Our team

Hans joined HealthNet TPO in 2008 as Director of Operations and was appointed Managing Director in October 2019. Hans was a former Director for Médecins sans Frontières NL, and a member of the Board of the Antares Foundation.

Willem started with HealthNet TPO in 2008 as Regional Programme Officer. From 2015-2017 he worked as a Programme Officer with Rutgers before returning to HealthNet TPO as Programme Manager. Willem started his professional career as a registered Nurse and worked with the Dutch military forces which included several mission abroad. In 1999 he made a career switch and became a Programme Officer with the Netherlands Red Cross (NLRC), working for several years within the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the NLRC itself. Willem has a broad experience in and network of working and living in Afghanistan, Yemen, Lebanon, Sudan and Indonesia, which supports him in his work for HealthNet TPO. He is currently the chair of the Dutch Security Network, a network of security officers of Dutch NGOs. "I strongly believe in the work HealthNet TPO is doing where people are at the forefront and supported to enable them to get control of their own lives".

After Ivan completed his academic studies Clinical psychology, Biological Psychology and ‘Research Methods and Statistics’ at Utrecht University, he held various research positions as an academic researcher at Utrecht University (he received his PhD in 1995 on the subject: ‘the effects of coping and social support on Wellbeing’) and Leiden University before he joined TPO in 1996. Since 1996 Ivan has held the position of Research and Development Director at HealthNet TPO. From 2009 to 2019 he held the Chair of ‘Collective Trauma’ at Utrecht University. Research and programme development is a key activity of HealthNet TPO for initiating, implementation and improvement of programme activities in the different countries where HealthNet TPO is active.

Wilco joined Healthnet TPO in March 2023. Before HealthNet TPO, he worked for various companies and foundations as a controller or head of finance. “Foundations like HealthNet TPO are making the world a better place, and I look forward to contributing to that.”

Els joined HealthNet TPO in April 1994 as our Bookkeeper. Starting with just 3 colleagues, she has witnessed the growth of HealthNet TPO from the very beginning. Els stayed on as Project Bookkeeper until 2005 when there was a big change within the organisation and she became Financial Administrator, a position she has retained. Els's background has always been in finance, working in the profit sector for wholesale drinks providers before she joined HealthNet TPO. Els defined HealthNet TPO as "dedication, opportunity and nice colleagues".

Barbara is a German national who grew up in Geneva and studied in the UK. She holds a Masters in Control of Infectious Diseases from the London School of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. She joined HealthNet TPO in 2011 as Technical Advisor in Health Care Financing. Her main responsibilities were Conceptualization and monitoring, providing technical advice to programs of health financing, PBF programs, Health insurance, Public private partnerships, design of baseline studies, and monitoring of HealthNet TPO- PBF programs in Cambodia, Burundi and Lesotho. In 2013 she took on the role as Programme Development Coordinator in which capacity she is responsible for acquisition, programme design and relationship management.

Dr. Abdul Majeed Siddiqi is a medical doctor with a post graduate diploma in Health Planning and Management and a master’s degree in Health System Management from London University, UK. He has extensive work experience in Afghanistan and Pakistan, holding varying positions with national and international NGOs, the WHO and the Ministry of Public Health. Dr. Majeed worked his way up from a health information officer to Country Director of national and international organisations. He has played a key role in various national and international forums. Dr. Majeed was the Head of Mission of HealthNet TPO in Afghanistan for more than 16 years, overseeing the development of the organisation and gave a significant contribution to the development of the health system. In February 2022, Dr. Majeed joined the Amsterdam head office as Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Coordinator.

Yves joined HealthNet TPO in March 2022. Originally from Burundi, he has lived in the Netherlands for six years, completing his Masters in Conflict Studies and Human Rights at Utrecht University and working for Free Press Unlimited as Project Assistant in the Africa team. Before moving to the Netherlands, he completed his Bachelors degree in Political Science and International Relations in Burundi, and worked for the human rights organisation Justice and Peace Burundi leading a project investigating human rights violations during the electoral period. As Programme Officer Yves will use his expertise to support our programmes in South Sudan.

