My experience is in leading, managing and facilitating development processes all around the world. I have worked with governments, businesses, universities and NGOs in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, South America and Europe.
Initially, my academic background was in biochemical engineering (PhD) and business administration. However, in the past 25 years, I indulged myself in complex organisational and social challenges. I am fascinated by complexity, and how to create something fundamental in such settings.
With a sharp and open mind, I intend to invite you to look beyond the commonplace, be courageous and let (com)passion drive progress. I use inspiring processes to enable individuals to commit to their chosen target and be open to surprises. I use large group methods such as Future Search, Open Space Technology, World Cafe and Appreciative Inquiry and have worked with the founding fathers and mothers of these methods.
I am married to Lisette, who is also a partner at Perspectivity, and have two daughters (who are both born on the 13th, just like me, my father and granddad). I love open water swimming and I play the piano and the didgeridoo. I also find it hard to choose between living in the city and living in the countryside.
Expertise
- Large scale interventions
- Leadership development
- Envisioning and innovation
- Knowledge (re)generation
Examples of what I do
Embracing difference – First reflections on the National Citizens’ Assembly on Climate
We’d like to share what we witnessed in the National Citizens’ Assembly on Climate, what we learned, and what makes this kind of process truly possible.
Biomaterials Dialogue: Towards a Sustainable Chemical Industry
How can the Netherlands accelerate its transition to sustainable biomaterials and move away from fossil-based resources? This question is central to the initiative “Biomaterials Dialogue”.
National Citizens’ Assembly on Climate: What an incredible adventure!
Perspectivity contributes with 5 colleagues, Petra de Boer, Han Rakels, Monique Janmaat, Chiwei Luu and Anna Betsy Kanneworff to the National Citizens’ Assembly.
Are you ready to move on?
Perspectivity’s Han Rakels delivered a Future Search training for iCRA, and some Perspectivity colleagues joined the training. Here are our reflections on the 3-day training.
Transformative Futures for Water Security initiative
Water security is key to our collective future, yet many places in the world experience severe water insecurity. We have to ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all (SDG 6). Perspectivity facilitated this initiative for the Global South on the future of water security in the lead-up to the UN 2023 Water Conference.
Stories about the energy transition
People share their experiences about the energy transition, and discuss what this means for the local policies. Using the Sprockler methodology, we collect citizens’ stories and facilitate dialogue sessions about the local energy story.
Women’s Economic Empowerment in Kenya – Future Search Conference
How can women-led enterprises strengthen themselves and expand their businesses to contribute to a sustainable growth of the economy in Kenya? In a Future Search conference, this question was addressed by all stakeholders involved.
Appreciative Inquiry ‘Summit’ for collective action around SDG 7
The past July, some 30 people representing 15 organisations convened for 2 days in The Hague as front-runners in the NL Energy Compact. The summit was co-hosted and facilitated by MVO Nederland and Perspectivity’s Han Rakels. While their stakes were very diverse,...
The future of nature-inclusive Netherlands
In this Future Search project, various stakeholders came together in an old monastery and co-created a national agenda for a nature-inclusive society.
Putting Egypt on the IT world map
A participatory online roundtable to shape together the future of the Egyptian IT Outsourcing workforce.