Vision Statement
Last year I put myself forward for INCOSE President-Elect. I did not get elected — but the conviction behind that candidacy has only grown stronger. This year I am volunteering for the role of Director-at-Large, because I believe my experience is well matched to what the Board of Directors needs: future-focused, strategic thinking, sound governance, and active ambassadorship for our discipline. Having seen the transformative power of systems engineering in practice, I believe INCOSE is uniquely positioned to connect disciplines, inspire the next generation, and tackle challenges that matter to communities across the globe.
Focus on the positive impact Systems Engineering can bring
Systems engineering has a vital role to play in solving complex societal problems — from the energy transition to infrastructure resilience to health care. As a Director I will work from our solid foundation, the SE Vision 2035 and INCOSE’s strategic objectives, to help the Board steer an organization that:
- speaks in ways that resonate with younger generations, students, and emerging professionals;
- engages non-engineers — policymakers, business leaders, and asset owners — in our conversations and solutions;
- expands into domains where systems thinking offers critical value, including energy, healthcare, and social systems.
What I bring to the boardroom
Strategy and governance experience. For four years I served as Audit Manager for Shell’s Integrated Gas and New Energies businesses, presenting risk and assurance findings directly to members of Shell’s Executive Committee. I know what fiduciary oversight, independence, and constructive challenge look like at the top of a large organization — and I completed an MBA in Energy and Sustainability to underpin that strategic perspective. As President of INCOSE-NL, one of INCOSE’s largest and longest-standing chapters, I carry direct experience in governing a member organization: setting direction, stewarding finances, and keeping volunteers energized.
A bridge between industry and INCOSE. My background in the energy sector offers a non-traditional view of systems engineering, highlighting its relevance in industries that often don’t speak its language. I founded the INCOSE-NL Special Interest Group on the energy transition together with TNO and the Dutch grid operators, and co-organized the Energy Transition workstream at IW2025 in Seville. I will use these networks — and those built over 25 years of international industry leadership — to develop partnerships and resources that advance INCOSE’s mission.
Diplomacy shaped by a global career. I have lived and worked in Scotland, Malaysia, Kazakhstan, Indonesia, Trinidad & Tobago and the Netherlands, building consensus among joint-venture partners, regulators, and multidisciplinary teams with very different cultural contexts. I lead with a belief that progress often comes through respectful challenge: I am not one to accept the status quo when I see an opportunity for improvement, and I strive to create environments where growth is possible — for our members, for INCOSE, and for the world we serve.
BIO
With over 25 years at Shell, my career has been shaped by technical leadership, systems thinking, and a drive to push boundaries in the energy sector. I have worked across continents — from offshore platforms in the North Sea to floating LNG systems in Southeast Asia — always integrating disciplines and bringing people together through engineering.
I started out in Aberdeen, flying by helicopter to offshore installations as a process engineer, contributing to the start-up and commissioning of the technically demanding Shearwater field. In Borneo I supported the upstream facilities feeding Malaysia LNG, optimizing compression and dehydration systems and subsea tie-backs. When Shell brought US deepwater floating technology to Malaysia, I led systems engineering for the Gumusut-Kakap facility — an enormous integration challenge spanning drilling, subsea, pipelines, and topsides. That is where I truly learned systems engineering from my American colleagues, and the facility has been producing reliably ever since.
After a secondment to the Kashagan oilfield in Kazakhstan, I pivoted to floating LNG, leading multi-billion-dollar developments including Prelude and the fully integrated Abadi FLNG with Japanese partner INPEX, based in Jakarta and closely connected to Indonesian stakeholders and regulators. I then served four years as Audit Manager for Shell’s Integrated Gas and New Energies, focusing on risk and governance and reporting to Shell’s executive leadership, while completing an MBA specializing in the energy transition. Most recently, as Global Lead Systems Engineering, I developed Shell’s worldwide SE processes, built the Shell Requirements Database (200 projects, 5,000 users), and stewarded the global Engineering Manager skill pool. In 2025 I moved to the Dutch Boosting Group to apply systems engineering to societal challenges — sustainability, infrastructure, and mentoring the next generation of engineers as a technical integrator across disciplines.
As President of INCOSE-NL — a proud chapter with a 25-year history spanning high-tech, MBSE, infrastructure, education, and health — I championed industry collaboration and founded the Special Interest Group on the energy transition with TNO and the key Dutch grid operators. I co-organized the Energy Transition workstream at IW2025 in Seville, bringing global systems thinkers together on one of the most pressing challenges of our time.
I hold a PhD in Mechanical Engineering and an MBA in Energy and Sustainability, and I am an INCOSE-certified Systems Engineering Professional. A Dutch citizen and proud father of 16-year-old twin boys, I cycle over 5,000 km a year, spend one day a week gardening, and cherish time in northern Spain, where my family has a second home. Above all, I love coaching, connecting people, and applying systems thinking in a hands-on, practical way.