Personnel

Peter Bommel has been appointed by APG Group shareholders as a new member of the supervisory board of APG Group NV. He will start as per April 1, 2023, succeeding the current chairman of the supervisory board, Mr. Pieter Jongstra. Peter Bommel's appointment is for a period of four years.

Mr. Peter Bommel (61) was CEO of Deloitte in the Netherlands from 2012 to 2019 and a director of Deloitte's global organization. Before that he was, amongst others, managing partner of Deloitte's Dutch audit practice and chairman of the curatorium of the Auditing School at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU University). At the moment he is, amongst others, chairman of the VU University Association and member of the supervisory board of Flynth Group.

He graduated as a chartered accountant from VU University and completed training as a US Certified Public Accountant at the University of Delaware. Prior to his career at Deloitte, he held financial positions at Philips, KBB and MetaCorp Group, among others. He has also held various ancillary positions. Among other things, he was a board member of the Make a Wish Foundation, a board member of the Nederlandse Bachvereniging (Dutch Bach Society) and a member of the Supervisory Board of the Maatschappelijke Alliantie (Social Alliance) founded by former Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende. Currently, Peter Bommel's positions include board member of the Dutch Olympic Committee's Top Sports Fund.

Pieter Jongstra, chairman of the APG Supervisory Board: "The Netherlands is on the eve of a major overhaul of the pension system. APG and its pension fund clients are preparing the transition to a new pension system in a complex administrative and financial environment. This demands a lot from the supervisory board and I am particularly pleased that with Peter Bommel we are getting such an experienced and expert director as chairman of the supervisory board. He has brought about a very radical transformation and quality impulse as CEO of Deloitte. He also has extensive knowledge and experience in areas such as stakeholder management, risk management, financial management and corporate governance. The supervisory board is looking forward to a fruitful cooperation with him."

Effective April 1, 2023, APG Group's supervisory board will be composed as follows: Peter Bommel (chairman), José Meijer, Sarah Russell, Dick van Well and Claudia Zuiderwijk.

After 4,5 years as Chief Investment Officer (CIO) at APG Asset Management, Peter Branner will leave APG at the end of April. He will take up a new challenge at Aberdeen Investment Management in London on May 1. Since his appointment in 2018, Branner has been responsible for investment management activities and optimizing responsible and long-term returns. APG opts for an internal solution for Peter’s succession.

Ronald Wuijster, member of the APG Executive Board and CEO of APG Asset Management: "Since Peter's appointment 4,5 years ago APG has been able to both strengthen the in-house team of highly professional investment managers and reduce the amount of externally managed assets according to plan. As a result, Asset Management has doubled to now more than 400 investment professionals. I thank Peter for his tremendous contribution to this growth, his sharp analysis, performance, and collegiality, and I wish him every success at Aberdeen Investment Management."

After Peter's departure, the position of CIO will be further strengthened and split into a CIO Capital Markets and a CIO Private Investments. These positions will be filled, for now on an interim basis and pending AFM approval, by Herman Slooijer (Capital Markets) and Patrick Kanters (Private Investments), who will thus become part of the management board of APG AM. Ronald Wuijster will take on board some reporting lines.

The move to his new position is logical for Branner: "I am moving back to London later this spring to take on a new challenge at Aberdeen Investment Management. I look back on a wonderful and intensive time at APG Asset Management. As CIO, I have seen the organization grow significantly and professionalize further. I felt privileged to have been able to work here as CIO, together with a great team. I am confidently handing over my position to my two successors."

Ronald Wuijster: "I am very proud we can fulfill Peter's succession internally, for now on an interim basis. This does justice to our talent and the qualities of my colleagues and enables us to take the next step for our customers."

Alineke van den Berge has been appointed as Chief Operating Officer (COO) of APG Asset Management, effective 1 January 2023. In this role, she will be responsible for Operations as well as for the development and execution of the company’s strategy for innovation, IT and digitization.  Mrs. Van den Berge will report to Ronald Wuijster, CEO of APG Asset Management and member of the Executive Board of APG Group. The appointment of Alineke van den Berge has been approved by the Dutch regulator AFM.

Alineke van den Berge has a broad experience in operations, technology and digital transformation processes.  Graduated as an architect, she joined the Dutch consultancy firm TwynstraGudde in 1998. After that, she pursued her career at ABN AMRO, where she served in numerous managerial roles for a period of 22 years. Her last position was Managing Director and Theme Owner Products, Services & Process Digitization.

Ronald Wuijster, CEO of APG Asset Management and member of the Executive Board of APG Group responsible for asset management:  “At APG we are working work on good pensions in a sustainable world. During the last years, we realized good returns for our pension fund clients. Digitization is an import element of our strategy to achieve the best results. Our goal is to maintain and enhance our leading position in the field of digitization. Therefore we are more than happy to welcome Alineke, as she brings a lot of relevant experience. I am very glad that she will join our team as COO and I look forward to a fruitful cooperation in order to realize our ambitious targets”.

Annette Mosman, CEO of APG and Top Female Executive of the Year 2022, spoke last week at the first live event for the 'Top 50 Women in Sustainable Finance'. This list includes Dutch female role models who show the movement in the field of sustainability in the financial sector. "When I think about what new leadership should bring, it's genuinely listening to all stakeholders and then making a decision."

In front of an audience of women working at pension funds and administrators, banks and insurers, and in one of the most sustainable office building in Europe APG's Edge West office in Amsterdam, Annette talked about the value that APG attaches to responsible investment. "Obviously, returns are very important, but what good is a good pension in an unlivable world? APG wants to make a difference so that we, our parents and our children have a good income for today, tomorrow and beyond. That is why we also contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations. We do this, among other things, by investing in energy transitions."

New leadership
The Top Female Executive of 2022 also spoke about the value of new leadership. "I stand for my own leadership style, one that is not feminine or masculine. When I think about what we bring as women, it's genuinely listening to all the stakeholders and then making a decision. In this world where there is a lot of uncertainty, there is actually no CEO who has a ready-made answer to everything." Listening within your own organization, to stakeholders or in society is therefore extremely important, according to Annette.

Genuine listening leads, among other things, to broad knowledge, which is important in a polarized world that faces challenging issues, such as climate change. "It is not always clear which investments have a positive impact on the climate and which do not. It is not always black or white, there is a large gray area. That is why we are now working on knowledge development to better determine to what extent investments contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals. The great thing is that society is asking pension funds to do more to combat climate change. As APG, we can use the acquired knowledge and expertise in this area for our fund clients."

Annette also spoke about her commitment to making women more financially independent. "In the Netherlands, about 70 percent of women still work part-time. They usually start working part-time around the arrival of their first child. This not only costs them salary, it also leads to a large pension gap between men and women. For example, the pension of women per year is on average 10,000 euros gross lower than that of men."

APG touch
The goal of the 'Top 50 Women in Sustainable Finance' is to make visible female role models who are active in the field of sustainability in the financial sector. Two APG members are represented on the list: Anna Pot (Head of Global Responsible Investment Capital Markets & RI Communications) and Claudia Kruse (Managing Director Global Responsible Investment & Governance). The evening also had an APG touch with a presentation by Nina Peters (Sustainability Advisor), who gave a presentation about the eight 'energy givers' of Edge West.

Inspire other facility clients and service providers to come up with sustainable solutions even faster. That was the idea behind the Sustainable FM Foundation organized by Facility Services and attended by over 60 interested parties from the facilities sector. Michiel Sluis (Product Manager at Facility Services) and Camiel Klein Tuente (Manager of FS Support) talk about what this day yielded.

APG Facility Services (FS) aims to have climate-neutral operations by 2030 at the latest. Based on this ambition, FS, with the help of Hospitality Group and PHI Factory, has drawn up sustainability specifications that challenge service providers to contribute to that ambition. These include catering and waste separation. And to share the knowledge gained, the Sustainable FM Foundation event took place in October.

What exactly did you organize?

Camiel: “On Tuesday, October 11, APG Facility Services, PHI Factory and Hospitality Group organized an inspiring and active event called Sustainable FM Foundation. Over 60 facility clients participated in our Amsterdam office Edge West. And that included some big names like Prorail, Nationale Nederlanden, ING, Saxion University and PWC.”

And what was your goal in this?

Michiel: “Making things sustainable on your own is fine, but making things sustainable together may go faster. And APG may not be quite ‘best in class’ yet, but we are leading the way within the Netherlands when it comes to making our services more sustainable. We wanted to share the knowledge we gained from the tenders for services in Edge West with our facilities colleagues so that we can take a step forward as a sector. In doing so, we also hope to encourage other clients to create more volume on the demand side and to encourage providers to move faster on sustainability.”

What did the day look like?

Michiel: “We had conversations with each other. Together we looked for ways to secure our sustainability ambition and specifications within our own facilities organization and in the contracts and cooperation with suppliers. This happened, for example, in break-out sessions. Questions that were central this day were: ‘How can we learn even more from each other?’, ‘How can we inspire each other?’ and ‘How can we form a collective to accelerate sustainable operations, including with the service providers?’”

Was it a successful event?

Camiel: “Definitely; we are very positive and excited! Together with the facilities professionals we have defined a common ambition: to accelerate to a fully regenerative FM in 2030 together. This goes even beyond our own ambitions of ‘circular and climate neutral operations by 2030’. This does indicate that there is a drive among most clients to accelerate with sustainability. In addition, we shared and discussed our own sustainability specifications.”

Michiel: “As organizers, it was great to experience how the participants encouraged each other to jointly take this step. We are also quite proud that our sustainability specifications are such a good match, including for other companies.”

That all sounds positive. How will you proceed now?

Camiel: “All the input has been enriched jointly with our partners and shared again with the sector this week. Every facilities organization can now accelerate sustainability on its own with our foundation and challenge the market to accelerate service sustainability. We did abandon the term Sustainable FM foundation. This is because we must continue to innovate and accelerate, and a foundation may suggest that we are ready. So, we prefer to speak of a springboard, by which we want to represent that you can keep moving forward.”

Michiel: “The Springboard Sustainable FM will continue with a sustainability community that aims to bring clients together and encourage inspiration and knowledge sharing. Themes such as circular economy, biodiversity and climate-positive services are going to be discussed here.”

What will our own APG staff notice about this and what can they themselves contribute to the ambitions?

Michiel: “We are not there yet. Just making our accommodation and contracts more sustainable does not mean that we are or will become truly sustainable. As employees, we may make the biggest impact. As described above, demand often determines supply. Services like sustainable catering at Edge West should also be tried. We received very positive feedback on the all-plant-based appetizers! To people involved in purchasing new materials or services, I would say: talk to PG Procurement Services and potential suppliers. There is already a lot of knowledge about sustainability within APG, and asking about it is the first step!”

APG has become  partner of Workplace Pride, the international platform for LGBTQIA+ inclusion in the workplace. The partnership suits APG as an attractive employer for employees from diverse backgrounds.

Employees from the LGBTQIA+ community lose as much as 30 percent of their fun and productivity if they can't be themselves in the workplace, according to Workplace Pride. APG believes that when an employee feels welcome and valued in the workplace, this leads to more job satisfaction and involvement among employees and to better results for our pension fund customers and their participants.

Reflection

“Our starting point is that you can be who you are with us,” says Heleen Kuijten, Managing Director HR at APG. “We strive to be an organization that reflects the society we work for. By becoming a partner of Workplace Pride, we can make use of their knowledge and network, and thus continue to work towards an inclusive work environment. We see the partnership as a support and encouragement to fulfill our ambitions and to be an example in the field of diversity and inclusion, inside and outside our sector.”

About Workplace Pride

Workplace Pride is a not-for-profit foundation committed to improving the lives of members of the LGBTQIA+ communities in workplaces around the world. The foundation strives for a world of inclusive workplaces where LGBTQIA+ people can truly be themselves, be valued and, through their contributions, help lead the way for others. In addition to APG, partners include ABN AMRO, Unilever and PWC. The central government is also the founder and numerous companies are regular members of the network, including ministries and municipalities and companies such as UWV, EY and De Nederlandsche Bank.

APG’s CEO Annette Mosman has been elected Top Woman of the Year 2022. This was announced on Thursday in the presence of 350 invitees from business, government and non-profit sectors. The jury praised Mosman for her courage and authentic leadership style. Mosman: “This feels like a huge honour. The Top Woman of the Year title is really an incentive for me to continue this leadership style."

Besides Mosman, Carina Hilders (CEO of Reinier de Graaf ziekenhuis) and Nadine Klokke (CEO of Knab) were also in the race for the title. The jury chose Annette for her authentic leadership style. The verdict of the jury: “The winner is a woman with a mission. You could say she is self-made, because she never really had a role model from her childhood and she has come this far through trial and error. Making mistakes is allowed in the culture she envisions. Her leadership is authentic. She has guts and she will need that for the difficult task that lies ahead of her.”

The jury consisted of chairman Khadija Arib (former Speaker of the House of Representatives), Mariëlle Bartholomeus (Member of the Board of Directors of Rivas Zorggroep and Top Woman of the Year 2020), Janine Vos (CHRO at Rabobank and Top Woman of the Year 2021), Eelco Hoekstra (Member of the Board of Board of SHV) and Dolf van den Brink (CEO Heineken).

Authenticity
Annette is happy with the title and is honored: “The more leadership experience I gain, the more convinced I become of the importance of authenticity. By staying close to myself, I can make the most positive impact – as a woman and as a leader. And at APG I can be myself completely. That makes me very proud. Of the organization, but especially of the colleagues."

