Actionable insight into developments in society, politics and stakeholders

Hein Greven

Result and finding sustainable solutions in the public arena for our clients are the core of my work, especially when there is a lot at stake. No communication for the sake of communication. Together with clients I like to work on relations and advocacy, aimed at achieving long term results. I believe that an open eye and mind for the motives and interests of all stakeholders involved helps to achieve structural results.

In this way I have developed into an allround communications consultant with an emphasis on public affairs and lobbying. My experience is built up in the fields of energy, healthcare, sustainability, telecom, finance and creative industry. Before my step towards entrepreneurship with Wepublic in 2013, I was manager Public Affairs & Media Relations at energy company Eneco, associate partner at consultant firm Boer & Croon, chairman of the Professional Association for Public Affairs (BVPA), board member at the environment NGO Waddenvereniging and manager of Public Affairs at Royal Dutch KPN Telecom. I am actively involved in our international network Interel, fellow at the Witt Institute for Advanced Negotiations and active member of the entrepreneurial club for a sustainable economy, MVO Nederland.

I was born in Amsterdam in 1969, I studied political in Leiden, where I also met my wife. I try to keep an open mind through sports (running and football) traveling, reading, visiting museums and watching the football team across the street of our office, Ajax Amsterdam.

Maaike Hellingman-van Hooidonk

My focus is mainly on public affairs and stakeholder management. I have ample experience with the lobby in The Hague, but also with advocacy at regional and local levels. I like to switch between strategic choices, issues that arise and hands-on support. I am passionate and work side-by-side with my clients throughout the process. I am also passionate about intelligence questions, data driven public affairs and the development of IT tools for ambitious public affairs professionals. For example, together with colleague Mark van den Anker I developed our successful Stakeholder Intelligence Monitor (SIM) and I bear the responsibility for the further development and growth of the SIM. Representing Wepublic, I am also involved in our international Internet network.

Previously, I worked as a public affairs advisor at Schiphol Group and as a consultant at Berenschot and EPPA Politiek & Lobby Consultants. I have also been working for the VVD for years, at both local and national level.

Besides my work, I love the outdoors and sports. Since a couple of years I have taken the step with my husband and two daughters to ‘live outside’ in Oudewater, which I enjoy a lot.

Frank Körver

I am one of the proud founders of Wepublic and get a lot of energy from the fact that I am both an entrepreneur and a trusted advisor.

As a consultant I focus primarily on reputation, corporate communication and (social) leadership challenges.

Organizations I work for are often confronted with difficult issues or strategic changes and their leadership very often has inspiring ambitions. Executives  also seek my advice when they want to build excellent communication departments or develop winning communication strategies.

In my previous function als associate partner at strategic consulting firm Boer & Croon I have developed myself in the fields of (structured) problem solving, business focused thinking, and managing complex projects.

I like to write about reputation management and the role and added value of the communications function. For example, together with Betteke van Ruler I wrote the book The Strategic Communication Frame that will also be published in the US in 2019. In this book, we introduce a practical method for strategy development. Previously I published a book about strategic issues management.

In addition to my work for clients, I am the coordinator for the EACD in the Netherlands and I am a board member at the business club of the Cobra museum for modern art. I am on the Central participation council of the Koningin Emma school in Bussum and the Joint participation council of Talent Primair.

On Saturdays I play as a striker for one of the most beautiful clubs in the Netherlands: AFC. I am also an avid supporter of Ajax and I am happy (but not very successful …) on the golf course. I live with Caroline who is an MD at VUMC and I am the proud father of two sons.

Mark van den Anker

I love working on complex issues in the field of public affairs and stakeholder management by helping to make it concrete and to just do it. I gladly assist clients in supporting and developing public affairs strategies, which we then jointly implement. By making the representation of interests and lobby concrete and tangible, I show how they can contribute to the objectives of the organization. I am passionate and work closely with my clients throughout the process. My working method is characterized by a ‘hands-on’ and a thorough approach combined with humor and perspective.

I am enthusiastic about asking questions regarding intelligence, data driven public affairs and developing IT tools that can be of added value in our field. Together with my colleague Maaike van Hooidonk I developed our successful Stakeholder Intelligence Monitor (SIM) and I bear the responsibility for the further development and growth of the SIM.

The future of our field will, in my view, be based more on the use of data and IT applications.

Benjamin van Es

Knowledge is power. Information is advantage. As manager of the Stakeholder Intelligence Monitor and together with our team of information specialists and consultants, I want to offer our clients the best product in the area of monitoring and stakeholder intelligence. I want to make life easier for our clients by taming the growing flow of information from government, politicians and stakeholders.

With my experience in public affairs and politics (where I was responsible for the winning national ground campaign of the Dutch liberal party VVD in the municipal elections in 2018) I know how to point out to our clients where they can prevent reputational damage and where public affairs, campaigning and communication can add value to their organization.

In addition to my consultancy work and the management of our fun, professional and young monitor team, I am always near good caffeine: I really like quality coffee. You do me a great favor with a meeting in a place that serves proper coffee (I have a list of favorites).

