Who we are

Liliane Geerling

Programme Coordinator

What does water mean to you?
I was born and raised in one of the lowest lying polders of the Netherlands. And as spatial planner, water and soil have always been my starting point. With PfW I want to connect the topics of water, biodiversity, and climate to make sure we reach SDG 6 in 2030.

What is your background?
After graduating from the Technical University of Delft as a spatial planner , I worked as a project and programme manager for the city of Rotterdam. I’ve also worked as a senior advisor and project manager at a consultancy. Over the past years, I worked as a senior lecturer and researcher of delta and water management at the HZ University of Applied Sciences.

What do you work on?
As programme coordinator I connect the dots of our different programme components: the delta- and thematic approach, the subsidy scheme, promotion & communication, knowledge development & sharing and co-creating synergies within our team and the various programme components.

Bram van der Wielen

Knowledge and communication advisor

What does water mean to you?
Water is the connecting element in our lives. It’s so self-evident that humanity forgot how valuable it is. I worry about climate change and feel that water can play a pivotal role in the solution. With our experience, knowledge and innovation power we can help abroad – and learn from local stakeholders in the process.

What is your background?
I studied Media and Entertainment Management. My previous work experience has been with the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, the Inspectorate of Education, and the Dutch Flood Protection Programme. Now, I’m an experienced advisor on communications and events.

What do you work on?
I manage the PfW communications and events, and act as an expert in the field of water- and delta technology and water management. Next to that I’m always busy working on recurring events like Waterproof, Stockholm World Water Week and Singapore International Water Week.

Hugo de Vries

Programme Advisor – Subsidy scheme

What does water mean to you?
For our food supply, nature conservation and our health we obviously can’t live without water. That’s why I want to improve the water situation in countries where this is most needed. Personally, I like to stay healthy and enjoy nature – either by going for walks or cycling.

What is your background?
After studying social geography I worked for the Dutch government on all kinds of international projects involving exports, development aid, agriculture, energy, medicine, infrastructure and – of course – water.

What do you work on?
I am working on the subsidy scheme for innovations in the international water domain. Here, I focus on collaboration, relations, and knowledge sharing. Reach out to me if you seek answers to international water questions. A good conversation always leads to new insights and contacts.

Matthijs Zijlmans

Senior Programme Advisor Vietnam

What does water mean to you?
Water connects. Without it, we don’t have food, industry, biodiversity, or health. We need it for our economic development and too much or too polluted water hampers that. So, to work together with other sectors to make the water system durable is a great challenge.

What is your background?
I’ve studied economics, public administration, and political sciences. Over the past 6 years I’ve been working on water security abroad, of which 4 years in Myanmar – until the military coup happened. I’ve also worked on projects in the Philippines, worked on the subsidy scheme of PfW and set up collaborations with financers.

What do you work on?
Since 2022 I am responsible for our activities in Vietnam where we work together with government, financiers, and local partners to implement sustainable solutions for water problems. The other half of my work consists of scaling up Nature-based Solutions internationally, to help projects achieve lasting results.

Gabor Szántó

Programme Advisor Egypt

What does water mean to you?
Ever since I was in high school, I’ve been involved with water. This continued throughout my studies and my career. I think water plays a central role in our lives. That’s why I believe that through positive change in the water sector, we can improve other parts of our lives too.

What is your background?
I ‘ve 25 years of experience on international programmes and projects in water, sanitation, and waste management. Originally, I studied water management and technological solutions and in the past fifteen years, I’ve also added knowledge on the finance and policy aspects of these topics.

What do you work on?
Next to strengthening delta development in Egypt, I am coordinating the completion of the Ghana WASH Window programme. I’m also involved in the reconstruction of the water sector in Ukraine, and I routinely give advice on the applicability of water innovations.

Fernanda van der Velde

Programme Advisor India

What does water mean to you?
For me, water is about quality of life. As activities, I enjoy swimming, ice skating and walks along the shoreline. At the same time, I also respect the huge force of water; flowing rivers, waterfalls, and majestic snow-capped mountain peaks.

What is your background?
After studying social geography, I worked at municipal and national governments, and eventually took the step to central government. I joined the Partners for Water programme in 2016, starting out in the delta country of Myanmar. In my time there, we managed to introduce several innovative technical solutions that contribute to water security.

What do you work on?
I focus on water security in India, where we talk with governments or other relevant stakeholders to figure out how our Dutch expertise can support our Indian counterparts. We work on topics like water quality, urban water management, monitoring, decision making, water valuation and sustainable water systems.

Jaap Kroon

Senior Programme Advisor Mozambique

What does water mean to you?
Through my work for Partners for Water I’ve experienced that it is mostly vulnerable people who are impacted by the negative consequences of climate change. For me it’s encouraging that, with the work that we do, I can contribute to better living circumstances for them.