She says about her leadership style: "I believe in new leadership, which starts with involving all stakeholders, where sincere and good listening is a basic condition. After that, weigh all interests, come to a decision and implement it successfully. Winning this title strengthens me in these convictions and encourages me to continue to propagate them in my role within APG but also externally.”

Role model

The annual election of the Top Woman of the Year, which took place this year for the eighteenth time, aims to create a platform on which female executives in Dutch companies and organizations receive attention, are visible and can thus fulfill a role as role models. The assessment criteria for this are the weight of the position and the results achieved, but also the courage and ambition in the career to date and the promotion of diversity in one's own organization. The Top Woman of the Year foundation is responsible for the annual election.

As of November 1, Henriette Honée will lead the customer cluster ABP/PWRI within the Fund Operations. She succeeds Raoul Willms, who has been appointed director of the Diagnostics & Advice unit at Maastricht UMC.

Henriette has been working at APG since 2019 as Business Owner FB/DWS and Head of Portfolio office. In this position she quickly got to know APG broadly. The collaboration with ABP is an important spearhead in her position.

Henriette: “In the transition to the new pension system, collaboration is more important than ever. This means that I want to focus on further professionalizing the collaboration and strengthening the relationship with ABP. So that we can realize a successful transition together.”

Sijmon Timmers, director of Fund Operations APG: “Henriette brings a lot of experience with her. She has also been part of the ABP customer team since her start at APG, which has enabled her to get to know ABP well as a customer. We look forward to her arrival and wish Henriette good luck and fun.”

Digitalization has gained tremendous momentum and the demand for good IT personnel is greater than ever. During the transition to the new pension system, APG is recruiting new talent through an IT traineeship in collaboration with recruitment partner Working Talent (see video). After a six-week boot camp, recent graduates and lateral entrants start as trainees in various positions within Business Improvement & Change. DevOps Engineer Ardi Cengo was one of them.

After studying Biomedical Sciences, Ardi started working as a researcher at Maastricht University. A large part of his work involved collecting and analyzing data. And with data being obtained in ever greater volumes and speed these days, Ardi needed to become more and more immersed in IT technologies. “After all, through these technologies, data can be tracked and processed better. What I soon learned was the great importance and power of IT in this. This increasingly aroused my interest. Why shouldn’t I expand this beyond my field of expertise and orient myself more broadly, was a question I asked myself repeatedly during the past year. This made me choose to leave academia and join an IT traineeship, where I was trained to become an IT professional.”

And then you chose APG as the place to work as an IT professional. Why APG?

“In my orientation to the different IT traineeships offered nationwide, I quickly stumbled upon Working Talent, with APG as a direct client. APG was already familiar to me as an organization, because during my time at Maastricht University I accrued my pension with ABP. It motivated me to choose APG, because APG’s strategy and policies can have a major impact on society.”

So, it was a socially motivated choice?

“Absolutely. Having a pension ensures a good income for later in life. How great is it if I can contribute to that through my day-to-day work? Not just for myself, but also for the people around me. It is inspiring to be able to work for an organization with a clear mission and an impact on society. I also like the fact that there is room for personal development at APG and that it has a pleasant corporate culture.”

What contribution do you want to make to the challenge we face: the new pension system?

“I hope to be able to contribute to this by gaining knowledge and experience during my IT traineeship, which I can then apply to ensure that the transition to the new pension system runs smoothly and without risks.”

What do you like to sink your teeth into?

“I’m keen to keep learning and developing myself continuously. I therefore look forward to sinking my teeth into challenging cases. That is what really energizes me.”

What do you look forward to at the start of a working day?

“Every day, I look forward to the challenges that await me. I am currently still learning a lot and am enjoying what I’m learning every day. I have a good connection with my colleagues, they’re helping me master the work and they have created a nice work atmosphere.”

What do you hope to achieve at APG?

“By continuously challenging myself, developing myself and working with coworkers in a positive way, I hope to be able to provide an added value at APG. With this contribution I would like to help build the future income of 5 million Dutch people.”

IT traineeship Working Talent - YouTube

From 0.31 you can see APG and Ardi in the video.

Thijs Aaten has been appointed as CEO for APG Asset Management Asia, effective 1 September. He succeeds Wim Hazeleger who is stepping down as CEO Asia Pacific after ten years in the role. Hazeleger will be leaving APG, to pursue new opportunities. Michael van Ommeren joins the Asia Pacific leadership team as the new CFRO, effective 1 September. Both Thijs and Michael will be based in Hong Kong, APG’s regional head office in Asia Pacific.

Thijs Aaten is a seasoned business executive with more than 27 years’ experience with wide ranging financial services expertise. He joined APG in 2001 and has served in numerous managerial roles in the Netherlands and Hong Kong, most recently as Chief Finance and Risk Officer (CFRO) of APG Asset Management Asia. In this role, Aaten was responsible for risk management, compliance and finance for the last four years. Prior to this, he established the APG Treasury Center, a licensed investment firm which acted as the central dealing desk and counter party for APG’s clients and funds. Aaten is also a board member of ISDA, the international Swaps and Derivates Association.

Michael van Ommeren takes over from Aaten as APG Asset Management Asia’s CFRO. His last role was Chief Operating Officer at Indosuez Wealth Management where he had an additional responsibility for the finance and treasury function. Previously he worked amongst others as Chief Operating Officer for the Hong Kong branch of Dutch ABN Amro Bank and Standard Chartered Bank in Singapore where he gained experience in operational risk management. Van Ommeren is a seasoned executive with over 20 years of experience in Asia. He is well aware of the issues and files within the CFRO column. Among his non-executive roles, he volunteered as the Vice Chairman of the Board of the Dutch Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong between 2016 -2020.

As CEO of APG Asset Management Asia, Hazeleger was responsible for leading and overseeing the development and execution of APG Asset Management’s strategy in Asia Pacific, and business operations across Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Beijing. During his tenure, Hazeleger has driven and successfully implemented restructuring efforts, including optimizing organizational structures, and empowering key leaders with renewed vision.

Ronald Wuijster, CEO of APG Asset Management: “We are deeply indebted to Wim for filling the position of CEO of APG Asset Management Asia over the last ten years. Under his leadership and active engagement with the Board, APG Asset Management Asia more than tripled its employee base in the region to about 100 people and grew its AUM by 400%+ to approximately US$30bn. We greatly appreciated his dedication, expertise, and ability to rally others in navigating change. On behalf of APG, I wish him all the best in his future endeavors.”

“We are fortunate to have Thijs take over as CEO of our Asia Pacific operations. He is an accomplished financial expert and APG has gained from his broad vision and ability to make good use of opportunities for many years now. His experience in both financial and risk management, and his four years in Hong Kong ensures a smooth transition in leadership and provides continuity for our Asia Pacific operations.

I look forward to a pleasant and fruitful cooperation with both Thijs and Michael and the continued success of our Asia Pacific business.”

For Gijsbert de Lange, the LGBTQIA+ community was a far cry from his own, until two of his three kids came out of the closet. He has since become their “ally” and is happy to share his story with parents who find themselves in a similar situation. “It’s about my kids being happy, not what how I can buttonhole them.”

Last summer, my son Emiel (now 28) came out of the closet as bisexual. That was quite a surprise to me. I had thought he was exclusively into women. A few months later, my -then- daughter (now 24) told me she identifies as non-binary. She is, or rather they are now called Parker. Both kids have since found their place in the LGBTQIA+ community, and I am incredibly happy with the beautiful development we have had as a family.

It still moves me when I talk about it. This is mainly because I am so incredibly proud of our family. Proud of the fact that my children found the courage to tell us and of the way in which we all responded. Not only me, also my wife Mette and my second son Thierry (26). And actually, the whole family and all our friends reacted positively. That is a wonderful feeling, I can’t quite describe how much.

I was surprised, though, when Emiel told me he was bisexual. It isn’t something I had already anticipated. He always seemed like a straight guy to me, occasionally in love with girls and they with him. As a result of what he told me about it, I started to look into it more. And although I knew what bisexuality was, I now realise better what it really means. Being bisexual doesn’t allow you to be easily pigeonholed. You don’t fall 50% for men and 50% for women. Even if he were to have relationships only with women for the rest of his life, that won’t make him straight. Even though I did secretly hope that in the beginning. So that life would be a little easier for him. But in the end, it’s about him being happy, no matter if it’s with a man or a woman.

When Parker came out of the closet as nonbinary, it had more impact. I had to say goodbye to a 24-year-old daughter, a daughter we adopted when she was 2, and whom we had named Carmen. We already knew she was a lesbian; she had had a girlfriend. And she was never a girly-girl with princess dresses and makeup. Romping around in the garden with her elder brothers was much more fun. And suddenly we said goodbye to Carmen and welcomed Parker into our family. Just as wonderful a child as they had always been. Just not a girl anymore. Parker also wants to be addressed and treated as non-binary. The latter takes some getting used to, in practical terms. Sometimes I still talk about ‘she’ and ‘her’. But that just doesn’t fit anymore. It is now “they” and “their”.

My first reaction was to really feel proud of my children. I thought it was great that they had been so brave to come out of the closet. We also received many compliments because we had handled it so well. Of course, I was also worried. I hoped that Emiel and Parker would not get any nasty reactions, for example, or be harassed on the street. Emiel is a big, tough guy, a kickboxer too, who can stand up for himself, but Parker is smaller, more vulnerable. I also immediately realized that it might be more difficult for my kids to find their way to happiness. Society is very much geared to straight people. But aside from those concerns, I had made peace with the situation and, as far as I was concerned, everything had been discussed.

That is, until I delved more deeply into it. Listening to podcasts and watching series like Heartstopper only made me realise what a huge internal struggle they had had. How difficult the whole process they had gone through to find out about their orientation and identity was. The loneliness and confusion they must have felt in the process. This touched me deeply. That’s why a few months after they came out of the closet, I started new conversations with them about it all. We have kept doing that, and I’m still learning every day.

What I learned especially is that the romantic preference you have or your gender identity, can be quite fluid. You can’t stick one permanent label on anyone. It’s more like a sliding scale. Sometimes you can feel more male, other times more female. Or anywhere in between. That can change from day to day. And sometimes you may be attracted toa woman, and other times you fall for a man. That understanding has opened my eyes. Because instead of defining someone as clearly as possible and sticking a label them, you have to respect the fact that they may every day be exploring that themselves. A permanent label does not always fit. And it’s also not needed.

Something else I have thought about a lot, and which I have also asked my kids about, is my own attitude in their youth. Have I always talked about people from the LGBTQIA+ community with respect? What mistakes have I made that made it harder for my kids? I realise now that I have somehow pressured my kids to follow my heterosexual role model. In hindsight, I have ignored signals, closing off avenues for conversation. I also know that I have made inappropriate jokes. At the time, I thought I was allowed to make them because really in my mind I was thinking the right way.

After all, it turned out to be not so bad. I didn’t put a heavy heterosexual stamp on their upbringing, the kids say. But I did make those hurtful jokes, and I can’t take them back. I don’t tell them anymore. I know now that you can hurt people unnecessarily with them. Not only people who belong to the community. Also people who are not out of the closet yet. They don’t dare come out with their orientation because of inappropriate remarks like that.

I have never had any nasty reactions. Not at work, but also not privately. Although I recently had an interesting conversation with an old friend that I ran into after many years. He knew my kids from way back and asked how they were doing. I told him about Emiel and Parker’s coming out. He immediately indicated that he was so tired of ‘all this complicated stuff’. He was anti-woke, he indicated. Thought it was all just a fad.

I think that’s a shame. I asked him why, instead of the whole political debate about being woke, he couldn’t just look at the individual behind the story. Look at what that person likes and what makes them happy. I would say to people like him: open your heart and try to feel empathy and respect for others.

As far as I am concerned, I have but one role as an ally in my kid’s process of discovery: to give unconditional love. Whatever my kids bring to me, I consider it my job as a parent to provide a safe haven for them in all the chaos of the world. I will always respect and accept my kids just as they are. If there is one place in the world where they are accepted as they are, let it be with their parents.

On a basic level, nothing has really changed in our family. The way I experience my kids as individuals, the way I love them, has not changed. A new aspect has been added, though. We have gone through something beautiful together; the way we have gone through this journey of discovery together. There was no discord; not a wrong word was spoken.

Of course, it’s not all been pretty. When Parker told me that they were nonbinary, there was also a period of a kind of mourning that I went through. I had to say goodbye to my daughter Carmen and get used to the name Parker. I kind of missed Carmen. It seemed like the whole history we had built together sort of disappeared along with saying goodbye to that name. I had to teach myself to say Parker, a name that didn’t mean anything to me yet. But who has just as much of a place in my heart nevertheless.

I tell this story because I hope that maybe I can contribute something to parents who are making a similar development with their children. Or to people who are just out of the closet or who are hesitant to come out. Perhaps my story will contribute to them feeling a little safer about bringing out their story. Because I hope everyone realises that it can be incredibly scary to talk about it. If people around you make misguided comments, don’t look away, but confront them. Give everyone space to tell their story and don't be so quick to judge.

I don’t have any advice for other parents. I wouldn’t really dare. Who am I to tell someone else what to do? That would feel presumptuous to me. But just try to open your heart to your children. Accept them as they are, even if you struggle with it or have some opinion on it yourself. Give love and feel empathy the moment they open up to you, that's the most important thing. And later you can explore further. There is so much to learn about it.

When it comes to investing, APG not only considers the expected returns, risks and costs, but also the extent to which an investment is sustainable and responsible. We do this on behalf of our pension fund clients. Because what use is a good pension if the world around you is no longer fit to live in from either an environmental or social perspective? This question, taken from our Report Responsible Investing 2021, really sums it up. A summary of the key points of the report.

