Description

I work with executives and cross-company teams to build the strong relationships they need to succeed in complex, high-stakes environments.

For 20 years, I worked as a geoscientist and innovation leader across global energy projects, navigating the technical, cultural, and organisational complexity of the energy transition. Over time, I saw that the biggest breakthroughs rarely came from the technology itself, but from the quality of the relationships between the people behind it.

When progress slows in high-stakes environments, the limiting factor is often not capability, but the relationships between those expected to deliver.

At PartnerStrength, I work with leadership teams, joint ventures, and business partnerships navigating change, especially when the stakes are high and alignment is critical. I bring systems thinking, agile ways of working, and relationship systems coaching to help teams navigate ambiguity, accelerate innovation, and build trust that holds under pressure.

I am ORSCC and ACTC certified, a PCC-level coach with the ICF, and known for creating psychologically safe, high-performing teams. Clients describe me as empathetic, courageous, boundaryless, and deeply curious. I combine technical depth with a strong understanding of human dynamics in every engagement.

If you are leading change or building a partnership where trust, clarity, and alignment matter, I am always open to a conversation

Industry field of expertise

Languages

English
Native or bilingual
Dutch
Native or bilingual
French
Conversational

Workplace preferences

Can work on-site

Leiden (up to 50km)

PartnerStrength
owner
January 2025 - Today (1 year and 5 months)
Wassenaar, ZH, Netherlands
PartnerStrength unlocks and accelerates sustainable innovation and transitions through strong partnerships, leadership, and systems
Innovation Systems thinking Coaching Partnerships leadership coaching
Shell,
Innovation Lead, Leadership Team coach
January 2021 - January 2025 (4 years)
Amsterdam, NH, Netherlands
•  Leadership Team coach for multiple VP level teams, including org design (60-80 staff) and change management to agile ways of working, aimed at faster innovation in the energy transition (awarded for psychological safety in teams).
•  Team and individual coach (100h/year), including the development of modules on leadership in change, and training technical staff on coaching skills.
•  Strategic partner for innovation, accelerated value creation, and product development.
•  Relationships Coach for Shell and various industry partners to create strong business ecosystems aimed at innovation in the energy transition (Hydrogen and CO2 capture). This coaching uses the exploration of values and cultures to grow trust and reach alignment, and then uses the alignment to define common business drivers. This leads to more holistic agreements, increased collaboration, and earlier signed agreements.
•  Project lead for the Bio & Circularity program.
•  Project lead of a natural team developing learning program on 'Technology to Value'.
•  Project lead of Solid Sorbent CO2 capture, effectively pivoted towards a more efficient de-risking strategy (2022 CTO award).
Process facilitation Partnership coaching leadership coaching Innovation Agile method
Shell,
Technical lead, Agile coach
January 2017 - January 2021 (4 years)
The Hague, ZH, Netherlands
•  Exploration Agile team coach; building a culture of (psychological) safety, trust, transparency, focus on value, and care (14 yammer posts >3000 views).
•  Technical oversight for all subsurface work for the Mauritania and Nigeria DW team (~10 technical staff each).
•  Technical stakeholder management, coaching and mentoring of staff, presenting technical findings in JV and government meetings.
•  End to End value creation, developed novel mapping tools to translate the technical results to value.
Agile method Exploration Innovation Portfolio management Strategy