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About Us

PNBC wants to be the Dutch platform for and the voice of the Netherlands – Philippines business community. The PNBC believes in the potential of the Philippines. We facilitate the sharing of knowledge, skills and networks with and for anyone interested in doing business with the Philippines.

Objectives

  1. Strengthen our structure, visibility and community
  2. Partner with our counterpart in The Philippines (DCCP) and with other agencies and organizations working on Netherlands – Philippines business ties.
  3. Promote business opportunities and strengthen relations and cooperation between The Netherlands and The Philippines.
  4. Foster friendship and understanding between business communities of The Philippines and The Netherlands.

Mission

PNBC wants to be the Dutch platform for and the voice of the Netherlands – Philippines business community.

Vision

The Philippines Netherlands Business Council believes in the potential of the Philippines. We facilitate the sharing of knowledge, skills and networks with and for anyone interested in doing business with the Philippines

Meet the Board

Saskia de Lang

chair

After a diplomatic career of 40 years with the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and upon completion of her tour of duty as ambassador of The Netherlands in The Philippines in 2022, Saskia E. de Lang joined the PNBC board as a member and accepted its chairmanship in July 2023. She holds an MA in Political Sciences from Leiden University and was awarded the Philippines’ Order of Sikatuna (Grand Cross).

Florisa Almodiel Luteijn

secretary

Born in the Philippines but living in the Netherlands for many years, Florisa is a highly experienced legal and development professional on EU & international law, technology & innovation, environment/sustainability, business and human rights. Besides her activities for PNBC she serves as Special Assistent to the Ambassador of the Philippines in the Netherlands and is also a Lecturer at Enderun Colleges, Taguig, NCR, Philippines.

Matthys van der Lely

treasurer
Matthys van der Lely was born in the Netherlands but spent most of his working life in South East Asia, including 5 years in the Philippines. He is now managing partner of AsiAspire, a strategic consulting company focussing on opening markets and creating sustainable growth in Asia.

Maaike Groot

board member

Maaike Groot is Global Head Public Affairs and Communications at East-West Seed. Tropical vegetable seeds company East-West Seed was founded in the Philippines in 1982, and has since expanded to serving over 23 million smallholder farmers throughout South East Asia, Africa and Latin America. Maaike is a member of the Supervisory Board of East-West Seed and member of the Board of Trustees of the East-West Seed Foundation Philippines.

Frank Meijer

board member

Frank has built his career in the international enterprise software industry, holding executive positions in sales and customer service for companies such as IBM, MAPICS and Infor Global Solutions. As an independent consultant he has been advising European companies finding and developing partnerships in Asia. In 2021, Frank accepted a position as Lecturer of International Business and Asia Expert at EuroCollege, a highly acclaimed private business school in the Netherlands.

Raymond Reedijk

board member

After 14 years working for KLM in different countries, among which the Philippines, Netherlands is once again home for Raymond and his family. As Sales Director (Business), Raymond holds responsibility for sales for KLM, Air France and partner airlines. He and his team deliver important contributions to the company’s results, giving special attention to sustainability goals which integrate sustainability aspects into the renewed cooperation with partners and corporate accounts through the KLM Klimaat Plan and Sustainable Aviation Fuel program.

Members of the Advisory Board

  • John Lintjer – chair (Nulandia BV)

  • Eppo Horlings – Honorary Consul General of the Philippines, Amsterdam (Horatia Assurance BV)

  • Albert Bos – Honorary Consul General of the Philippines, Rotterdam (STC International)

  • Rein Willems – member (previously Shell)

  • Simon Groot – member (East-West Seed)