Engagement with companies that still need to improve in the field of ESG is an indispensable part of our approach for responsible investing. Last year, we held conversations with a total of 498 companies on behalf of our pension fund clients about their progress on several themes related to ESG. We talked to 66 companies about human rights in 2021. We also entered into a dialog with 70 companies, including Amazon, about safety at work and the right of employees to unite, among other things. APG joined the Platform Living Wage Financials (PLWF) last year at the request of bpfBOUW. The goal of this platform is to encourage companies to pay employees a wage that enables them to make ends meet. We are mainly focusing on food producers, such as Coca-Cola and Mondelēz.

SDI Asset Owner Platform
Another area in which progress has been made, is the further development of the SDI Asset Owner Platform. This platform was co-founded by APG in 2020 and uses artificial intelligence to determine whether and how many companies contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals with their products and services. BlackRock – the world's largest asset manager – decided last year to start using the platform’s data. This has taken us yet another step closer to our goal of making the platform a standard for investments in the Sustainable Development Goals.

CO2 footprint
APG is also making progress in reducing the carbon footprint of the equity investments we manage for our pension fund clients. This footprint has decreased by 48 percent compared to the reference year 2015. In line with ABP's policy, in 2021 APG sold its investments in companies that derive more than 30 percent of their revenues from coal mines or more than 20 percent from oil sands. Last year too, APG invested € 20.8 billion in the Sustainable Development Goal ‘Affordable and Sustainable Energy’ on behalf of our pension fund clients. Our investment in this goal has led to a reduction of the climate risks in our clients’ portfolios and made a contribution to the energy transition. APG invests, specifically for ABP, via the ABP Nederlands Energietransitiefonds (ANET) in innovative solutions for the Dutch energy transition.

Challenges
There are also some challenges left to be tackled. Our pension fund clients, for example, are looking to accelerate their sustainability ambitions. New legislation is also coming our way and we are dealing with the increased urgency of climate change and loss of biodiversity. In order to address these challenges successfully, APG is cooperating where needed with like-minded investors and other stakeholders.

Our pension fund clients will be strengthening their sustainable ambitions further in 2022. This year, on behalf of the funds, we are increasing our focus in a number of areas including climate change, biodiversity and circularity. A stricter voting policy will be applied to shareholder meetings, paying particular attention to climate. We will also take a more critical look at the renumeration for directors and the progress on diversity within the companies we invest in.

Curious about the entire Responsible Investment Report? Read it here.

Annette Mosman has made it to the final of the election for Top Woman of the Year 2022. The chairman of the board of APG is one of the three finalists, who were chosen from ten nominated top women.

The purpose of the election is to draw attention to female board members of Dutch organizations, so that they can fulfill a role model function. "I would love to be able to inspire by giving substance to sustainable, value-driven and inclusive leadership," says Annette in the video in which she presents herself to the jury. "If I were to become top woman of the year, it would give me a responsibility and also the opportunity to have more stages to get my message across.”

The other two finalists are Carina Hilders (Managing Director of the Reinier de Graaf Gasthuis in Delft) and Nadine Klokke (CEO of the online bank Knab). The three finalists were chosen by a five-member jury led by Member of Parliament Khadija Arib.

In mid-September, the finalists will present themselves personally to the jury. The election primarily looks at the degree of courage, ambition and leadership style of the top women. On 29 September, the jury will announce the winner. This will happen during a dinner in Theater Amsterdam.

Minister of Social Affairs and Employment Karien van Gennip will be the keynote speaker that evening.

This year is the eighteenth time that the election is held. Previous winners include Mariëlle Bartholomeus (Member of the Executive Board of RIVAS Zorggroep and Top Woman of the Year 2020) and Janine Vos (Member Managing Board and CHRO Rabobank and Top Woman of the Year 2021). They are also part of the jury this year.

Student Danique (15) is Tomorrow’s Leader at APG for one day

Being the boss for a day at a big company, how cool is that? Not going to school but being in control yourself. On June 1, Danique Prick took the chair of Jan Nijland, Director of Risk & Compliance at APG. Because Danique is interested in architecture, she also joined the team of interior designers who are renovating several floors of the APG building in Heerlen. She thought along about a pleasant layout, in which as many wishes of the employees as possible are taken into account.

“Wow, this is so difficult,” sighs Danique. “As an interior designer you make choices for the people who work here. If they are not satisfied, you are only making their job more difficult.” She draws out all the elements for a good workplace on a floor plan. Not just places where you can work concentrated. People should also come together to discuss or have a cup of coffee. She has to take many things into account: the incidence of light, for example, or the type of work of the department. And then of course it also has to look as nice as possible. “Please help me a little,” she asks APG's facility specialists Manon van den Boorn and Joyce Dekkers. The ladies understand that Danique is overwhelmed. “We have many years of experience and know the building and the employees very well. And even then, setting up a department is still difficult.”

Exciting
Danique is a bit quiet from her day as leader of APG. “There really is a lot involved if you want to do it right for everyone. The company is so big, and everyone already knows so much. It is very exciting to give your opinion.” Jan Nijland is sure she will get there. “Danique is curious and knows exactly what she likes and doesn't want. Not interior architecture, but designing buildings. As far as I'm concerned, she can definitely continue to chase that dream. Do her best at school and don't shy away from challenges like Tomorrow's Leader. Even though that was quite exciting for her.”

In the meantime, Danique is presenting a prize to a colleague who is committed to sustainability within APG. That's part of the job of a director as well.

Tomorrow’s Leader is a project of JINC, in which students from neighborhoods with a socio-economic disadvantage receive support for a fair(er) chance on the labor market. As far as Jan is concerned, this is a very good initiative, which he is happy to participate in. “As one of the largest employers in the region, we feel socially involved in the development of Heerlen and its residents. Education and development of students forms the basis of this. That is incredibly important.”

Today, June 1, is Global Day of Parents. This day recognizes the crucial care and dedication of parents in raising their children. After all, this is not always easy to achieve, especially with a full-time job.

Mike Jongerius works in APG's HR department and became a father for the third time in April. How does he combine looking after his children with his job?

Before, June 1 was not Global Day of Parents, but Children's Day. In several countries, such as Poland, Romania, Russia, Hungary, Czech Republic, Portugal, China, USA and Germany, Children's Day is still considered a festivity. Parents take their offspring on an outing and give them gifts. In 2012, the United Nations designated June 1 as Global Day of Parents. Since then, Children's Day on the Dutch calendar has moved to June 25. But few parents here are probably familiar with these holidays.

Mike Jongerius (38), who has been working for the HR team Data & Analytics for six months, had in any case never heard of it, even though he has now quite mastered parenting: his wife and he have two sons and a daughter. Their oldest child is 4, the youngest almost 2 months.

On full pay

Mike is a committed father. It is natural for him to be closely involved in the care of his children. Several official arrangements aid him. In April, for example, after Elias was born, he was given five days of fully paid post-birth leave. And since July 2020, it is possible to take five extra weeks of additional post-birth leave in the first six months. Under the Dutch Work and Care Act, 70% of the wages continued to be paid in that case. However, APG supplements this benefit up to 100% of the salary. "I use the full five weeks," Mike says. It is a popular arrangement: in 2021, 81 new parents at APG made use of it.

Flexible working

"Being able to work flexibly is something that really helps you as a parent. If necessary, I can start a little later at home or leave for the office after rush hour, when the children have gone to school or childcare. That flexibility – and a manager who thinks along with you – is even more important than all financial arrangements. Having a job, a baby and two young children is quite a busy life. That means you're less focused at times and then it's nice if a colleague is willing to do something more at a time when things at home don't go as smoothly as planned. I can determine my working hours to a certain extent. The fact that you can arrange this within your team, that sense of mutual collegiality, is very valuable to get everything done. This makes the combination of care and work manageable as a young parent."

Extra childcare contribution

When his wife goes back to work, Elias, like his sister, will also go to childcare twice a week. His eldest brother attends after-school care. A hefty expense for parents – despite all childcare allowances. This allowance is jointly financed by the government and the employer. How much you receive monthly depends on the level of income, the number of children and the type of childcare - which is also subject to a maximum hourly rate. With three children, that can be quite expensive. "I think we've already spent around 700 euros per month on childcare for two children," Mike estimates. "In any case, it's our biggest expense."

APG bears part of this with an extra childcare contribution of 300 euros net per year. Of course, on the total amount that is a drop in the ocean. "But other employers don't offer that," says Mike. "So it's quite nice." He shared that opinion with 471 other APG employees who were entitled to this in 2021.

Higher contribution for working parents
There is light at the end of the tunnel. The Rutte IV government wants to increase the childcare allowance for working parents to 95% in the coming years. This is set out in the government's coalition agreement ‘Omzien naar elkaar, vooruitkijken naar de toekomst’ (Looking after each other, looking ahead to the future).

It will take a while before that is finalized, so let's celebrate the Global Day of Parents first. And then perhaps Children's Day, with festivities and presents? Mike doubts the latter. "I'll stick to Sinterklaas for the time being."

Edge West, the Amsterdam office of APG, will soon receive the highest sustainability certification 'outstanding' from BREEAM. The office in Heerlen is also doing well with 'very good'. Marga Petridean (Portfolio Manager FS Housing) and Camiel Klein Tuente (Manager FS Support) about the importance of this.

Real estate is responsible for approximately 30 percent of total CO2 emissions and 40 percent of energy consumption worldwide. So a lot needs to be done to bring this in line with the Paris goals. APG takes this into account when investing, but also when it comes to our own offices. For example, we strive for a sustainability certificate for our own offices in the Netherlands and abroad, for which BREEAM is the preferred choice. Edge West will soon receive the highest sustainability certification 'outstanding' from BREEAM. The office in Heerlen is also doing well with 'very good'.

BREEAM stands for 'Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method'. It is a globally recognized quality mark and measuring instrument to assess the sustainability of buildings and the quality mark that APG looks at when it invests in real estate. "That Edge West as a renovation building receive the certification 'outstanding' is a unique piece of work," says Petridean. "Edge West does not use gas and the core and shell construction is energy positive. This means that the building generates more energy than it uses. This is partly due to 6,000 square meters of solar panels on the roof and the available heat and cold storage. Edge West's high ambitions in terms of sustainability and well-being fit in nicely with those of APG, and were therefore an important reason for choosing Edge West as an office."

Sustainability
Last year, the Heerlen office was awarded the 'very good' certificate. In the coming years, APG wants to use an action plan to ensure that the building scores a level higher at the end of 2024, namely 'excellent'. "The Amsterdam office has already achieved the highest possible ratings in terms of sustainability and well-being and is one of the most sustainable buildings in the Netherlands," says Klein Tuente. "The office in Heerlen is not being completely renovated, like Edge West. If you do not strip a building down to the concrete and completely insulate the façade, it is not realistic to achieve the highest certification. The level 'excellent' is therefore our ambition for Heerlen. An example of a measure that should lead to that level is the installation of LED lighting on the new Workspace floors. In addition, we are looking at ways of heating and cooling with which we can 'get rid of the gas', and other local initiatives of energy generation. We are also investigating how we can increase biodiversity around or on our building. For now, we are satisfied with 'very good'. That is already a level higher than we expected."

Employee
What does an employee actually notice that the office has a high BREEAM rating? "It's a comfortable office," Petridean says. "For example, the lighting can be influenced and there is a lot of greenery present. The stairs also occupy a prominent place, in order to stimulate physical movement. And the fact that you will find information on the TV screens about when the next train leaves is also a BREEAM criterion, because that stimulates public transport use. Furthermore, it is important for the assessment that water consumption is monitored." Klein Tuente: "You may not think about it, but both in Heerlen and Amsterdam the taps are sensor-controlled or a timer is present, so that the taps only allow a certain amount of water to flow. This also applies to the toilets and shower heads."

The BREEAM certificates awarded to Edge West and Heerlen are in line with APG's aim to have climate-neutral business operations by 2030. Part of this is energy-neutral housing. In concrete terms, this means that APG is looking at whether its offices comply with the Paris climate agreements. For this, APG uses the same CRREM method as for its investments in real estate. " According to our expectations, Edge West already meets the CRREM standards and for Heerlen we are looking at even greener ways of generating energy than gas," says Klein Tuente. "We also want to apply the lessons learned in our international offices. In this way, APG continues to work on sustainability. This is also a requirement for the BREEAM certificates, because they expire after three years. Moreover, it fits APG's strategy and meets our wish of 'practice what you preach'.  We demand more and more sustainability from our investments, and that is also something we as APG want to be a leader in. And with Edge West, we're the frontrunner. In that sense, the building fits perfectly with APG and with our aim to be an attractive employer."

The things that we do at APG and how they affect the lives of over 5 million Dutch people are not that easy to explain. That is why there is now a new APG video. In 67 seconds you can see and feel how your income for the future plays a role in everyday life. A look behind the scenes with Janine Wingenfeld, Ellis Sprokel and Nina Frissen from the production team.

Some three thousand APG employees work hard every day in a many different ways to ensure the income of the more than five million members of the eight funds that APG serves as pension administrator. The purpose of the new video is therefore clear to its producers: it can be used by colleagues in presentations, meetings and social media. “This way, we all tell the same story about APG,” Nina from the APG Video Team explains. “For us, retirement is about people, about living and about society. We are proud of that and we have tried to capture it here in images.”

How did it come to be?