Elise joined HealthNet TPO in July 2018 as the Acquisition Officer and has now become Policy Officer. With her legal background, Elise had previously worked for human rights organisations in France, the US and the UK, where she honed her skills in project management, fundraising/grant-making and legal research. Elise is fluent in English and French, proficient in Spanish, and is learning Dutch and Hindi. The following three words would define HealthNet TPO for her: “inclusive, holistic and empowering.”

Clare joined HealthNet TPO in November 2019 as a volunteer and took the position of Communications Officer in February 2020. Clare holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Manchester and a Master’s degree in International Development from the University of Bristol in the UK. With previous work experience in healthcare and communications with UK-based NGOs ShelterBox and PHASE Worldwide, Clare is now able to combine her two passions for healthcare and communications and enjoys creating and sharing messages that advocate for individuals access to quality health and mental health care. Clare defines HealthNet TPO in the following 3 words: “community, dedication, empowering”.

Giorgia joined the HealthNet TPO team in September 2022. Originally from Switzerland, she holds a Bachelor in Communication Science, Media Research and Linguistics from the University of Zurich and a Master’s degree in Political Communication from the University of Amsterdam, where she graduated in June 2022. From previous work experience in marketing and communications consulting with a Swiss-based company and what she learned from her studies, Giorgia can now apply that “in a field close to her heart”. She speaks Italian and English and is fluent in German and French. Giorgia defines HealthNet TPO in the following three words: “resilience, presence, bravery.”

Peter is a lawyer and medical doctor. He has more than 30 years of experience in healthcare management in the Netherlands. He managed hospitals, organisations in elderly care, institutions in psychiatry and pharmaceutical companies. Crisis management and consultancy are Peter's specialities. In recent years, he has also worked for Médecins sans Frontières in Congo, South Sudan and Ethiopia. As Chair of the Board (from 1 November 2023), he is the first point of contact for the board and responsible for the adequate functioning of the board. He will also participate, when needed, in various committees of the board.

Hans was appointed member of the Board and Treasurer on 3 July 2018. He was previously a chartered accountant (‘registeraccountant’) and has worked for EY and KPMG for 35 years, both in the Netherlands and abroad, as a public accountant and advisor. From October 2014, Hans worked as an independent consultant and interim director. In 2016-2017, he was also interim member of the executive board of De Surinaamsche Bank in Paramaribo, Suriname. Hans is also treasurer of an association of owners.

Noelle joined the Board of Directors in June 2021, combining her beginnings in healthcare with her qualifications in corporate governance to support HealthNet TPO’s mission. Noelle started her career in healthcare consulting with KPMG and has since held positions in the financial services industry with the Nederlandsche Credietverzekering Maatschappij (Atradius) and GE Money Bank (Cembra) in Switzerland. She lived in Singapore from 2013-2017 where she established her consulting sole proprietorship and attended INSEAD’s International Directors Programme launching her work in corporate governance. Noelle’s efforts in the Board focuses on "People and Board Development" and she chairs the Ethics Committee and the Remuneration/Nomination Committee.

Lander brings his vast experience in primary health care, health systems strengthening, mental health, communicable diseases, and sexual and reproductive health to our Board, which he joined in June 2021. Lander is a health advisor for the Dutch Development Cooperation and the Dutch Embassy in Burundi. His previous position was as the provincial medical officer of health for the Ministry of Health in Zimbabwe, and he has worked with Médecins Sans Frontières in Peru, Latin America and Africa, and with War Child NL.

Charles is an international development professional with a diverse background in health and project management. With a career spanning various continents and sectors, he has represented the Netherlands Ministry for International Co-operation and served as an International Programme Manager at the Royal Tropical Institute (KIT). His expertise includes business planning, team management, networking, and monitoring, with a growing focus on health system strengthening. In recent years, Charles has directed his efforts towards aiding governance boards and management teams within the private sector to enhance performance in the evolving landscape of healthcare funding. With seven long-term international assignments and over 50 support missions under his belt, Charles brings extensive experience to HealthNet TPO board table.