Family Entrepreneurship & Growth Capital: A Marriage Made in Heaven?
Family Entrepreneurship & Growth Capital: A Marriage Made in Heaven? Amsterdam, 14 April 2026 A standout event by the INSEAD Directors Network Netherlands. Prof. Bagalopal Vissa (INSEAD Entrepreneurship & Family Enterprises) shared cutting-edge research on growth capital for mid-market family businesses—highlighting risks, opportunities, dilemmas, and the role of boards and special attention for family dynamics. A panel of seasoned board members, Heleen van Gulik, Pascal Piepers, Ernst-Jan Koziolek, and Bastiaan Hoogendoorn moderated by Fennemiek Gommer, discussed provocative statements: Patient capital allows family business to grow while staying true to their legacy Private equity capital in family business is bad [...]
INSEAD Netherlands Governance forum 2026 – What does it take to become a respected board member?
Reflections from the INSEAD Netherlands Governance Forum 2026 (Amsterdam, 26 March) March 26th, 2026 This forum was a valuable opportunity for members to shape their board careers by learning directly from seasoned non‑executive directors — and to ask the “hard questions” that come with the transition from executive to board roles. Theme: “The Journey of Becoming a Respected Board Member” We dug into: What you need to learn (and unlearn) when moving from an executive to a non‑executive role. How to develop yourself: mentors, networks, reading, board programs, and more. How to handle success and failure — both as a board [...]
IN-BOARD Program module – Family business and Private Equity
March 9th 2026 IN-BOARD Program module Family business and Private Equity at @gwynth for cohort #18. An inspiring afternoon discussing boards and non-executive board membership in family businesses and private equity. Max van Ballegooijen and Fred Harbers presented their thoughts on family businesses and Guus Overdijkink presented on Private equity. Key take aways: Both are exciting and interesting environments Do your Due Diligence well before you start Understand the environment and stakeholders well Think about how and where you can bring value to the business Thanks to Gwynt for being our host. For more on family business and [...]
Sustainable Value Creation – A Core Topic for Board Members
Sustainable Value Creation – A Core Topic for Board Members 6 Feb 2026 Event Sustainability has moved in and out of boardroom priorities—first driven by climate urgency and ESG regulations, more recently dismissed by some as “woke.” In a recent workshop by IDN NL, we made the case that sustainability can, in fact, become a powerful driver of long-term value creation. Realizing this value requires supervisory boards to understand the specific risks and opportunities of their business and to clarify how sustainability can be translated into customer value and competitive advantage. Hans Reus, Managing Director at Russell Reynolds Associates, [...]
Insights on GenAI for Boards – Sparkoptimus
GenAI is the number-one topic on the board agenda. 27 Jan 2026 A great event with SparkOptimus, one of—if not the—leading experts in this field. Key questions on Gen AI for board members - Do your vision & ambition reflect the potential impact of GenAI? - Is there a continuously updated roadmap focused on quick wins and more business-critical changes? - Are you already realising productivity gains in individual functions? - Do you understand who could be the new disruptors that will own your customers? - Are you experimenting with GenAI to create new customer experiences? - Are you [...]
Kick off local IN-BOARD program module Legal at Houthoff
Kick off local IN-BOARD program modules at Houthoff. 12 Jan 2026 Cohort #18 kicked off the Dutch session series, following very successful days at the INSEAD Europe Campus in Fontainebleau at the end of 2025. We started with the legal perspective—always a strong foundation when preparing for a non-executive role. Beginning with the toughest scenarios: crisis situations, the risk of insolvency, and ultimately bankruptcy. What should you do? What should you absolutely avoid? And how do you stay clear on your role and responsibilities? And of course also the Dutch Civil and Good Govenance code. Four highly experienced Houthoff [...]