Ellis: “The desire was to translate the core of APG’s positioning into images. Instead of explaining exactly what we do, who we work for and how much money we manage, we show all kinds of everyday situations in this video. And we show how normal it is for people to talk to each other about money and about income for the future. In this way we subtly show how APG contributes to this. A video is ideally suited to depicting emotion. With the right combination of images, people, text, tone of voice and music, we provide the viewer with a feeling, a connection to what we want to convey. Together with our funds, we contribute to a good pension in a livable world.”

What challenges were you faced with?

Janine: “The idea of making this video arose just before the Corona crisis happened. Of course, because of Covid, we ran into quite a few challenges. It was not always easy to get together with coworkers because of the measures we were taking, and we were not able to film on location. This was important for the look and feel of the video. That is why we had to wait for a year and a half before we could actually shoot the scenes. Because there was quite a bit of time between having the ideas for the video and actually shooting it, the script changed a few times.  Another challenge was finding the cast. We chose a mix of professional actors and employees to get an accurate reflection of society. Sometimes we also had to disappoint people, because we couldn’t guarantee in advance that everyone would actually show up in the video, or how long the scene would be. The only thing we could promise them was that they were going to have a fun day.”

What are you proud of?

Nina: “This was really a very big production. We had developed new positioning and a new corporate identity. But then the challenge is to translate the positioning you have thought up into a story and images. For us, retirement is about people, about living and about society. And that comes together in this video. It always starts with an idea in someone’s mind. The phases that follow, such as brainstorming, writing texts, writing scenes, selecting suitable people and looking for locations, all take a lot of time and energy. You prepare it in detail, but it always remains to be seen how it will work on screen. Does a scene have the right feel, does it come across well, do we achieve our goal with it; we always have to wait and see. And I can tell you, the first edit is never good or what you expected; what you thought it would be like. We produced this together with New Narrative and a few coworkers. Several coworkers collaborated in the video. That makes it extra challenging, because it's not their regular job. Being in front of the camera with a whole crew is always a little daunting. They really did a great job! It is important to us that the message comes across well and that it touches people. We managed to do all that together. We now share this video with great pride.”

What do you hope to accomplish with the video?

Ellis: “Awareness among our coworkers that we really do great work for many Dutch people. Even though it doesn’t always feel that way to everyone. You are often so absorbed in your day-to-day work that you just don’t recognize that anymore. The participant is the focus of everything we do. We hope that this video will make our coworkers proud. Outside APG, we give a little more nuance about what APG’s position is in the world and how it how it plays a role in the everyday lives of our participants. Everything we do through their fund with their money, i.e. their pension and income for the future, we manage and invest in such a way that it will benefit them and the world later. And that immediately brings us to the final line of the video.”

And you made not one, but two videos. What’s up with that?

Nina: “Yes, there is another video too: ‘APG: working on today, tomorrow and beyond’. We will use this one for our labor market communication. It is a challenge to find the right talents in this tight labor market. In this video, our own coworkers talk about what makes working at APG special.”

Video: APG: voor nu, straks en later – APG: for today, tomorrow and beyond
Versie arbeidsmarktcommunicatie: APG: werken aan nu, straks en later – APG working on today, tomorrow and beyond

Ronald Wuijster (55) has been appointed for a second term as a member of the Executive Board of APG Groep NV, the largest pension provider in the Netherlands. He will remain responsible for the Asset Management portfolio and therefore ultimately responsible for advising on and implementing the investment policy of the pension funds served by APG. The appointment of Ronald Wuijster is for a period of four years and has been approved by the shareholders. In addition to his role as a member of the Executive Board, he is also chairman of the board of APG Asset Management. APG Group manages more than 620 billion euros in pension assets and ensures that more than 4.5 million people can rely on the correct investment, administration and payment of their accrued pension rights.

Ronald Wuijster has over thirty years of experience in the investment world, of which twenty years as a director and director. Since 2006, he has held various top positions at APG, including managing director Strategic Portfolio Management and Chief Investment Officer. Before joining APG, he held various directorships at Robeco, including corporate strategy, development and research. Wuijster studied business economics and law at Erasmus University Rotterdam. He is married and has three children.

Annette Mosman, chairman of the board of APG: “I am very pleased that Ronald has again committed himself to us for four years. We are on the eve of the largest pension reform ever and with it also an important transformation of APG. In the new system, asset management and pension administration will come much closer together. Then Ronald's substantive knowledge and experience is essential. But it is equally important that he contributes as a professional and person to the stability and team spirit in the board of directors. As a board of directors, we will be able to benefit from that in the coming transition years.”

Pieter Jongstra, Chairman of the Supervisory Board: “With €606 billion in pension assets (February 2022) under management, APG is one of the world's top investment institutions. Our pension fund clients rightly place high demands on our investment activities, with sustainability as an important precondition. That is why we are pleased that we have been able to bind Ronald Wuijster to us again for another four years. He has in-depth knowledge and experience in the field of long-term responsible investing. On behalf of the Supervisory Board, I wish him every success in this new term.”

Maarten Blacquière will join the Executive Board of APG Group (APG) on April 1, 2022 as Chief Finance & Risk Officer (CFRO). In this role, he is responsible for the quality and implementation of APG’s financial policy and risk management. In addition, APG's IT strategy is part of his mandate. Maarten Blacquière succeeds Jan Nijland. Nijland temporarily filled the position of CFRO, after Annette Mosman -APG’s former CFRO- was appointed chairman of the executive board of APG. 

Blacquière has extensive managerial experience and knowledge of all aspects of financial management. Over the past thirty years, he has held various management, operational and staff positions within the energy sector. For the past eight years he was part of the executive board of distribution system operator Enexis as Chief Financial Officer. Before that, as Chief Financial Officer, he was the central point of contact for the financial policy and corporate social responsibility (CSR) within the Board of Directors of GasTerra for more than seven years. 

Annette Mosman, chairman of APG: “Maarten is an accomplished financial director. Although he does not come from the financial sector itself, he has a lot of experience with transitions and semi-private organizations and he is skilled in IT. The Netherlands are on the eve of the largest reform of the pension system ever, in which APG obviously has an important role to play. We will surely benefit from of Maarten's broad vision and competencies to steer this transition in the right direction, together with our pension fund clients. I look forward to a pleasant cooperation.”  

“We are deeply indebted to Jan Nijland for temporarily filling the position of CFRO. We greatly appreciated his dedication, expertise and humor. We wish Jan every success in returning to his original position of managing director Group Risk & Compliance and are pleased to often see him in that capacity.” 

Pieter Jongstra, Chairman of the supervisory board of APG: “We are pleased with the appointment of Maarten Blacquière. Previously, at Enexis, he was also part of a board of directors as CFO. He concluded this period successfully and with an excellent reputation. He is strategic as well as result-oriented and radiates calmness and reliability. In addition, he has affinity with important themes such as the energy transition and sustainability. On behalf of the supervisory board, I wish Maarten every success in his new role at APG.” 

Heleen Kuijten will start on 1 April 2022 as managing director human resources at APG Groep NV, the largest pension provider in the Netherlands. In this role she will be responsible for the HR-policy and -strategy and the HR-transformation of APG. Heleen will report directly to Ronald Wuijster, member of the Executive Board and, among others, HR portfolio holder.

Heleen Kuijten obtained a bachelor's degree at Nijenrode Business University and subsequently worked in senior HR positions at Vedior, MCI Worldcom, Bruna and Royal Schiphol Group. For the past eight years she worked as director of human resources at Royal Schiphol Group. She is a member of the supervisory boards of BDO and Otto Workforce.

Ronald Wuijster, member of the Executive Board of APG: “I am very pleased that Heleen will lead the HR discipline of APG with her varied and rich experience. In the Netherlands and as APG, we are facing the largest pension reform ever. The knowledge and skills of our people are crucial in this transition. They definitely make the difference in the way they work and collaborate. A social, people-oriented and development-oriented HR policy not only creates the conditions for this, but also inspires. That is why I am happy that we can bind someone of Heleen's caliber to us. I look forward to working with her.”

As of 1 March, Ronald Wuijster will be the new chairman of DUFAS (Dutch Fund and Asset Management Association). He continues the course of DUFAS, with the emphasis on increasing awareness of the social relevance of the sector.

"Not everyone is aware of it, but more than 75% of households in the Netherlands have an exposure to the capital markets through pensions, insurance or direct investments. This is a unique situation that occurs in almost none of the other EU Member States. It is important that we properly represent the interests of stakeholders in the Netherlands and abroad," says Wuijster on the DUFAS website.

Together with vice-chairman Jaap Westerling, Wuijster forms the new daily DUFAS board. One of the organisation’s aims is to raise awareness of the social relevance of investing. DUFAS also supports the development of sector standards and represents the asset management sector in the introduction of new laws and regulations.

Dina Aleman will start on April 15, 2022 as Managing Director Corporate Affairs & Communication at APG Group. In this role, which is new to the organisation, Aleman will lead the Group Legal & Governance and Communication departments. It was recently decided to bring these departments under a single head. The aim of this is an optimal and integrated service of relevant corporate and social stakeholders. In this position, Aleman will report directly to CEO Annette Mosman.

Dina Aleman studied law in Leiden and then worked as a lawyer and in various strategic advisory positions with a focus on financial services. At KPMG she was a partner for seventeen years and responsible for advisory services for financial institutions, including insurers and pension funds. She recently worked as director of legal, tax and strategy at pension provider PGGM.

Annette Mosman, chairman of the APG Group: “I am very pleased that Dina will lead these
departments. In the Netherlands and as APG, we are facing the largest pension reform ever. We can only do this transition well if we are in good contact with our stakeholders. Of course the funds and participants, but also society. Maintaining and increasing confidence in the pension system is crucial. That is why I am happy that we could bind someone of Dina's stature to us to help shape and implement this. I look forward to working with her.”

In order to be ready for the new pension system, APG will be fully committed to digitization in the coming years. A new era that demands new employees. Good and qualified people with a specialization in digitization. And that is not easy in a tight labor market. Therefore Peter Strikwerda, Head of Digitalization & Innovation AM, and Rein Heddema, HR director started a new campaign.

The tight labor market, the so-called war for talent, is one of the challenges APG faces. The low level of (brand) awareness is an extra challenge. APG is well known within the sector, but outside it (and certainly in the field of Digital and Data) much less. And that is why 'extra effort' for the employer brand APG has to be made. Then the search behavior, the wishes and needs of candidates also change quickly.

All these challenges together are now being tackled with the new recruitment campaign. Peter Strikwerda, Head of Digitalization & Innovation AM explains: "This is a strategic change. The biggest make or break for APG the next five years, at least, is to bind and captivate talent. After all, people are the core of our strategy execution. This campaign gives us a great opportunity to step into the job market and find those people. To show that we are not a dusty pension company. Things happen here that high-tech companies can only dream of. But with the signature of the pension company that we are." Rein Heddema adds: " People don't even realize what APG does."

Back to the challenges and the shortage on the labor market. Is APG in very bad shape?
Strikwerda: "It all starts with demonstrating that we are an inspiring company. Because if you're not seen, nothing will happen. In addition, a digital talent of around thirty years old can choose from at least seven jobs worldwide. And only 6 percent are actively looking for other work. Then you have to come up with something good if you want to attract attention."

And what is it that APG wants to achieve? 
Heddema: "I want those talents to see that we're working on a financial future of half the number of households in the Netherlands. I'm sure it appeals to people that we're embarking on a pension revolution that is carried out in slow motion. That they think 'I could code anywhere, but I want to be socially relevant in an environment where I can be myself and not trip over the rules'. APG should also be a place where people can develop. We become a great place to learn. We do employees a favor with this, but certainly also ourselves. We need their development." 

Who does APG compete with?  
Heddema: "The thing is that you can't point them out, they're everywhere. We compete with the entire financial sector and with all companies that want to be more data-driven. Talented people therefore have a large pool to choose from."

So how do we stand out from everyone else who is looking for digital talent?
Strikwerda: "We're looking for people who can work with data, who want to make an impact, who want to develop and who seek a balance between work and private life. People who see that what is on our sign makes a social difference. And we offer them a pleasant working environment, safety and room for development. Don't come to us for quick or big money."

When we think of digital, we often think of IT. Is that also the angle you are looking for?
Strikwerda: "Also IT, but certainly not exclusively. The digital prowess associated with this digital transformation of APG will soon be spread throughout the company. From a data specialist to a customer contact center employee or a portfolio manager. The classic division between business and IT is disappearing. We need liaison officers. A good data specialist who understands the technology of the data, but who can also talk to an HR specialist or a portfolio manager. So you will soon have hyper specialists and people with a T-profile within APG who can talk about anything and ultimately, we'll all be working with data now or in a few years' time, we can't escape that."

'The future calls for people who look further'

Take a look at the campaign:

• LinkedIn ENG - LinkedIn NL
• Facebook
• Youtube
• APGcareers ENG  - WerkenbijAPG NL

Effective January 1, 2022, the Open University will become a shareholder of Brightlands Smart Services Campus in Heerlen, joining founding fathers APG, Maastricht University and Province of Limburg to become the campus’ fourth shareholder. The agreement between Open University and Brightlands Smart Services Campus was signed on November 23.

Brightlands Smart Services Campus is a community of 80 large and small companies, startups, knowledge and other institutes, and organizations including APG, CBS, Accenture, Conclusion, the Dutch National Police, TNO and a.s.r. They work together on innovations in data science and artificial intelligence for public and financial services, sustainability, healthcare and education.

