Author Archives: Odette HOOFT GRAAFLAND

Lead with Integrity, Shape the Future Now!
Come join us in April 2025 for the “Lead with Integrity, Shape the Future Now!” Alumni Forum. It is not just an alumni event, but a call to action.

Information and Registration HERE

This forum zeroes in on the most pressing global challenges of our century, focusing on four major themes: Managing Climate Risk and Water Resources; Feeding the World Responsibly; Innovating Tech for a Complex World; and Leading Towards a Fair and Safe Society. These discussions transcend academic debate; they are crucial to the future of our world.

We welcome you to embark on a transformative journey with us, where you will engage with the latest research, get inspired by pioneering solutions, and connect with leaders eager to make a positive impact. Get the insider view from local industries and each other through the company visits, and other social events planned around the forum.

Modelled after the lively energy of Dutch music festivals, every moment of this forum is an opportunity for meaningful engagement, new perspectives and of course, lots of fun! Whether you’re discussing water resilience strategies or debating the implications of technological change, each session aims to equip you with the knowledge and optimism needed to tackle today’s challenges.

Forum venue: Passenger Terminal Amsterdam

Great event at Museum van Loon on July 4th 2024, a profound experience, blending the worlds of art and leadership. The exhibition ‘Home and the World’ provided a stunning backdrop, inspiring deep reflection and meaningful dialogue.

Under the expert guidance of executive coaches from The Preston Associates, we explored how art can influence our leadership styles. The artworks challenged us to think about society, nationalism, and the concept of ‘state’ in new ways, and we found powerful parallels to leadership.

The Strategy Forum – “Dare to Lead: Shaping the Ecosystems of the Future” took place in June. We explored the forefront of corporate innovation and navigated the evolving landscape defining our times. Our alumni community came together to explore ways to use our collective strengths to create a brighter future. We extend our heartfelt thanks to all who joined and helped organize this successful event.

Watch the aftermovie filled with the incredible atmosphere of the event!

On June 27th, we had our Strategy Forum with the theme “Is it really all Doom and Gloom? Navigating uncertainty towards a new society.” In one of our sessions, we had a masterclass with INSEAD professor Nathan Furr and entrepreneur Susannah Harmon Furr.

We put on our Virtual Reality headsets, and went to Blue Hill Farms in the US. We explored how organizations can use innovation to reimagine a system and lead a sustainable future.

Thank you to all our great speakers! Eric Rondolat, Joe Zammit-Lucia, Niels Kastelein, Adrian de Groot Ruiz, Cristina Prat, Jop Weterings, Jan Derck van Karnebeek, Bart Leurs, Tom Voskes, Vincent Tuk, Florentine Fockema, Ruben Koekoek, Dagmar van Ravenswaay Claasen, Ymke Fokma, Jan Kimpen, Rob Baatenburg de Jong, Martine de Bruijne.

In April 2023, a record-breaking number of more than 250 alumni attended a masterclass with Prof. Manfred Kets de Vries. In his talk “Leading Wisely”, Prof. Manfred stimulated our alumni to relect on what it takes to be a leader in the highly uncertain times we are experiencing.

On the 26th of February 2023, the first padel event took place. It was a great success with over 30 participants and very exciting padel matches.

We hope to welcome even more enthusiastic players at a next edition.

Are cryptocurrencies hype, or do they have a place in the financial system of the future? Is it possible to build a decentralised organisation governed by an algorithm? Can blockchain replace notaries?

These and many other questions were raised and debated on 26 January 2023 at the Blockchain and Smart Contracts event in Amsterdam. Olivier Rikken (Smart Contract, DAO & Governance Expert, Founder at Emerging Horizons) opened the evening with a presentation about the basics and use cases of blockchain technologies. He was then joined by Joost Volker (Blockchain Technology Strategist, former EMEA Blockchain Domain Leader at Oracle) in the panel discussion moderated by Igor Curic (COO at Inovexus), where the experts unpacked some of the misconceptions surrounding blockchain and answered the questions from the audience.

Time was too short to cover all aspects of this topic, but more than 50 alumni who attended the event that evening, left with new knowledge and food for thought.

On 16th of November the Shadow Board event took place, organized by NAA NL, IN-BOARD and IDN, hosted by BYBORRE and facilitated by adjunct INSEAD professor Franklin Vrede. During this event the participants had the opportunity to become a supervisory board member for an afternoon. Very lively discussions were held on three cases: BYBORRE (with Anne Mieke Eggenkamp, Chair of the Supervisory Board), Kooiman Marine Group (with Maurits Bruel, Supervisory Board Member) and ABP (with Nicolette Loonen, former member of the Supervisory Board). At the end, the different routes towards becoming a member of the INSEAD Supervisory Board network were explained.

The Book Club of the Dutch INSEAD Alumni Association came together at McKinsey this week to listen to Sven Smit as he took us on a tour of his book Strategy Beyond the Hockey Stick, his view on the energy crisis and how using Atomic Habits helped him be more effective. A wonderful evening with great stories, personal reflections and a lot of food for thought.

“Energy makes the world go round”, we learned. As one supplier said to me today: “Let’s hope Mad Max will remain a movie and not turn into a documentary”….

Celebrating Global INSEAD Day in Amsterdam at Circl!