Friso Rip

I serve the interests of clients in a strategic way. I advise on strategic communication, public affairs and positioning. My goal is to build networks in which organizations can work better. I see society as an ecosystem. In that system I want to help organizations grow.

Six years of experience in an international environment helps me look beyond borders and vested interests. As an international quartermaster, I brought together parties and developed strategies with experts and partners; for campaigns and multi-year programs. I was liaison between various (international) organizations, making it easy to switch between different cultures, ambitions and priorities.

I am an Amsterdammer from Zwolle. I get my inspiration from books and Netflix, old stories and new ideas.

Pieter Tichelaar

As a passionate consultant, I like to focus on building trust. For example by improving the relationship of clients with their environment or effectively managing issues. I am enthusiastic about analyzing and responding smartly to (reputational) risks, but I also like to capitalize on opportunities to structurally strengthen the position of organizations.

I love to work for clients who have a lot at stake. In my work, I believe in the power of data and research. This conviction comes from my involvement in the Communication Management Benchmark, a large-scale research that Wepublic recently carried out. In addition, I get a lot of inspiration from developing new propositions.

During my student days I was chairman of the general board and chairman of the supervisory board of study association KIC. I am currently a board member of Young Logeion, the youth branch of Communications’ professional organization Logeion. I get a lot of energy from connecting professionals and thinking about the future of my field.

I was born in an old entrepreneurial family in Friesland. Currently I live in the busy but cozy center of Amsterdam. In the summer I like to sail in my refurbished Victoire 22.

Gijs Petter

At Wepublic I focus on challenges related to public affairs and stakeholder and issue management and as Head of Operations of the Stakeholder Intelligent Monitor I make sure that our team keeps you up to date on all relevant political and social developments.

I gained the necessary experience in the House of Representatives of the Netherlands but also in the public affairs sector. For example, at the Dutch Banking Association, where I worked in the past.

I see myself as an all-round and involved consultant, familiar with many sectors and quickly informed and aware of (political) sensitivities. With this experience I love to help you out with issues related to strategic developments on public affairs and stakeholder management, as an advisor or on an interim basis.

The political centre of The Netherlands is located in The Hague (Den Haag), which is also the city where I Iive and where I play hockey at Groen-Geel in the weekend.

Mirthe de Boer

At Wepublic I am mainly concerned with monitoring political issues and social developments. I find it a challenge to approach topics and issues from different angles and to make them transparent for clients. After studying Social Sciences with a specialization in communication and health, I completed the master’s degree in Medical Anthropology and Sociology at the UvA. I specialize in the themes healthcare and autonomy, and I have experience in civil society organizations. Before Wepublic I worked as a policy officer and public affairs advisor at the NVVE. I also worked for the Emancipator organization.

I live in a nice house with a lot of plants. I love to have discussions and to read the weekend newspaper front to back. Furthermore, I am often found on terraces in Amsterdam and I try to visit all museums in the Netherlands. I am also pretty good at table tennis and unfortunately a sore loser.

Robin Beentjes

As a consultant at Wepublic, I mainly focus on public affairs, stakeholder management and the monitoring of social and political developments. I like to perceive things from different perspectives and try to look for solutions in a positive way. After living in Barcelona for a year, I did a bachelor’s program in European Studies and a Master’s in International and European Law in Amsterdam. During my study I worked for six months on the international campaign for a seat in the UN Security Council at the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, I was involved in Vluchtelingenwerk Nederland and I tried to learn Arabic.

In my spare time I like running, I play Footy (a modern form of football where you play five against five) and I like to buy books – but have a hard time finding time to read them.

Pepijn Veerman

As a consultant at Wepublic I inform clients about relevant social developments and political issues via the Stakeholder Intelligence Monitor. The big challenge in this work is filtering large amounts of information for various clients, viewed from different perspectives.

After my bachelor in Political Science, I followed the Master’s in Political Economy at the University of Amsterdam. I mainly focused on economic issues in the field of energy transition, I wrote my thesis about crypto-currency.

Besides the activities at Wepublic I am a big football fan. Before my student years I played football in the Dutch professional Jupiler League for a number of years, nowadays I do that at a significantly lower level. I also enjoy cooking and visiting concerts every now and then.

Liz Zoetekouw

Because of my broad interest in all kinds of subjects and ideas, I enjoy watching different media and people. Within Wepublic I focus on monitoring social development and public affairs.

Before, I worked as parliamentary guide at ProDemos and as online journalist at NRC Handelsblad and Elsevier Weekblad. I did my bachelor’s degree at University College Maastricht and graduated in Political Science at Leiden University.

Moreover, I live in The Hague, where I hockey at Klein Zwitserland on Sunday. I love France, where I worked for a while, but I also like political series and food that someone else makes me.

Lisanne Nieuwland

As a consultant I like to take on the role of connector. For example, by mapping stakeholder interests and translating these into our clients’ communication strategy. I am convinced that stakeholder engagement and insights into social developments will be of increasing value for organizations in the coming years. I am very enthusiastic about helping clients in this field.