Accelerating

“This is a fantastic development for our campus,” says Astrid Boeijen, CEO of theBrightlands Smart Services Campus. “Digitalization is at the heart of the OU organization; it is the Netherlands’ leading expert when it comes to the digitalization of education, making it possible to accelerate the ambitions of the Brightlands AI-hub, for example. It enables us to make joint investments in meeting the major challenges in digitalization facing sectors such as public

services, financial services, health and sustainability, the ultimate goal of which is to generate broad prosperity for this region and the Netherlands as a whole.”

Read the full press release here.

After more than a year and a half of lockdowns and working from home, the Netherlands is slowly taking its first steps towards working at the office again. But is working “on the job” still the same as it was before the pandemic? APG has fully adapted to the practice of flexible working and is accommodating this with fully renovated offices in Heerlen and Amsterdam. But will employees be able to successfully adapt to both a new way of working and a new environment straight away? And what will the new workplace actually look like?

It almost seems as if this has been planned all along: the full-scale renovation of the APG building on Amsterdam’s Basisweg largely runs parallel to the period in which we were all working from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This is, however, purely coincidental. The Workspace Project, in which APG employees are provided with guidance to help them get used to flexible working in a renovated, sustainable building, was initiated long before the pandemic.

The crisis nevertheless provided the original plan with a new impetus. Paul Donners, Program Director for Realization Edge West: “Teleworking has always been part of flexible working, but it was certainly not common practice at that time. The lockdowns have proven that working from home can be ideal, particularly if you need to concentrate. There is less emphasis on that on the new work floors, partly because of the experience we gained during this time.”

Unnecessary occupation

Switching from a more traditional working environment with fixed hours and workstations to working from home and flexible working in a new building must be quite a step for many employees. And all that in just under two years. Of course, the proof of the pudding is in the eating, says Donners. The implementation of the project is, of course, accompanied by the necessary challenges. “Employees no longer sit in the same chair all day. We have to find the right mix between activity and sitting at a workstation. In any case, we are not going to keep any workstations occupied unnecessarily. Do you need to attend a meeting? Then you will simply need to take all your stuff with you.”

So many generations, so many wishes
The interior of the renovated building, Edge West (of which APG is one of several tenants), will be modeled completely on this more “nomadic” existence that employees will need to get used to. This also applies to the office in Heerlen. The architectural firm Fokkema & Partners accepted the commission for the refurbishment. According to architect Rick Rijkse there were plenty of challenges. Especially because in a large organization like APG there are also many different voices. Rijkse: “APG is an organization where many generations work under the same roof. That led to diverse and sometimes conflicting wishes. It was precisely by speaking to the users and putting them first that we were able to arrive at a suitable design.”

Future-proof

Architect Noëlle Huijgen understood that APG required a design with greater diversity in terms of workstations and more space for video conferencing. “The pandemic brought with it in an increasing demand for ways to hold meetings and consult with one another digitally, as well as facilities to accommodate this at the office. Video conferencing has become an important means of communication. This is facilitated with clusters on the work floor where teams can meet digitally. Fortunately, this combination had already been included in the initial Workspace design. In fact, it turned out to be future-proof.”

But what will all of this look like? Watch the video below and see for yourself!

Roger van Boxtel will leave the Supervisory Board of APG Groep (APG) on 1 April 2021. After the end of his role as CEO at NS in the autumn of 2020, Roger decided to reconsider the composition of his ancillary positions. After six years as a member of the Supervisory Board of APG, the adoption of the new strategy is an appropriate moment for the departure. Roger is very confident that APG will successfully implement the new strategy.

Pieter Jongstra, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of APG Groep: “With the departure of Roger van Boxtel, we lose a respected colleague of the Supervisory Board. With his knowledge and experience, he has added to APG's development into a leading pension provider. We are very grateful for his contribution.”

Roger has been a member of the Supervisory Board of APG since July 16, 2015. After his departure, his duties will be provisionally divided between the other members of the Supervisory Board.

As of April 1, 2021, the Supervisory Board of APG will be composed as follows: Pieter Jongstra (Chairman), Dick van Well (Vice chairman) Claudia Zuiderwijk, José Meijer and Maes van Lanschot.

Annette Mosman has been appointed chief executive officer of APG Groep as of March 1st, 2021. She succeeds Gerard van Olphen who is stepping down on April 1st of this year. Annette has already been a member of the board of directors of APG as CFRO since February 2018. By appointing Annette, APG has a female chief executive officer for the first time in history.

Pieter Jongstra, chairman of the supervisory board, is pleased with the appointment of Annette:

“For the pension sector in The Netherlands, the expected New Pension Contract marks an important and challenging period and its implementation will be demanding for pension providers such as APG. I am pleased that Annette, as very experienced leader, will be at the helm during this period. We wish her every success in her new role.”

A word of thanks also goes to Gerard:

“APG as well as the Supervisory Board are deeply grateful to Gerard van Olphen. Gerard led an intensive process from the start of his appointment, in which he stood at the cradle of setting a clear strategy for APG and in which the interests of the participants were made a priority.  He helped shape the new strategy, which will enable the Executive Board and the entire APG team to continue on the same path. We wish him and his family all the best for the future.”

As of March 1, 2021, the APG Executive Board will be composed as follows:

Annette Mosman (Chairman)

Ronald Wuijster (Chair Asset Management)

Francine van Dierendonck (Chair DWS, Chair Pension Administration ad interim)

vacancy (Chief Finance and Risk Officer)

Curious about Annette and the plans she has in her new position? Watch this video.  

And read the press release here.

Sarah Russell will be appointed as a member of the Supervisory Boards of both APG Groep NV (“APG”) and APG Asset Management NV (“APG AM”) with effective date May 15, 2021.

Following a positive decision by the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets (AFM), shareholders approved the nomination of Sarah Russell as member of both Supervisory Boards.

Sarah Russell will succeed Maes van Lanschot, who will be stepping down on May 15, 2021 after two terms of 4 years.

Sarah Russell has worked in the international financial industry and global wealth management for more than 25 years, both in Europe and her native Australia. She has lived in the Netherlands for 20 years.

Sarah Russell has a masters degree in applied finance from Macquarie University in Sydney. She was CEO of Aegon Asset Management (from 2010 until 2019) and a member of the managing board of Aegon NV (from 2016 to 2019).  Among her non-executive roles are: a member of the Board of Directors of Nordea Bank Abp (since 2010) and a member of the Supervisory Board of The Currency Exchange Fund NV (since 2019). 

Chairman Supervisory Board of APG Pieter Jongstra:  “With Sarah Russell, we welcome a highly experienced and knowledgeable member to the APG Supervisory Board. During her career, she acquired extensive knowledge in the area of financial services, asset management and risk management. It is very important that she also joins the Supervisory Board of APG AM in order to act as linking pin between both Supervisory Boards. We look forward to a fruitful cooperation. At the same time, I take this opportunity to thank Maes van Lanschot very much for his valuable and much appreciated contribution over the past eight years.”

With the appointment of Sarah Russell, the Supervisory Board of APG will consist of three women and three men. The Supervisory Board of APG AM will consist of one woman and two men. Consequently, APG will meet the target of at least 30% of its Supervisory Board consisting of women.

As of May 15, 2021 the Supervisory Board of APG Groep will include the following members: Pieter Jongstra (chairman), Dick van Well (vice-chairman), Roger van Boxtel, Claudia Zuiderwijk, José Meijer and Sarah Russell. The Supervisory Board of APG AM will comprise of: Bart Le Blanc (chairman), Knut Kjaer and Sarah Russell.

The APG Group Supervisory Board announces that Gerard van Olphen will step down as Chairman of the Board of APG. In addition to private reasons for this decision, he sees the new strategy that has been developed as a natural moment to make way for a successor. Gerard van Olphen will stay on until the spring of 2021 so that a smooth transfer is possible. The Supervisory Board has now started the procedure for the search for a successor.

Gerard van Olphen started as chairman of the board at APG in March 2016. In recent years, he has led a transformation process to maximize pension value for participants of the pension funds for which APG works. Under his leadership, the execution of the pension administration has improved. Furthermore, APG's position as a worldwide leading investment organization has been strengthened and non-core activities have been sold.

Gerard van Olphen: “The development of the inspiring 2025 future strategy has created a natural moment for personal change for me. The past months have brought me to the conclusion that I want to give more attention to my private life. That is a well-considered decision, whereby I realize the impact on APG. At the same time, I can take this decision with confidence because I know that APG is in the hands of a team of highly motivated and knowledgeable people. I am therefore convinced that APG can fully meet the challenges facing the pension sector. For the coming months, I look forward to further cooperation with my team and a good handover to my successor.”

Pieter Jongstra, chairman of the supervisory board of APG Group: “We would have liked to have made longer use of the involved chairman of the board, that Gerard is for APG, but of course we respect Gerard's considerations and decision. Gerard has led an intensive process from the start of his appointment in which the interests of participants are now top of mind to all in our organization. He is helping to shape the new 2025 strategy, with which the Executive Board and the entire APG team can continue on this path. It is too early to thank Gerard for his enormous contribution to APG, because he will still be our chairman of the board in the coming months, also to ensure a careful follow-up process. ”

Who are the people answering your telephone call when you have a question about pensions? And who are the people ensuring that you receive your pension statement every year? What are the underlying factors in making sure there is enough money later on for your pension payment? We take you with us to have a look behind the scenes.

Caroline Bruls (30) is an actuary, or the fortune teller of the pension fund.

What is it an actuary actually does?

“As insurance mathematicians, my colleagues and I are responsible for, among other things, the payments a pension fund has to make. Part of our job is to calculate the contribution needed for next year. We take a look at how many people are accruing pension for instance. And we examine how many people are retiring, how much pension they will receive and whether they have partners as potential survivors. We compare the outcomes of these investigations with the amount of money available in the fund. That results in the coverage ratio. As long as that coverage ratio is at least one hundred percent, a pension fund is able to continue paying the pensions until the distant future.”

Has it always been your dream to become an actuary?

“No, it sort of just happened. I didn’t even know what it was exactly at first. I just bumped into the position during a two-years starters’ action plan at APG. I immediately enjoyed it. In the meantime, I have been doing this job for five years now. Prior to this, I studied. First economics, later on econometrics. After that, I followed a post-graduate education to become an actuary.”

What are your main tasks?

“We develop mathematical models for future payments. We do so based on assumptions regarding the risks for the pension fund. What is the life expectancy of people in general, does he or she have a partner and are there any young children? We furthermore use statistics to assess the chance of dying and incapacity to work. And we also check afterwards whether our assumptions were correct.”

Isn’t that boring?

“No, on the contrary. We try to predict the future in an ever-changing world, and who doesn’t want to do that? People may think we are still struggling with papers and a calculator. But because of the technological progress and the availability of increasingly more data, we are able to make faster and more advanced calculation models. This means we are able to conduct much more extensive risk analyses and provide our clients with more insight. But you do have to love working with figures if you are an actuary.”

And you love figures?

“I really enjoy calculating, inventing solutions and transferring information. And the fact that we provide pension funds with direct information, enabling them to determine their policy.”

Does the participant have any awareness of the work you do as an actuary?

“We calculate the amount of the pension contribution. And we calculate the coverage ratio. This latter indicates whether there is space for indexation, or that pensions have to be reduced and to what extent. A possible reduction and the maximum compensation for inflation is dominated by statutory rules by the way.”

How far ahead do you look into the future?

“Pension funds have to guarantee lifelong payments. Also when people reach the age of one hundred years or more. That is why we are trying to look into the future for up to one hundred years ahead.”

How do you know how old participants will become?

“We use the prediction of the average life expectancy provided by the Dutch professional association of actuaries and data of the Dutch Central Statistical Office. A Dutch person retiring now, still has about twenty years to go. But we adjust that information specifically to every pension fund based on data in our own administration. The officials of ABP, for example, appear to live approximately three years longer than the national average after they retire. Construction workers at BpfBOUW equal the average figures.”

Do you also calculate the individual pension payments?

“No, but we do calculate the basis for the independent payments. We use a computer system to calculate the individual pensions.”

What is the biggest challenge in your work?

“To predict the distant future, using a lot of mathematics and statistics. And to then explain the outcomes to the management of a pension fund. The same applies to the impact on the coverage ratio and the pension contribution when a management team is looking to change its policy. Or when employers and employees want to change a pension scheme.

What I enjoy the most is being able to transfer that information properly. If they are able to make their decisions using our data. It also pleases me when I see the face of colleagues light up and they say: Now I get it.”

José Meijer has been appointed as a member of the supervisory board of APG Group (APG), the largest pension provider in the Netherlands, as of 5 September 2020. The shareholders approved the nomination of José Meijer by APG's supervisory board. The APG works council has an enhanced right of recommendation for this nomination and has been closely involved in the search process. José Meijer succeeds Edith Snoeij, who retired from the supervisory board after eight years.

José Meijer has held various (board) positions in the past forty years within the trade union, government, addiction care and the pension sector. José Meijer has been vice-chairman of the ABP pension fund since 2013, a role she will fulfill until the beginning of June 2020. As of 2014 she is a member of the general board of the Pensioenfederatie. Since April 2020, she has held the acting chairmanship of the Pensioenfederatie. She is also a member of the FNV pension team. José Meijer studied organizational sociology and science at the University of Leiden.

