Experiences

Wilderness Trail Botswana

Pieter Wijffels, Botswana Spain and Veluwe

Pieter Wijffels (48) is a venture partner at NLC Health Ventures. After six years in China and four years in the United States working for Philips, he now lives in the Netherlands with his wife and three daughters. Curiosity and the drive to keep creating new things, combined with entrepreneurship, boldness and a focus on … <a href="https://naturalleadership.eu/en/experiences/">Continued</a>

Wilderness Quest Norway

Norman de Langen – Norway

Norman de Langen (51) is the principal of an innovative primary school in Tilburg (De Borne) and a passionate education professional. He is known as a team player and connector with a sharp sense of what children need. In addition to his intensive role, he gets energy from starting early at school, where he sees … <a href="https://naturalleadership.eu/en/experiences/">Continued</a>

Wilderness Quest Scotland

Pim Schmitz – Scotland

After working as CEO of Talpa Holding for fifteen years, Pim Schmitz was serenaded early in the morning by the facilitators of his trail to mark the start of his 24-hour solo journey in the Scottish wilderness. “It was a special moment,” says Pim. “I woke up, packed my things, and headed into nature. I … <a href="https://naturalleadership.eu/en/experiences/">Continued</a>

Wilderness Trail Umfolozi

Maaike Schipperheijn – Spain and South Africa

Maaike Schipperheijn is an energetic CFO and passionate businesswoman who charts her own course. After her trails in Spain and South Africa, she felt a renewed energy and is ready for the next challenge. She believes that anyone, with determination and drive, can reach their full potential. At home, in her “cozy chaos” with her … <a href="https://naturalleadership.eu/en/experiences/">Continued</a>

Wilderness Trail Umfolozi

Armand Bloem – Umfolozi, South Africa

Armand Bloem is father to two sons and has built a career at Microsoft in management roles. He loves sports challenges and as an avid athlete has completed marathons, the half triathlon and physically demanding multi-day MTB races among others Curiosity was one of the driving forces for Armand to participate in the program. “I … <a href="https://naturalleadership.eu/en/experiences/">Continued</a>

Wilderness Trail Swiss Alps

Ben Poelman – Turtmanntal, Swiss Alps

Ben Poelman has been married for almost 25 years and is the proud father of three children, of which two have already left the nest. In his spare time Ben is a fervent cyclist and sailor, and is known locally in The Hague for his BBQ skills. In 2018, Ben faced a crossroad. After a … <a href="https://naturalleadership.eu/en/experiences/">Continued</a>

Wilderness Trail Swiss Alps

Kim Potters – Turtmanntal, Swiss Alps

Kim is a mother of 2 young children and married to Koen who runs his own business. Kim has no lack of ambition. She pursues her passion for marketing as Global Director Marketing at AkzoNobel. Kim gets energised from getting things done, creating movement within teams and achieving success together with others. Her ambition has … <a href="https://naturalleadership.eu/en/experiences/">Continued</a>

Wilderness Trail Umfolozi

Marie-José van Hoof – Umfolozi, South Africa

Marie-José is a child psychiatrist, married and mother of two daughters and two sons. In 2019 she obtained her PhD at the University of Leiden. She has a thriving practice (iMindU) with a team of passionate (child and youth) psychologists/psychiatrists, occupational therapists and other specialists. She likes complex challenges. ‘My mother said when I was … <a href="https://naturalleadership.eu/en/experiences/">Continued</a>

Wilderness Trail Rwanda

John Boon – Rwanda

John Boon is director and major shareholder of several companies in the field of secondment and payroll. He is the father of a biological son and a daughter whom he considers to be his own. Entrepreneurship is his passion. He loves being faced with problems and solving them. Several years ago, John went on a … <a href="https://naturalleadership.eu/en/experiences/">Continued</a>

Wilderness Trail Italy

Astrid de Reuver – Abruzzo, Italy

“I am a typical Third Culture Kid” says Astrid de Reuver. A child who grew up in a culture other than her parent’s. Astrid has since then lived in many places around the world. After international wanderings, including ten years as Impact Finance Advisor in London, she chose Noordwijk aan Zee as her home base … <a href="https://naturalleadership.eu/en/experiences/">Continued</a>

Wilderness Trail Italy

Jasper Bertels – Abruzzo, Italy

“When darkness fell, the forest came alive. My senses were on high alert. A shiver went through my body as the howling of wolves echoed through the valley. I relied on my hearing, intuition, and the tips from our Italian guide.” Jasper Bertels is a financial specialist at Commonland. This foundation is dedicated to making … <a href="https://naturalleadership.eu/en/experiences/">Continued</a>

Wilderness Trail Spain

Marlies Friederich – Macizo de Ayllón, Spain

Marlies Friederich is Head Operations of Stichting Het Vergeten Kind, an organization dedicated to helping children who grow up in an environment with problems, such as neglect or abuse. She is married to Thijs, and together they have a daughter of 11 and son of 9. Marlies built a career in the corporate world, but … <a href="https://naturalleadership.eu/en/experiences/">Continued</a>

Wilderness Trail Marataba

Paul van Manen – Marataba, South Africa

Paul is father of 3 teenagers aged 17, 15 and 10 and married to Annemarie. After working as a change manager in business IT at ING, he decided to become self-employed 8 years ago. “Working for myself as a program or project manager suits me well,’ says Paul, ‘I wouldn’t want it any other way.” … <a href="https://naturalleadership.eu/en/experiences/">Continued</a>

Wilderness Trail Italy

Marieke Fieten – Abruzzo, Italy

Marieke Fieten is mother to Nienke (11) and works as a COO of the health insurer Menzis. She has been on a trail to the beautiful Abruzzo Mountains in Italy. What characterises Marieke is that she’s interested in why people do the things they do. ‘What is my perspective and can I put myself in … <a href="https://naturalleadership.eu/en/experiences/">Continued</a>

Wilderness Trail Botswana

Victor Groothengel – Botswana

Victor Groothengel has been happily married for 13 years to Fenna who is a physician at Amsterdam UMC and has three daughters aged 8, 10 and 12 respectively. Victor’s purpose is to make an impact on the care and health of people. With that conviction and dedication, he works at an Amsterdam-based ‘scale-up’ that wants … <a href="https://naturalleadership.eu/en/experiences/">Continued</a>

Year Program of Natural Leadership

Lenoor Soesbergen – Year Program Natural Leadership

Lenoor Soesbergen participated in the Year Program of Natural Leadership in 2020/21. A year-long program with a pit-stop each season in the Netherlands at the beautiful Erfgoed Bossem in Lattrop. She is married to Bjorn and mother of Diede (4) and Bram (6). She is Manager of Innovation and Quality at the national childcare organisation … <a href="https://naturalleadership.eu/en/experiences/">Continued</a>