I was born in 1976 and raised as the son of a greenhouse vegetable and ornamental pot plant grower in the south-east of the Netherlands. With this background, I inherited horticulture in my genes and it still runs through my veins. I studied Plant Science at Wageningen University and graduated with an MSc degree in 2001. I also started my professional career in Wageningen by working for the Horticultural Production Chains Group for two years.
My multidisciplinary and entrepreneurial attitude, combined with my academic specialisations in plant physiology and farm management, resulted in the start-up of several private enterprises. I have been involved in many horticultural projects in the Netherlands and internationally, mainly in Africa, Asia and South-America.
People view me as a person with a wide contact network with a lot of experience in the national and international agribusiness sector, with a particular focus on horticulture. My broad interests give me a helicopter view of the international horticultural and ornamental plant sectors and supply chains to consumers. My activities mainly concentrate on bridging the gap between knowledge demand and supply via various business development projects, and on organising study tours, training and business matchmaking services with HollandDoor.
