Enter eager to learn, leave ready to lead.

Family businesses are the backbone of the Dutch economy. Yet the dynamics within the group of owners often receive too little attention. Professor Dr. Marta Berent-Braun is determined to change that. On June 13, she delivered her inaugural address as Van Lanschot Kempen Professor of Family Businesses and Ownership Dynamics at Nyenrode Business University.

Telstar, a Dutch underdog soccer club, just made history — not by stacking talent, but by building true team spirit. Their story proves what science confirms: performance thrives on connection, not just capability.

How can the financial sector better support and scale sustainable sectoral transitions? This was the central question of the Financing Transitions research project, carried out by Dr. Diane Zandee RC (Nyenrode Business University) together with Lotte Groen and Martijn de Wit (TNO). In an interactive workshop, they tested key barriers and potential solutions with a broad group of representatives from the financial sector.

The transition to a circular economy requires more than just technical solutions — it demands vision, collaboration, and long-term thinking. This is the key takeaway from recent research by Dr. Diane Zandee RC (Nyenrode Business Universiteit) and Roelof Vogel (Monash University, Australia). Their joint study compares the Netherlands’ experience with waste management to Australia’s current approach, where the circular economy is still in its early stages.