The Board

Aad Veenman has been involved in sustainability initiatives from the very beginning. The words transportation and technology are a common thread throughout his career; involved in regional transportation, the OV-chipkaart, President and CEO of the NS (Dutch Railways), Figurehead of the Top Sector Logistics, and of course, aviation. For years, he was chairman of the Advisory Board of NLR and he is still chairman of LRN.

At the start of Luchtvaart in Transitie, he was a driving force behind this initiative and took on the role of interim director of the LiT project office. He handed over this role to Ron van Manen after six months.

In addition to his role as an independent chairman of the board for the Stichting Luchtvaart in Transitie, Aad Veenman is chairman of Achmea NV, chairman of the Supervisory Board of Regional Transportation Gooiland, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of OneLogistics, Member of the Supervisory Board of Sweco Holding BV, Member of the Supervisory Board of TenneT GmbH, and member of the Continuity Foundation SBM Offshore.

From 2002 to 2009, Aad Veenman was President of the NS (Dutch Railways). Before that, he had a long career at the industrial company Stork, where he was a member of the Board of Directors from 1990 and chairman of the Board of Directors from 1998 to 2002. Additionally, Aad Veenman was the Figurehead of the Top Sector Logistics (until December 2023).

Mr. Geertsema has a strong track record in executive leadership positions at Fokker, GKN Aerospace and Panta Holdings B.V. leading and growing aftermarket businesses serving airlines and OEM’s both autonomously as well as through M&A. Mr. Geertsema acted as Accountable Manager for EASA & FAA Part 145 repair stations and served as Board Member for US and Singapore based entities.

Next to his business experience Mr. Geertsema brings a strong network in the Aerospace ecosystem through Board positions of the Independent Aircraft Modifier Alliance (since 2020) and Development Center for Maintenance of Composites (2016 – 2021).

“I am proud to lead the HAPSS project and deliver a Dash8-300 demonstrator with a liquid Hydrogen Fuel Cell Propulsion System. With an estimated 3 percent of greenhouse gas emissions from the aviation industry, sustainability is more than a trendy, hot topic; it’s crucial. I am confident we will reduce emissions and become more sustainable to enable generations to come to fly. Industry collaboration and public funding are fundamental elements to get there – Luchtvaart in Transitie is combining these elements’.

Juriaan Kellermann is a seasoned professional with over twenty years of experience in managing complex multidisciplinary projects, departments, and companies, currently leading as the CEO of Fokker Next Gen. His dedication to sustainability, innovation, and operational excellence is evident in his role, where he is steering the company towards pioneering sustainable aviation solutions. With a Master of Business Administration and Bachelor’s degrees in Industrial Engineering and Mechanical Engineering, Juriaan brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his position. His diverse background encompasses 9 years in the aerospace industry, along with significant roles in IT consulting and healthcare management, contributing to his success in making Fokker Next Gen a frontrunner in aircraft manufacturing. Under his guidance, the company is developing an innovative 120-150 seat airliner powered by liquid hydrogen combustion, aiming to democratize sustainable aviation. As a devoted father to seven-year-old twins, his personal commitment to sustainability is driven by a desire to ensure a healthier planet for future generations.

Arjan is President & Chief Executive Officer of Embraer Commercial Aviation and EVP at Embraer S.A. Arjan joined Embraer in April 2016 as Vice President of Commercial Aviation for Europe, Middle East, Russia and Central Asia. Appointed Chief Commercial Officer of Embraer Commercial Aviation in January 2017, based in Amsterdam, Arjan oversaw worldwide sales, marketing, customer support and primary customer relationships. In June 2020 Arjan was appointed President & CEO of Embraer Commercial Aviation and, as an EVP, joined the management board of Embraer S.A. Prior to April 2016, Arjan spent 15 years at KLM on the engineering, technical services and fleet development aspects of the company. His last role was Managing Director of KLM UK Engineering Limited, a wholly-owned AFI KLM E&M subsidiary specializing in maintenance solutions for regional and narrow-body aircraft fleets. Arjan has a degree in Aerospace Engineering from Delft University of Technology and also holds an Executive MBA (International Master’s in Management) from Purdue University.

Steffen de Vries, born on May 3, 1968, is the CEO of Aeronamic B.V. He studied Mechanical Engineering at the University of Twente. Early in 1992 he started as a Regional Account Manager at Structures and Computers Ltd., Zeist, Steffen conducted FEM analysis using NSYS software. In 1995, he joined Urenco Nederland B.V., Almelo, focusing on conducting analysis for product and production improvement of ultra gas centrifuges for uranium enrichment and aerospace systems. Steffen’s positions included Mechanical Engineer, Design and Project Manager for Aerospace projects, and subsequently Manager of Design Engineering.

In 2001 Steffen left Urenco to join Fico Tooling B.V. as Operations Manager, overseeing logistics, purchasing, and production. In 2003 he returned as Operations Manager to Urenco Aerospace (which was later renamed Aeronamic B.V.)

Steffen progressed to become CEO of Aeronamic B.V. in March 2013. Currently, he heads a team of 148 employees in the Netherlands (Aeronamic B.V. in Almelo and Aeronamic Services in Woensdrecht) and 85 employees at Aeronamic Eastern Europe in Romania.