I am currently going through a period of transition, both personally and professionally.
As a mother of three boys aged 11, 13, and 14, I feel that I am entering a new stage in my life. During this stage, I want to inspire my children to be open-minded and driven individuals. I want to focus on aspects that are important to me, such as being more available for friends and family, and ‘practice what you preach’ professionally in terms of climate resilience and circular economy agendas. My main goal now is to be more selective and better understand where to prioritize my time and energy.
On a professional level, I am also going through a period of transition. After building a very mission-driven company, BUUR, with around 70 collaborators, I became part of a large-scale listed company after selling this business to Sweco. BUUR is now BUUR Part of Sweco. My main desire is to make a significant contribution to increasing this company's impact on the contemporary challenges of climate resilience and the circular economy. Both transition agendas are very close to my heart.

With the experience I have built up in 22 years of urban planning, I see my role as having a positive impact on creating sustainable living environments within the projects I am involved in. This involves not only providing integrated visions for future scenarios but also building concrete coalitions of stakeholders to ensure implementation.
As the Sustainability Impact Program Director of Sweco Belgium, I see my role as an inspirational leader who brings awareness to Sweco's organization about the potentials we have, seeing the scale of the company and the multidisciplinary expertise available, to contribute and support the urgent Green Transition agendas through our many projects.
As a member of the Steering Group of Urban Insight, the international knowledge platform of Sweco Group, and as a member of the Scientific Board of the Belgian Climate Center, I see my role in trying to bridge holistic governance aspects and broader research to the level of concrete implementation in spatial contexts.

Gain a deeper understanding of Regenerative Development in order to apply both in the projects where I'm involved in, as well as in setting up of the cross-divisional collaboration network in a company that is currently organized in silos.
Increase awareness of the values of Regenerative Leadership and Regenerative Development within Sweco, both in projects and its governance. This means strengthen my capacity to make the purpose-driven common goals of our company's mission 'Transforming Society Together' more explicit (contribution towards Green Transition) and supported by a larger network of collaborators than today.

Taking more account of other perspectives and collaborating more easily with those who have different views. Seeing diversity as an enrichment rather than a barrier.
Growing in self-confidence and believing in my skills of sensitive leadership
Slowing down and finding ways to be more grounded - put things into perspective

Collaborating in a complex and hierarchical corporate context and meanwhile sticking to my believe in authentic leadership.
Creating a context where I can stay true to my own values
Strengthening my skills in transition management and system thinking.

?
A lot of (too much) time and dedication.

Jan Gehl - Danish Architect and Urban Design consultant whose career has focised on improving the quality of urban life by re-orienting city design towards the pedestrian and the cyclist. Literature: Cities for People / Life between Buildings
Jade Salhab - inspiring collaborator that learned me the importance of a strong narrative and the setting up of networks in the project context. Now collaborator at The World Bank that gave me the opportunity to work in the really inspiring context of Egypt
Jan De Visch - Guided our company (before integration is Sweco) towards a self-organised company - my inspirator and sounding board in the set up of the Sustainability Impact Program - author of the books Dynamic Collaboration and Leadership: Mind(s) Creating Value(s)
Ellen Mc Arthur and the Ellen Mc Arthur Foundation that works on accelerating the transition to a circular economy / Kate Raworth, co-founder of the Doughnut Economics Action Lab.
Rutger Bregman - Dutch popular historian and author that inspired me through his TED talks and books Humankind: A Hopeful History and Moral Ambition
Jan Rotmans - De Perfecte Storm (The Perfect Storm)

I follow the following philosophy stated by Leo Rosten (1908 - 1997): ' I cannot believe that the purpose of life is to be "happy". I think the purpose of life is to be useful, to be responsible, to be honorable, to be compasionate. It is above all, to matter: to count, to stand for something, to have it make some difference that you lived at all'