Herbert is a dynamic and successful leader with proven track record in building bridges between private and public organisations. He has extensive experience in the food and nutrition sector in developing and developed markets varying from product development, science communication, organisational development and management of public private partnerships.
Convinces stakeholders through vision and passion. Strong intellect and ability to tackle business challenges through inclusive decision making. Achieves results by leading teams with head and heart. Seasoned business traveller with work experience across Europe, Africa, Middle-East, and Asia.
Herbert is the director and owner of newly established consultancy organisation in the Netherlands, Partnering with Purpose. He is co-chair of the Netherlands Working Group on international Nutrition.
In his previous role as Senior Manager for GAIN in the Netherlands, Herbert led the Amsterdam Initiative against Malnutrition, a public private partnership platform with 20+ partners and project portfolio of a value of 22 m€, focusing on innovative inclusive business ideas to tackle malnutrition. In addition to being responsible for GAIN’s Netherlands office, he also led GAIN’s Workplace Nutrition Program with collaborations with private sector in the tea, cocoa and garment sectors in Bangladesh, India, Kenya, Mozambique and Ghana, and was responsible for resource acquisition, project design, implementation, monitoring & evaluation and communication with partners.
Herbert worked with Unilever from 1996 to 2012 in various positions in R&D. He was Nutrition & Health Director for Africa, Middle-East and Turkey from 2003 – 2009, based in Ghana and South Africa, and for Europe from 2009 – 2012, based in the Netherlands. As member of global and regional R&D leadership teams, he was responsible for Unilever’s nutrition and health technical capabilities and business partner to regional food marketing teams. He was part of a global team responsible for the partnership between Unilever and WFP, and led the school feeding pillar of this partnership; three different pilot programmes were successfully completed in Peru, Kenya and Indonesia.