety Manager for an American oil company in the North Sea. In 1984, I founded AdviSafe Risk Management, and I've remained deeply engaged in advancing the field ever since. I've served as Chairman of the Dutch Society for Safety Science and have trained professionals in safety management and incident investigation. Since 2013, I have been conducting PhD research into the role of leadership in preventing safety incidents, work that continues to fuel my passion for safety consultation and inspiration to this day.

I've spent 42 years in civil infrastructure, beginning my career as a work planner and gradually progressing through roles such as project leader, business leader, and ultimately project director. Over the years, I had the privilege of contributing to some of the Netherlands' most significant infrastructure projects, including the railway tunnel in Rotterdam, the tram tunnel in The Hague, the A15 MAVA project with the Botlek bridge, and most recently, the sea lock in IJmuiden. Although I'm now retired, I remain active as an advisor, offering guidance in areas such as project management, organizational structure, buildability, planning, and risk management. I also support and coach project managers. Throughout all the roles I've held, one thing remained constant: a strong focus on identifying and managing risks in all forms, always with safety as the top priority.

With over 20 years of experience, I've built a broad background in strategy development, operational and enterprise risk management, business development, HSSE (health, safety, security & environment), process safety, energy efficiency, sustainability, and scientific research. My career began as a scientific assistant in safety engineering at the university, after which I moved into senior roles such as Senior Risk Manager, Business Development Manager, VP HSSE EMEA, and CSR Director. Today, I serve as a Global Business Process Owner. Throughout my career, I've been committed to improving both leading and lagging KPIs in health, safety, and process safety. I have implemented safety-critical processes, behavior-based safety programs, and competence development initiatives at a global level. My core values are Driving Resilient Operations, Championing Safety and Risk Management, and Delivering Sustainable Results.