Pieter Jongstra, chairman of the supervisory board of APG: “With José Meijer, we welcome a very passionate and expert member of the supervisory board. In her career she has obtained thorough knowledge in the field of pension and has extensive experience as a director and supervisor. Her extensive network and good reputation with social partners and unions will certainly come in handy in the coming years, in which APG is expected to play a major role in further developing the new pension system and contract. We look forward to a pleasant cooperation. ”

Martijn Kleijer, chairman of the APG works council: “In recent years, it has become apparent that the works council can better represent the interests of its stakeholders if it makes use of relationships with various stakeholders, including the supervisory board. The Works Council is pleased to have found a candidate who has extensive experience in the sector and who fits perfectly in the role of a Commissioner in terms of signature, whereby the Works Council can apply its enhanced right of recommendation. José Meijer recognizes the importance of regular sounding boards with the works council and has indicated that she wants to fill in the supervisory board together with the works council. The works council is looking forward to a pleasant and constructive cooperation. ”

As of September 5, 2020, the supervisory board of APG is composed as follows: Pieter Jongstra (chairman), Dick van Well (vice chairman), Roger van Boxtel, Maes van Lanschot, Claudia Zuiderwijk and José Meijer.

Read here the PRESS RELEASE

René Steenhart (56) has been appointed Managing Director Business Improvement and Change at APG, the largest pension provider in the Netherlands, as of 1 May 2020. In this role he will be responsible for managing the total and integrated Change organization for APG for the benefit of Participant & Employer Services, Pension Fund Services and Staff departments. René will, among other things, be involved in the further implementation of Value Streams within APG. He will also lead the transformation to the new way of working.

Over a period of more than 20 years, René has held various senior management positions at Rabobank in complex, international environments. In these roles, he has gained extensive experience in leading large-scale change programs at the intersection of Operations, IT, Finance and Risk. Rene was appointed Director of Operations Wholesale & International, CIOO Asia & North America in 2008. Between 2015 and 2018, he was also CEO of RaboHypotheekBank. His last positions before his appointment at APG were Director Operations Finance Private Individuals and Companies and CFRO / COO at RaboGroenBank. René followed various courses in the field of IT and management and in 2006 obtained an Executive MBA at Nijenrode University. René is married and has four children.

Anne-Marie Le Doux-Janssen starts this May 1 as head of APG’s GroeiFabriek. Le Doux currently holds the position of head of Agile Center for Enablement at APG and previously worked at APG in IT, change and HR positions. She studied International Business and Change Management at the Maastricht University. She succeeds Inge Murrer.

The GroeiFabriek was launched in 2015 to enhance innovation within APG and across the pensions industry. Now, five years later, the focus shifts from technological and exploratory experiments with a longer term horizon to experiments providing business value for APG and its fund clients in the medium-term and focus, among other things, on the new pension contract and innovations regarding the needs of participants, employers and funds.

Francine van Dierendonck, member of APG’s executive board and responsible for Participant and Employers Services (Deelnemer- en Werkgeversservices -DWS), Strategy and Communications: “APG is transforming from an administration-oriented organization into a participant-oriented organization: a controlled pension provider that is continuously improving and innovating with the needs of the participant in mind. We want to be perceived as a reliable guide, offering people accessible insight into their income now, in the near future and later on. By giving more focus, the GroeiFabriek will contribute more concretely to our strategy and the strategic themes. Executive power and co-creation in partnerships are important priorities in this respect. This way we are prepared for the future that will be characterized by the changes in the pension contract and the pension scheme. I am extremely pleased that Anne-Marie will be strengthening DWS and the GroeiFabriek. Given her knowledge and expertise, drive and attention to people, she is the right person to build upon the success of the GroeiFabriek and to take it forward to the next stage with a renewed focus.”

Anne-Marie Le Doux-Janssen: “I am very keen on making a concrete contribution that is felt by our clients directly. And that’s possible at the GroeiFabriek where we experiment with new products, processes and services in order to continue our delivery of added value for our participants, employers and funds.”

Pieter Jongstra RA (63) has been unanimously elected as new chairman by the Supervisory Board of APG Group NV (APG). He succeeds Jaap van Manen, who resigned as chairman on 1 January 2020. In recent weeks, Jongstra has been the acting chairman of the supervisory board. APG manages €534 billion euros in pension assets for various pension funds and ensures that 4.6 million participants can be confident that their accrued pension rights are properly invested, administered and paid out.

Pieter Jongstra has been a member of the APG Supervisory Board since February 2015. He has worked for EY for a large part of his career, of which more than 14 years in (inter)national management positions. From mid-2015 to mid-2018, Jongstra was chairman of the Dutch professional organization of accountants (NBA). He holds various other positions. He is a member of the board and treasurer of Foundation Support The Netherlands Back Society and member of the Supervisory Board of Mazars NV and of CZ.

Dick van Well, vice-chairman of the APG Supervisory Board: “With Pieter Jongstra we get a very experienced and knowledgeable chairman of the supervisory board. He has been a member of the Supervisory Board for a long time and has extensive knowledge of APG and the rapidly changing environment. He also has a good relationship with the board of directors. We look forward to a pleasant continuation of the collaboration.”

The Supervisory Board of APG Group is now composed as follows: Pieter Jongstra (chairman), Dick van Well (vice-chairman), Roger van Boxtel, Maes van Lanschot, Edith Snoeij and Claudia Zuiderwijk.

Marjolein de Jongh was appointed as Managing Director Strategy & Change at APG Groep NV, the largest pension administrator in the Netherlands, on 20 January 2020. In this role she is responsible for the further development of the vision, strategy and long-term goals of the company. In addition, she will further design and implement the change strategy, in line with APG's new positioning. Marjolein reports directly to member of the executive board Francine van Dierendonck.

Marjolein has extensive experience  in the field of large-scale strategy projects  and transformations in the banking sector. She has held various international management positions at Royal Bank of Scotland, ING and Standard Chartered Bank over the past 15 years. Before that she worked at the Dutch central government in various strategic policy positions. Her last role was Global Head of Trade Transformation at HSBC. Marjolein studied art history at the University of Amsterdam.

Francine van Dierendonck, member of the exective board of the APG Group, responsible  for Strategy & Change, Corporate  ommunication, Innovation and Participant and Employer Services (DWS) said “Our sector is changing and APG, as the largest pension provider, wants to help shape this. After all, pension is about people, about life and about living together. We want to ensure that not only we, but also our parents and children have a good income for now and later. As an authority in the field of pensions and participants, we can make a difference, provided we make clear strategic choices and the organization becomes more agile.

I am confident that Marjolein, with her experience in the field of strategy and change management, will make an important contribution to achieving these goals. I look forward to our collaboration.”

Jaap van Manen has decided to step down as member and chairman of the supervisory board of APG as of January 1. This is due to personal circumstances. This role of chairman will be assumed by Pieter Jongstra, the current vice-chairman of the supervisory board. Van Manen acted as chairman since 1 January 2019.

The supervisory board is considering the permanent fulfillment of the role of chairman.

On behalf of APG, the supervisory board would like to thank Jaap van Manen for his commitment to APG.

The Supervisory Board of APG as of January 1 2020 will be composed as follows: Pieter Jongstra (acting chairman Roger van Boxtel, Maes van Lanschot, Edith Snoeij, Dick van Well and Claudia Zuiderwijk

Pieter Borsboom (52) has been appointed Managing Director Group Communications & Branding by APG's executive board as of 1 February 2020. In this position he will report to Francine van Dierendonck, member of the executive board of APG and responsible for Communications. He succeeds Eric Heres, who held this position on an interim basis from mid-2017. Borsboom is currently working as a Brand & Communication manager at Univé.

Borsboom studied Economics at Erasmus University Rotterdam and subsequently worked as a communication consultant at CMC and Euro RSCG Bikker and was managing director at Tappan Communicatie. He then worked as an interim communication manager at ING, ABN AMRO, UWV and ProRail, among others. Since 2013 he has been working as Brand and Communication Manager at Univé.

Read the press release here.

APG is different. It has two women and a “diversity officer” (a man) on the 5-member supervisory board and it adjusted the wage gap last summer. “This is a priority for us. We are way ahead of the commercial world.”

Francine, member of the supervisory board, who is responsible for the business component of Participant and Employer Services, and who was recently presented as a commissioner by engineering firm Royal Haskoning, also talks about her career step, from Marktplaats, Miss Etam and Xenos to APG, about diversity and about the sexist and inappropriate comments she still has to deal with inside and outside of the board rooms, in her interview with NRC.

And while talking about the usefulness of a women’s quota for top positions, she also overturns the counter argument that women that get to the top due to a quota are seen as token women. “That’s just nonsense. Then you’re missing the essence of why you would temporarily employ such a measure - and it must be temporary; 8 years, or, for example, two terms. It is to create an equal playing field and to break through an old pattern, by increasing opportunities for a group that is currently being insufficiently promoted and is under-represented in the top. We really must get rid of the idea of the token women.” 

“My motto is: focus your energy on what you can change, how you can make an impact. Saying you don’t like something doesn’t count.”

 

Read the entire Dutch interview with Francine van Dierendonck in the NRC here.

Wendela van Uchelen has been appointed General Counsel APG Group as of May 1st, 2019. In her job, which is new to the organization, she will lead the APG Legal department. The Group ‘Legal and Corporate Affairs’ departments will be integrated into this.

Wendela van Uchelen (1966) used to be General Counsel at the Dutch Railways before this job. Before that job, she had comparable jobs at Danone, Numico and BP, both in the Netherlands and abroad. She studied law in Amsterdam and Cambridge, England. After her study, she started at Nauta Dutilh as a lawyer. She is member of the supervisory board of PZEM and member of the Board at Kids Rights.

Gerard van Olphen, Chief Executive Officer at APG Group: “Because of the complexity of the supervisory bodies both at APG and outside APG, we need a strong and cohesive Legal job that secures both internal and external governance. We are very happy that Wendela wants to lead this new department and takes responsibility for an optimum execution of it. With her study and broad experience, she has all she needs to make this a success at APG. I'm looking forward to working with her.”

ASR Nederland N.V. (a.s.r.) has completed the acquisition of Loyalis. All the conditions set to the acquisition have been met, such as the declaration of no objection from the Dutch Central Bank and the approval of the Netherlands Authority for Consumers & Markets. The works councils of a.s.r. and APG have issued a positive advice.

a.s.r., Loyalis and APG announced last December that a.s.r. acquired Loyalis. Loyalis’ Non-life insurance business will remain in Heerlen and continue to offer products under the name Loyalis. a.s.r. intends to expand Loyalis further as a specialist income insurer. Customers of Loyalis will get access to additional services in the field of sustainable employability through a.s.r.’s knowledge and partnerships in the areas of vitality, prevention and reintegration guidance. In the future, a.s.r. will also continue to collaborate with APG in the areas of knowledge sharing, product development and customer services. a.s.r. has meanwhile started the preparations for the integration of Loyalis’ Life activities. The full integration will be on a phased basis and is expected to be completed by 2020 at the latest.

Jos Baeten, CEO a.s.r.: “This acquisition in is line with the core of our strategy. With the De Amersfoortse brand, a.s.r. plays a leading role in the field of disability insurance, with a focus on sustainable employability. The acquisition of the complementary portfolio of Loyalis strengthens a.s.r.’s market position and offers new opportunities for further growth in new segments. Customers of Loyalis can be assured that the services and the solid business operations will continue unabated and I welcome the Loyalis colleagues to a.s.r.”

Gerard van Olphen, chairman of APG Group: “With the completion of the acquisition of Loyalis by a.s.r., a new phase has begun. Both for everyone at Loyalis and for us. We have mixed feelings about this disposal. On the one hand because we have worked together well for many years and in a pleasant atmosphere; on the other hand because it is a deliberate strategic choice to sell Loyalis. APG will be focusing more on its primary tasks such as pension administration and asset management for our pension funds. With the transition to a.s.r., the continuity and certainty for customers of Loyalis has been safeguarded. Through a partnership agreement we continue to be connected with a.s.r. and Loyalis and we are looking forward to this collaboration. We thank everybody at Loyalis for their efforts over the past years and wish them success in the future.”

Prof. Jaap van Manen has been appointed by the shareholders of APG Group as chairman of the Supervisory Board of APG Groep NV, the largest pension provider in the Netherlands, with effect from January 1, 2019. He succeeds Bart Le Blanc, who resigned as chairman of the Supervisory Board in July, at the end of his term. Pieter Jongstra, Vice-Chairman of the Supervisory Board, took over the tasks of Le Blanc during the intervening period. The appointment of Mr. Van Manen is valid for a period of four years and has been approved by DNB. APG manages 485 billion euros in pension assets and ensures that over 4.5 million people can trust that their accrued pension rights are appropriately invested, administered and paid out. 

Jaap van Manen (1950) is a partner at the Strategic Management Center, which deals with issues relating to corporate governance, strategy and processes in the boardroom. He focuses on directors, supervisory directors, shareholders and other stakeholders. His seniority and expertise in the aforementioned areas made him the ideal chairman of the Corporate Governance Code Monitoring Committee, who in recent years was working on a revision of the code for good corporate governance.

Van Manen is also chairman of the Code Good Governance Committee of the Association of Universities (VSNU), member of the Supervisory Board of Bornet Groep Rotterdam BV, board member of the Society and Security Foundation, board member of the Endowment Foundation at the Museum Boijmans van Beuningen and emeritus professor of corporate governance at the University of Groningen. Jaap van Manen was vice-chairman of DNB's supervisory board until 1 October.

He graduated as a registered accountant at the University of Groningen and obtained a PhD in economics from the same university. Jaap van Manen worked almost his entire career for PwC (and its legal predecessors). Before Coopers & Lybrand merged with Pricewaterhouse, he was chairman of Coopers & Lybrand Accountants Nederland. After the merger he became chairman of the Financial Services section.