I have been working as a corporate communications advisor for the past 4 years, mostly at the Dutch firm Wit Communicatie. Before I studied Corporate Communication & New Media at the Vrije Universiteit of Amsterdam. My master’s thesis was about the use of public relations by the Dutch government during the MH17 crisis.

Weekends I like to go out and explore new places. From restaurants to a beautiful forest, a museum or an escape room. I also like to clear my head by doing sports such as swimming, pilates and spinning.

Emmeke Hulshof

At Wepublic, I monitor political issues and social developments for several clients. In addition, I advise clients in the field of public affairs, issue and stakeholder management. Before working at Wepublic, I worked as a parliamentary assistant for two years for Dutch MPs Daniel van der Ree and Sven Koopmans (Liberal party, VVD). In that capacity, I have worked on various topics and thus I am able to quickly familiarize myself with a subject. I have a bachelors degree in political science from the University of Amsterdam and a masters degree in media and communications from City University London.

In my spare time, I love to cook and collect cookbooks (although I do not use them as much as I would like). I also like going to the gym with my sister and drinking a good glass of wine. I have been living in Amsterdam since 2010.

Judith Heyligers

At Wepublic I focus on monitoring political and social developments, stakeholder research and advice. My strength and interest lies on the interface between communication and politics, as is also apparent in my studies; I followed a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing and Communication followed by a Master’s in Political Science (International Relations) at the University of Amsterdam. Immediately after my studies, I spent six months at the Political Department of the Dutch Embassy in Tel Aviv. Back in the Netherlands, I completed the Course on Foreign Relations at the Clingendael Institute. At Clingendael I received training in intercultural communication and negotiation, presentation techniques and public affairs. Subsequently I worked part-time at the Political Affairs department at Amnesty International and at an architectural firm.

I like good food and like to try out new restaurants in Amsterdam. I am also a big fan of films and documentaries.

Roel Dijkstra

I get a lot of energy from connecting topics, people and organizations. I do this in the playing field between organizations and the public administration. At Wepublic I focus on public affairs and political monitoring. I help customers interpret the political field of influence. As a born Groninger, Wepublic’s no-nonsense mentality fits me very well.

During my studies, I have researched the reputation of the Communication and Information Sciences course at the University of Groningen. I served as a board member of my study association and later held a position on its advisory board. I also worked as an account manager for tech start-up Movit Sport. I am currently pursuing my Masters degree in Communication, Policy & Management at Utrecht University. I am currently writing my thesis at Wepublic, on the changing and future role of the CCO.

My current base is Utrecht, where I live in an old Frisian bakery. In my spare time I play tennis at TC de Uithof. I am always up for a nostalgic game of Mario Kart on an old-school Nintendo GameCube.

Jonathan Seib

Elsemieke van Lindenberg

As an intelligence specialist, I focus on monitoring the political and social environment. By doing so, I help clients interpret the political field of influence and I give them insight into developments surrounding their issues.

From an early age my interest in social debate was great. I always followed the news closely. I have conducted extensive research into the influence of the Amsterdam prostitution policy on exploited prostitutes. Before that, I received the KNAW Education Prize 2014 together with a fellow student. I also had various part-time jobs at Zorggroep de Vechtstreek and ABN AMRO.

After completing a Bachelor’s degree in clinical Neuropsychology, I started with the premaster Public Administration at VU University Amsterdam last year. In addition to my premaster, I was a trainee until April 2018 for the Dutch liberal party VVD MP Foort van Oosten. Currently I am doing the Master’s program in Public Administration, where I focus on the quality of management. I am also active as a student volunteer for Unicef.

Jan Willis Nillessen

As an Intelligence Specialist, I focus on the information flows from the political and social environment to our clients. My goal is to provide clients with the best possible picture of the developments concerning their interests. I also help clients to interpret the political field of influence.

During my study of Human Geography and Planning, I learned to look at the public environment with a geographical eye. I am particularly interested in the large number of stakeholders that are involved in political issues and the influence that decisions can have on organizations within the urban environment. During my minor in administrative and organizational sciences, I developed affinity and knowledge in the administrative environment of our country.

I have been living happily in Utrecht for 5 years. In my spare time I play tennis at TC de Uithof and occasionally I venture on the water as a rower at U.S.R. Triton.

Jedidja van Bree-Waarsenburg

After spending a couple of years exploring new opportunities and spending time with my young family, I started working at Wepublic. My main focus is on following and interpreting political and social developments in a young and ambitious Public Affairs team.

After studying English language and literature and European Studies, I was employed for several years by the political section at the British Embassy in The Hague. I have further developed my skills and interests in advocacy and positioning towards government, politicians and stakeholders, through the Public Affairs course at Leiden University.

In addition to my work at Wepublic, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, and raising money for charity goals.

In my spare time, I like running, golfing and skiing. I also enjoy travelling, and reading a good book.