Robert van den Heuvel
ADVISOR
Netherlands
Robert is a professional optimist in the area of Agriculture, Nutrition, Healthcare and Education. He has a wealth of knowledge about action on the ground, with more than 20 years of international experience working in the nonprofit world and corporate sector. Robert appreciates the puzzle piecing elements of business value and social impact.
Professional Experience
While respecting cultural and natural heritage, but maximizing the economic potential, Robert believes in connecting the dots for bridging the macro and micro. From boardroom to grassroots or investing at the ground level, innovation, inclusive business and sustainability continue to fire his creative drive.
Robert runs business development trajectories of agriculture in Vietnam, Bangladesh, Nepal and Africa. Additionally, he initiated and managed projects in education, healthcare and nutrition in Indonesia, Kenya and India. Micro finance and micro insurance interventions are part of his toolbox.
Robert’s personal and professional goal is to contribute to business cases on big challenges in areas such as agriculture, nutrition, education and healthcare. In order to make tangible contributions, he focuses on investment cases, cash flow impact, and better health. For him, this approach is a perfect blend of adventure and challenge with an emphasis on local players and endgame solutions.
External Appointments
Robert lectures at universities in Europe, and has held positions on numerous NGO boards. Together with his team in Vietnam, he was the proud recipient of the Energy Globe Award 2007 for his ‘Renewable Energy Biogas Program Vietnam.’ The Energy Globe Award, backed by the European Union Parliament, is one of the world’s most recognized environmental awards.
Education
Robert holds a master’s degree in Industrial Engineering and Business Administration from Eindhoven University of Technology. He also studied Marketing at IMD, Switzerland, ‘Making Developing Markets Work’ at Springfield Center, and Business Strategy at Babson Business School, USA. In his view, on-the-spot research and entrepreneurship are highly beneficial areas of focus.