Pieter Jongstra Vice-Chairman APG Supervisory Board: "I am delighted that we have such an experienced and expert chairman of our Supervisory Board. Jaap van Manen has extensive knowledge and an excellent reputation in the field of corporate governance, company law and financial supervision. He also has broad experience as a director and supervisory director. We look forward to working with him."

Effective January 1, 2019, the Supervisory Board of APG Group will be composed as follows: Jaap van Manen (chairman), Pieter Jongstra (vice chairman), Roger van Boxtel, Maes van Lanschot, Edith Snoeij, Dick van Well and Claudia Zuiderwijk.

Francine van Dierendonck (42) has been appointed to the Executive Board of APG Group NV (the largest pension administrator in the Netherlands) effective November 1st 2018. She will be responsible for ‘Participant and Employer Services,’ a new portfolio within the APG Executive Board. This appointment sees the board expanded from four to five members. ‘Participant and Employer Services’ was created to support the expected changes to the role of participants and employers in the pension system. Key elements of its role include providing information, advice and support for employers and participants.In light of the fact that services in this field are still being developed, she will also be responsible for the portfolio ‘Innovation & Ventures, which is part of ‘Participant and Employer Services’. The appointment is for a period of four years and has been approved by supervisors. APG Group manages 485 billion euro in pension assets and ensures that over 4.5 million people can trust that their accrued pension rights will be invested, administrated and paid out correctly.

Francine van Dierendonck was the CEO of Xenos from 2016 until May 2018. After university, she started off her professional career as a strategy consultant with Boston Consulting Group in 2000. Following that, her career included positions for eBay and Marktplaats as marketing director, for Philips as a Senior Director responsible for the direct to consumer-channel and digital strategy, and for Etam Group as Chief Commercial Officer and CIO. Van Dierendonck studied biotechnology at Wageningen University and Delft University of Technology. She and her partner have three sons together.

Gerard van Olphen (Chair of APG's Executive Board): “Our assignment is to achieve the highest possible return at the lowest cost for our pension funds and their participants, and to communicate clearly about our efforts. No matter the shape of the new pension system, the latter aspect, clear communication, will certainly become even more important than before. In part because participants and employers are expected to have to make more independent choices about their income for later. That is why it is a good thing Francine will be handling this important new portfolio. With her appointment, we are adding a different type of knowledge and experience to our Executive Board as well as making it more diverse and decreasing the average age. I look forward to working with Francine.”

Pieter Jongstra (acting Chair of APG's Supervisory Board): “APG is among the best investment institutions in the world. Our pension fund clients rightfully have strict requirements for our investment activities, but they are increasingly focused on pension communications as well. Key elements in this regard include providing information, advice and support to employers and participants. Given that services in this field are still being developed, Innovation & Ventures is also part of this portfolio, as it focuses on experimentation and innovation. That is why we are happy we were able to appoint Francine van Dierendonck. She has extensive experience in the consumer market and relevant digital developments. We consider the fact that she hails from outside the industry, combined with her retail and digital experience, as a significant advantage.”

Francine introduces herself...

Rob Krijgsman, manager of APG's customer care center, can call himself Contact Center Manager of the Year 2018. During an exciting final on October 3rd in which four nominees presented themselves to the public and a seven-person jury, Krijgsman was unanimously chosen as the winner. According to the jury, he is "an inspiration for the sector that knows how to apply innovation in daily practice."

The CCMA Awards - Manager of the Year is an annual event with the aim of putting the best and most progressive customer contact manager in the spotlight. An extensive selection and presentation round preceded the election of Krijgsman. A jury of seven experts selected APG's customer care center from a longlist of 85 nominations. After an intake interview and wuestionnaire, a top 10 was finally reached. These 10 candidates took part in the semifinal, after which the jury announced the 4 finalists. During the final evening, 4 finalists presented themselves to the jury and the 130 customer contact specialists present for the last time.

In his acceptance speech, the winner especially praised his team. "I've said it often lately, but without a good team you are nowhere. I am therefore very proud of the collective performance that we have delivered as a team and how we have gone through in the past period. "

APG Asset Management has appointed Peter Branner (54) as Chief Investment Officer (CIO) starting September 1st 2018. In this role, he will be responsible for the overall investment operations and further optimize sustainable and long term returns in line with the APG strategy. Branner will report to Ronald Wuijster, CEO of APG Asset Management and member of the Executive Board of APG Group responsible for asset management. The appointment of Peter Branner, as of September 1 2018, has been approved by AFM. APG Asset Management is part of APG Group NV, the Netherlands’ largest pension delivery organization. APG Group manages €479 billion in pension assets and ensures that over 4.5 million people can be confident that their accrued pension rights are being invested, administered, and paid out correctly.

Peter Branner has more than 25 years of investment experience. Before joining APG, he served as CEO/CIO of Swedish SEB Investment Management in Stockholm. In this role he was responsible for the overall investment process at the firm and its broad range of funds and institutional mandates covering all major asset classes with in excess of  €100 billion in assets under management. Previously, Peter was CIO at Fortis Investments’ Multi Management Division in London. Before that role, he served as Managing Director of IKANO Fund Management in Luxembourg and held other investment positions within the IKANO Group. Peter Branner graduated from Copenhagen Business School with a BSc in economics and a MSc in business administration.

Ronald Wuijster, CEO of APG Asset Management and member of the Executive Board of APG Group responsible for asset management: “At APG, we believe in good pensions in a sustainable world. Over the past years we have managed to realize very good investment returns. These results are crucial in order to pay participants’ pensions today and in the future. After all, of every pension euro that is paid, some 80 cents are realized by return on investments. At the same time, we are working closely with pension funds to make our investing activities more sustainable every day. I am very happy that Peter Branner is now joining our team as CIO and I am looking forward to continuing our work in achieving our ambitious goals together.”

Bart Le Blanc, Chairman of the Supervisory Board at APG Asset Management “APG is among the top investment institutions in the world with over €479 billion in pension assets under management. Our pension fund clients and their participants expect our investment activities to be top notch. This is why we are pleased with the appointment of Peter Branner, a seasoned executive in our field. He has broad international experience in the area of long-term investing and we are therefore fully confident that he is the right person to make the difference for our funds and their participants when it comes to asset management.”

As of July 22, Bart Le Blanc (71) is stepping down as Chair of the Supervisory Board of APG Group. He had been on the Supervisory Board since 2014, and is finishing his term as scheduled. Until a successor is appointed, Vice-Chair of the Supervisory Board Pieter Jongstra, will temporarily carry out his tasks. Bart Le Blanc will remain a member of the Supervisory Board of APG Asset Management, and will be installed as Chair of that Board on July 22.

After this change, the Supervisory Board of APG Group will consist of: Pieter Jongstra (acting Chair), Dick van Well (acting Vice-Chair), Edith Snoeij, Maes van Lanschot, Claudia Zuiderwijk, and Roger van Boxtel.

The Supervisory Board of APG Asset Management consists of: Bart Le Blanc (Chair), Maes van Lanschot (Vice-Chair) and Knut Kjaer.

The general meeting of shareholders of APG Asset Management has appointed Mr Knut Kjær (1956, Norwegian nationality) as a member of the Supervisory Board of APG Asset Management for a four-year term. His term will start on April 11, 2018.

APG Asset Management is delighted to announce the appointment of Mr Knut Kjær as member of its Supervisory Board. APG Asset Management manages about € 475 billion for Dutch pension plans. APG Asset Management is a licensed investment manager authorised by AFM under the AIFMD and has its own Supervisory Board.

Mr Kjær has extensive international experience in the world of finance and of asset management in particular. Mr Kjær obtained a master degree in Economics from the University of Oslo. From 1997 to 2008, he was the founding CEO at Norges Bank Investment Management. In that capacity he was responsible for the operational management of the Norwegian sovereign wealth fund and the management of the bulk of Norway’s foreign reserves.
In recognition of his contributions to the management of the Government Pension Fund, the Norwegian economy and the future financing of pensions, he was knighted by King Harald of Norway in 2008.

Since 2011 he is Chairman and partner at FSN Capital Partners, a Nordic private equity firm. Since 2017 he is Chairman of Sector Asset Management. Mr Kjær currently holds advisory positions with, among others, the Government of China Investment Corporation and the Monetary Authority of Singapore. From 2008 to 2016, Mr Kjær was a member of the ABP Investment Committee.

The Supervisory Board and Management of APG Asset Management have stated:
“The Supervisory and Management Boards are very happy with Knut’s arrival as new Supervisory Board member given his renowned expertise and experience in the area of top class investment management. We are convinced that he will contribute in a significant way to the governance of APG Asset Management. Due to his substantial prior experience with our company as a member of the ABP Investment Committee he can hit the ground running. We look forward to working with him.”  

After the appointment of Mr Kjær, the Supervisory Board of APG Asset Management will consist of: Maes van Lanschot, chairman, Bart Le Blanc, vice chairman, Knut Kjær, member.

Ronald Wuijster (51) has been appointed member of the Executive Board of APG Group NV. He is responsible for the asset management portfolio and as such is ultimately responsible for advising on and implementing the investment policy of the pension funds serviced by APG. The appointment of Ronald Wuijster is for a four-year period and has been approved by the regulator. Alongside his role as member of the Executive Board, he is also Chairman of the Board at APG Asset Management. The APG Group manages €475 billion in pension assets and ensures that over 4.5 million people can be confident that their accrued pension rights are being invested, administered, and paid out correctly.

Ronald Wuijster has some thirty years of experience in the investment world, including twenty years in executive and managing director roles. He has held a number of top positions at APG since 2006, including Managing Director Strategic Portfolio Management and Chief Investment Officer. Since mid-2017 he has served as deputy member of the APG Group’s Executive Board responsible for the asset management portfolio. Before joining APG, he held various managing directorships at Robeco, in the areas of corporate strategy, development, and research, among others. Wuijster studied business economics and law at Erasmus University, Rotterdam. Ronald Wuijster is married and has three children.

Gerard van Olphen, Chairman of the APG's Executive Board: “We have the task of achieving the highest returns at the lowest cost for our pension funds and their participants. Over the past several years we managed to realize a good return on our investments. That is a requirement in order to be able to pay participants’ pensions today and in the future. In the meantime, we are working hard with the funds to make our investing activities even more sustainable. And that is precisely why I’m glad that Ronald is joining our Executive Board. I am really impressed by his knowledge when it comes to sustainable investing and asset management. I am proud that we are wel coming someone from our own organization onto the Executive Board.”

Bart le Blanc, Chairman of the Supervisory Board: “With €475 billion in pension assets under management, APG is among the top investment institutions in the world. Our pension fund clients expect high standards in our investment activities—and rightly so—with sustainability as the core theme. That is why we are pleased to be able to appoint Ronald Wuijster. He has unique knowledge in the area of long-term investing and is attentive to the quality of the investment process. We are therefore fully confident that he is the right person to make the difference for our funds and their participants when it comes to asset management.”

With the appointment of Ronald Wuijster as  member of the executive board of APG Group, there is a vacancy for the position of CIO at APG Asset Management. The search for a successor is in an advanced stage.

APG Group will sell Inadmin, the DC pension administration subsidiary, to RiskCo. Inadmin's activities no longer fit the strategic course of APG. RiskCo will take over all activities of Inadmin. An agreement for this transaction has been signed on Friday 23rd March. Closing is expected at the end of May after approval of the applicable bodies.

RiskCo, founded in 2005, develops systems for managing long-term, complex administrations such as those of pension funds and life insurers. Initially, the company sold these solutions to pension fund - and insurance administrators.

Wim Henk Steenpoorte, COO and member of the Board of APG said: we are glad to announce this transaction which will create a solid and progressive company. This is good for the clients and personnel of Inadmin. APG will continue to serve their larger pension fund clients with class leading and innovative investment and administrative and customer service solutions. There will be no redundancies as result of this transaction, location will remain Amsterdam.

About RiskCo

RiskCo developed systems for managing complex, long-term administrations of pension funds and life insurers and is positioning itself as the high-tech, low-cost alternative to in-house pension administration. RiskCo has brought down the cost of maintaining these complex, always-changing administrations by applying its proprietary software and architecture to create 100% transparency. This allows for faster analysis, easier compliance reporting and better forecasting. RiskCo has 90 employees and has offices in the Netherlands, Canada and Portugal.

For more information please visit www.riskco.nl

Marloes Sengers (36) has been appointed Human Resources Director by APG's Executive Board from April 1, 2018. In this position, she is responsible for the company-wide HR policy of APG, fulfilling a crucial role in the current change process within pension provider APG.

In 2017, APG presented a new mission and vision, which was translated into a group-wide strategy. APG's ambition is that by 2025, pension and other funds, and their participants, will automatically turn to APG to secure their financial future. APG is working on its development toward realization of this ambition.

The engine of change are APG's employees. For that reason, the Executive Board selected an HR Director who is familiar with APG and successfully contributes to the change program. Marloes Sengers was the driving force behind The Making of You, the program designed to enable APG to improve the quality of its services by encouraging sustainable employability of its employees. The Making of You is one of the results of the constructive CLA negotiations conducted and completed in 2017. Marloes was in charge of the negotiations.

Gerard van Olphen, APG Group CEO: "In the coming years, we aim to make APG even more agile to ensure optimal service to our pension funds and their participants. The role of the HR Director is crucial in this respect. I am very pleased that we can appoint Marloes Sengers in this crucial position. I am also proud that we can fill this type of top position with our own talent. Marloes has already made a major contribution to our change process, and I am looking forward to continuing our collaboration with this top officer in her new role."

