As a conflict analyst focused on the MENA region by training and having worked on topics such as peacebuilding and inclusive governance around the world, I observed organizations struggling to adapt to changing internal and external contexts. This revealed a fundamental truth: the most pressing challenges of our time require organizations that can adapt well to changing circumstances in order to continue to deliver on the work that matters most. That insight led me to found The Adaptation Company.
The four elements of my work I approach adaptation from four different angles, each important for creating more adaptive, collaborative, and meaningful ways of working.
Having spent years working on initiatives across volatile regions, I understand how to design and manage projects and programmes that maintain momentum even when conditions change. My approach centres on building adaptability into planning processes while keeping teams focused on what matters most.
Facilitation became central to my work after observing skilled facilitators guide crucial conversations during post-conflict reconciliation initiatives in Lebanon. I learned how the right process can unlock collective wisdom and ensure that all voices - not just the dominant and typically included ones - are being heard in any (peacebuilding) process.
Adaptive ways of working is the foundation of how teams approach their work together. “We’ve always done it this way” is the sentence that frustrates me most. So I work with teams to intentionally redesign their operating rhythms to create practices that reclaim time, strengthen focus, and enable meaningful work.
Realizing that bringing the right people together to do the work is essential, my interest in community building emerged. I focus on creating spaces where diverse perspectives can collaborate effectively, bringing together the right people to tackle the issue.
What drives my work The themes I have worked on closest to my heart - peacebuilding, conflict transformation, adaptive leadership, climate justice, gender-responsive governance, integrity promotion, and youth participation in policymaking - all require organizations that can navigate complexity and uncertainty while staying true to their purpose.
Working around the world Born and raised in The Netherlands, I've had the pleasure to also gain academic experience in Türkiye, work experience in Lebanon and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and extensive programmatic experience in Tunisia, Jordan, Morocco, The United Kingdom and Ukraine, and on Yemen.
I work comfortably in English and Dutch, with conversational skills in French and German. My Arabic, I must admit, has become quite rusty over the years.
Through The Adaptation Company, I combine these experiences to help purpose-driven organizations worldwide create the adaptive capacity they need to deliver the work that matters most.
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