Marloes Sengers is currently the Human Resources Manager and joined APG in 2014. Before her transfer to APG, she worked for companies such as Delta Lloyd. She studied Law and Psychology at Utrecht University.

Today APG announced the appointment of Annette Mosman, upon completion of the transaction by Generali Netherlands, as the new Chief Finance and Risk Officer (CFRO) on the Executive Board of the APG Group (APG). She succeeds Angelien Kemna who's second term of appointment expired on 1 November 2017. The regulator has approved Annette Mosman's appointment.

Annette Mosman (1967) has extensive management experience in the financial sector. Since 2011, she has been a member of the Executive Board of the Generali Nederland insurance company; first as CFRO and since 2015 as CEO. From 2006 to 2009, as Associate Partner with KPMG Advisory, she was responsible for the CFO advisory services provided to major banks and insurance companies. Between 1997 and 2006, with KPMG Consulting (later Atos Consulting), she provided advisory services to companies in the financial sector on organizing an efficient and effective finance function. Between 1992 and 1997, as Auditor with KPMG Accountants, Annette audited major Dutch companies in various industries. Annette is a board member and treasurer of NOC*NSF, member of the Supervisory Board of Jeroen Bosch Hospital and member of the Supervisory Board of the Dutch Cancer Society (KWF). She is married and has three children.

Effective from the start of Annette, the Executive Board of the APG Group will be made up of Gerard van Olphen (Chairman), Annette Mosman (Chief Finance and Risk Officer), Ronald Wuijster (Acting Chairman Asset Management) and Wim Henk Steenpoorte (Chairman Pension Fund Services).

Gerard van Olphen, Chairman of APG’s Executive Board: "We are delighted with the appointment of Annette Mosman. Her extensive expertise and experience in the area of finance and risk management will be invaluable to APG. Working with Angelien over the past period has been more than pleasant. I have had the opportunity of getting to know her not only as a professional executive director, but also as a wonderful colleague. I am grateful to her for her support the past year."

Bart le Blanc, Chairman of APG's Supervisory Board: "APG and the Supervisory Board owe Angelien a debt of gratitude. As CEO of Asset Management she has made a major contribution to the further professionalization of APG's asset management organization and to the investment policy in line with the long-term objectives of our pension fund clients. As CFRO she further developed and made the Finance & Risk function of the APG Group future-proof over the past few years. The Supervisory Board also owes her a debt of gratitude for her readiness and leadership during the period when she temporarily assumed the chairmanship of the Executive Board at the beginning of 2016.  We are enthusiastic about Annette's arrival and wish her a great deal of success in her new role."

The Supervisory Board of APG Group NV (APG) announces that Wim Henk Steenpoorte has been appointed member of the Executive Board responsible for Pension Fund Services as of September 14. In this role, Wim Henk Steenpoorte will have a permanent seat on APG’s Executive Board. Wim Henk Steenpoorte has been appointed for a four-year term and has been approved by APG’s regulators and shareholders.

Pension administration and continuity of service provision to pension funds and their participants

In his role as member of the Executive Board in charge of Pension Fund Services, Wim Henk Steenpoorte is responsible for pension administration and continuity of service provision to pension funds and their participants. He is also ultimately responsible for ensuring that the pension administration and participant communication in the second pillar is carried out efficiently and effectively. His focus areas also include further reducing the complexity and increasing the efficiency of the operation.

Wim Henk Steenpoorte (1964) has extensive experience as a director in the world of finance and insurance. From 2015 to 2017 he served as an independent management consultant and supervisor. Between 2001 and 2015 he held various management and executive positions at SNS and VIVAT, including membership of the executive board (CTO and CEO, Insurance) during the last four years of this period. He fulfilled the role of interim Chief Operations Officer (COO) at APG since March 2017. Wim Henk Steenpoorte studied business administration and later completed a master’s degree in information management at the University of Amsterdam. Wim Henk Steenpoorte is married and has three children.

Maximum pension value

Gerard van Olphen, chairman of APG’s Executive Board: “We want to give participants in pension funds maximum pension value. That is why we will be setting up our pension administration and communication even more effectively and efficiently in the years to come. Wim Henk Steenpoorte is better suited than anyone to take on this important task and put the focus on the interest of the participant.”

Bart Le Blanc, chairman of APG’s Supervisory Board: “In Wim Henk Steenpoorte, APG gains an extremely experienced and skilled director. After a meticulous procedure, Wim Henk Steenpoorte emerged as the best candidate. The stability and continuity in the management of the pension administration and participant communication is very important to us. Further improvements in efficiency are also needed, without any compromise on quality. We are fully confident that Wim Henk Steenpoorte is the right director to take on these challenges.”

Last year, European private equity fundraising for investment into companies across Europe hit its highest level since 2008 last year at €74.5 billion, according to Invest Europe data released in May. Pension funds accounted for over a third of the capital raised.

Jankovic oversees the environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) integration within APG’s private equity investments, and also focuses on investment solutions that contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. She is a frequent conference speaker and commentator on alternative investments. As a member of Invest Europe’s Board of Directors and Limited Partners Council for investors, and former Chair of its Responsible Investment Roundtable, she has helped to promote ESG best practice across the industry.

“Invest Europe brings private equity fund managers and investors together to provide world class resources for the industry, including promoting transparency and best practice for responsible investment,” said Jankovic. “I want to highlight the important role private equity can have on the environment and society at large and look forward to helping shape this key work area. I thank Gerry Murphy for his excellent leadership over the last 12 months.”

“This is the first time Invest Europe has had amajor institutional investor as its Chair and demonstrates the association’s commitment to representing the whole industry,” said Michael Collins, Chief Executive of Invest Europe. “Marta’s contribution to Invest Europe’s work on professional standards, investor reporting guidelines and responsible investment is invaluable and we are delighted that she has agreed to step into the role of Chair for the coming year.”

More information: IPE.com article APG fields first major institutional chair of private equity body

APG announces that Eduard van Gelderen will step down as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of APG Asset Management and member of the Board of APG Group per August 1st, 2017, to join the University of California’s Office of the Chief Investment Officer.

In 2010, Eduard started at APG Asset Management (APG AM) as Chief Investment Officer for Capital Markets Investments. In September 2014, he took over from Angelien Kemna as CEO of APG AM, simultaneously joining the Executive Board of APG Group.

Gerard van Olphen, Chief Executive Officer of APG Group: “With the departure of Eduard, we will lose a top investor and an excellent colleague. Under his management, APG AM has produced EURO 100 billion in returns for our pension funds and their participants. We understand the attractive challenges of this new role in the US and we wish him good luck.”

Bart Le Blanc, chairman of the APG Group Supervisory Board: “The Supervisory Board is grateful for Eduard’s efforts for APG in the past years. The international cooperation projects and internal innovation programs he has encouraged, will serve APG for a long time.”

In the period until August 1st, Eduard and the Board of APG Asset Management will safeguard a careful and thorough transition.

Unfortunately, this article is not available in English.

APG Groep (APG) announces today Wim Henk Steenpoorte’s appointment as interim Chief Operations Officer (COO) as of March 1, 2017. Wim Henk Steenpoorte will be temporarily taking on Mark Boerekamp’s key tasks under the ultimate responsibility of CEO Gerard van Olphen.

Wim Henk Steenpoorte (1964) has extensive experience as an executive director in the financial and insurance world. He served as an independent management consultant and supervisory officer from 2015 to 2017. In the period 2001 to 2015, he held various management and board positions at SNS and VIVAT, where he served as a member of the executive board during the last four years of this period (CTO and CEO Insurer). Wim Henk Steenpoorte studied business administration and later received a master’s in information management from the University of Amsterdam. Wim Henk is married with three children.

Gerard van Olphen, Chairman of APG’s Executive Board said: “We are pleased to have been able to manage, in this short time frame, to find an expert executive director to fill this position in an interim capacity. I know him to be a strong and personable team player. His vast knowledge of operations, ICT, customer care, and change management in the financial industry will help us take the next step toward an even more participant and consumer-focused organization.”

Bart le Blanc, Chairman of APG's Supervisory Board, commented: “We went through the procedure for temporarily filling the position of COO quickly and carefully because we feel it is extremely important to ensure the stability and continuity of the management of pension administration and IT. We are fully confident that the appointment of the highly experienced Wim Henk Steenpoorte achieves this.”

APG Asset Management intends to appoint Hans Rademaker as Chief Fiduciary Officer (CFi). In this role, which is new to the organization, Rademaker will become a member of APG Asset Management's Management Board and will be heading up the new Fiduciary Department.

The creation of this department provides APG Asset Management with a function that translates client requirements into specific strategic proposals and mandates for tactical and operational asset management including the associated monitoring and feedback. In the light of new challenges inherent in the pension system and international financial markets, APG Asset Management considers this change in the organization structure essential. Hans Rademaker's definitive appointment is awaiting approval by the AFM.

Hans Rademaker has extensive international management experience in the field of asset management and pensions. Prior to this, he was Global CIO with the Robeco Group for the past six years. Before that he occupied the position of Managing Director Fiduciary Management at Kempen Capital Management. In addition, he worked for the pension provider MN for over thirteen years as Director of Investments. Rademaker studied business economics in Tilburg and later completed his post-doctoral studies in the field of investment management at VU University in Amsterdam. Hans Rademaker is married and has three children.

Eduard van Gelderen, CIO APG Group: "We are delighted about the intended appointment of Hans Rademaker as CFi. He brings a great deal of international experience with him. Furthermore, in the recent past he instituted fiduciary management at a large asset management company. As a result, he has all the experience and competencies required to make fiduciary management a success at APG Asset Management as well."

APG announced today that Mark Boerekamp, Chief Operating Officer (COO) is to step down from the Executive Board of the APG Group (APG).

Major changes in the area of communications, pension administration, and ICT are nearing completion, giving rise to a new phase within APG. Mark Boerekamp has decided that this is an opportune time for him to explore the next step of his career with a particular emphasis on digital transformation processes, technological developments, and other innovations, whether combined with entrepreneurship, or otherwise.

Significant progress has been made in recent years by Mark Boerekamp and others in laying the basis for reducing the administration costs per participant, creating an “agile” manner of working, plus technological and other innovations such as the Brightlands Smart Services Campus. This is an unique partnership between APG, the province of Limburg, and the University of Maastricht. Mark will continue to support APG in the coming period in the area of innovation and in the further development of the Brightlands Smart Service Campus. APG will nominate Mark as its representative on the Supervisory Board of this campus.

Mark Boerekamp’s tasks on the Executive Board will be performed in the interim by Gerard van Olphen. The Executive Board and the Supervisory Board respect Mark Boerekamp's decision and are grateful for the major contribution he has made to the firm and the achievements over the years under his leadership.

Gerard van Olphen, Chairman of APG’s Executive Board said: “We have made major strides in recent years in making the organization even more participant oriented. Mark’s expertise in the areas of innovation and technology have resulted in greater administrative efficiency and more effective communications with participants. We are thankful to him for his magnificent input over the years.”

Bart le Blanc, Chairman of APG's Supervisory Board, commented: “Since 2012, Mark has inspiringly and successfully headed up the process of upgrading the APG’s pension fund customer operations. We are really delighted with his ongoing involvement in the Brightlands Smart Services Campus and wish him every success in the next phase of his career.”

The General Meeting of Shareholders appointed Dick van Well as a new Member of the Supervisory Board (RvC) of APG Group NV. His appointment was approved by DNB. The appointment is for a four-year office term starting 14 November 2016. Dick van Well, born and residing in Rotterdam, has over 35 years of experience in various management positions at Dura Vermeer. He was the Chairman of the Management Board for many years, and later served as Chairman of the Executive Board. Since 2012, he is a Member of the Supervisory Board of Dura Vermeer Group NV. He is also a Member of the Supervisory Boards of Stedin Netbeheer BV and Multi Corporation BV.

Dick van Well has extensive experience in the private sector and in the construction sector in particular. His knowledge relating to strategic cost management, product development and marketing further contribute to the desired diversity in the composition of APG Group’s Supervisory Board. The appointment of a Member with direct affinity with the world of construction is important to us. After all, BpfBOUW is one of APG’s largest clients. The Supervisory Board is very pleased to have him on board, and expects him to provide a valuable contribution to the supervision of and advice to the Executive Board of APG Group NV.

With this appointment, the Supervisory Board of APG Group now comprises the following members: Bart Le Blanc (Chairman), Pieter Jongstra (Vice-chairman), Edith Snoeij, Maes van Lanschot, Roger van Boxtel, Claudia Zuiderwijk and Dick van Well.

In an interview in Het Financieele Dagblad is Gerard Olphen inter alia, the low interest rates, changes in the pension system and its goals at APG.

Gerard van Olphen: "Pension funds can not blame the European Central Bank of their problems. The interest rate would be low without the incentive of the ECB, which is disastrous for pension funds. Because the workforce is shrinking and economic growth is low in Europe, the rate is structurally low. ECB policy obviously does not help, but is not decisive. "

As regards the future pension Gerard notes the following: "I'm not there. Just like football Netherlands has 15 million in pensions coaches. However, it is up to the pension, social partners and politicians to decide how the system should look like. "

About what he wants to achieve with APG, he says: "Broadly three things we need to it on a daily basis, participants can follow their pensions. In addition, the asset must be adapted to the situation and requirements of the times. The last thirty years have achieved positive investment results despite the crisis, but the question is whether we can continue to do the same. I expect that we should invest directly in the economy, for example in infrastructure, to continue to get the same returns in a responsible manner. Finally APG up the capacity to change, in order to go along with the changes that await us. "

Read the full interview here (in Dutch).