What is your background?
I studied business economics at the University of Groningen. After working in finance at a dairy cooperative I made the switch to government, working in quality control and geo-information. I’ve been with PfW for 8 years now and been involved with all kinds of programmes.

What do you work on?
My focus is on the collaboration between various delta countries and Mozambique. We mostly aim to improve the climate resilience of Beira, a port city. There, I work on themes like land management, land development and operation & maintenance of water infrastructure.

Simon van Meijeren

Programme Advisor Indonesia

What does water mean to you?
Water has many faces. It brings people together – but it also separates them. It can destroy life, but also make life and growth possible. This is the reason I find water fascinating and why I commit myself to it.

What is your background?
I studied International Land Water Management, specializing in Irrigation and Water Management. Over the past decades I have worked for and with international financial institutes, water boards and farmers all over the world.

What do you work on?
I’m working on a strategic and programmatic approach to water management in Indonesia, with a focus on three themes: integrated water resilience in North Java, lowland development and irrigation and capacity building, knowledge exchange and youth engagement. I also operationalise the thematic approach of PfW by initiating and guiding initiatives in the Water-Biodiversity-Food nexus. These, among others, concern collective action approaches with value chain partners in the fresh produce.

Robert Proos

Programme Advisor Colombia

What does water mean to you?
When I was doing an internship at the Dutch consulate in New York, hurricane Sandy happened. That made me realize that the Netherlands can play a big role in international water collaboration. Also, I’m from the Dutch province of Zeeland, where water is everywhere.

What is your background?
Water has been the key theme in my studies and career until now, with a focus on national and international water management. For the past seven years I’ve been involved with the Partners for Water programme as a Programme Advisor, working on project development in Vietnam, South Africa, Southeast Asia and Latin America.

What do you work on?
I’m currently active in Cartagena, Colombia, leading the “Water As Leverage”-initiative. Next to that I work in Mexico on Nature-based Solutions and the Water-Biodiversity-Food nexus. I’m also applying this focus in Argentina, developing and strengthening initiatives.

Tamar Meijbergen

Programme Advisor

What does water mean to you?
I’m a competitive sailor, so I spend a lot of time on the water. There, as well as seeing lots of rubbish, you’re also confronted with the daily problems connected to water management. This is one of the reasons that motivates me to work on solving water problems.

What is your background?
During my Social Geography and Environmental Geography studies, water was always the focal point. After that, I worked for 2.5 years as Water and Climate consultant in the commercial sector. I’ve been working as Programme Advisor at Partners for Water since May 2023.

What do you work on?
I recently worked for the Partners for Water event “Waterproof” and I’m currently working on the Stockholm Water Week. Next to that, I work on our monitoring and evaluation framework, the subsidy scheme, the management of subsidy projects and the development of our thematic approach. An example of the latter is the Nature-based Solutions pilot project in Manilla Bay.

Michiel Slotema

Programme Advisor Bangladesh

What does water mean to you?
Water affects all facets of life. However, we have taken it for granted for too long. With PfW I want to address water problems by actively bringing key factors together to address them. Also, as I swim four times a week, I value water very much for my own wellbeing too.

What is your background?
I studied Hotel Management and Business Studies with a Masters in Disaster Management. Then, after a journey in the private, NGO and governmental sectors, you could say I rolled into water management. I’ve lived and worked in Europe and Asia, and worked on projects in several African countries.

What do you work on?
My focus country is Bangladesh. I work on asset management, addressing the root causes of the build-neglect-rebuild paradigm. Next to that, I’m supporting the change in our engagement with Bangladesh; from government-to-government to a broader range of relationships involving financial institutions, the private sector and knowledge institutions.

Ylva Veldhuis

Advisor International Water Programmes

What is your background?
I studied earth sciences, with a focus on hydrology. After that, I did a traineeship with Rijkswaterstaat (Ministry of Waterways and Public Works) at the Ministry of Infrastructure & Water Management, gaining experience in climate resilient networks, crisis management and multilateral water management. I am currently employed by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency, where I work on the Dutch Risk Reduction and Surge Support programme.

What do you work on?
I mainly focus on organizing events like the World Water Forum Bali, Singapore International Water Week, and the UN Biodiversity Conference. Next to that I’m involved in developing Partners for Water’s thematic approach, specialising in Nature-based Solutions.

Michel de Zwart

Senior advisor

What does water mean to you?
Water embodies the essence of life itself, as the nourisher, sustainer and vitalizer of all that lives. Beyond its biological significance, it holds immense social, cultural, spiritual, and economic value. It truly forms the backbone of human civilization and biodiversity.

What is your background?
My academic background is in security studies, focusing on international collaboration in conflict prevention. More and more conflicts  revolve around resources like water. Hence water should also be standard part of conflict analyses. During my time at the Ministry of Economic Affairs I gained experience in crisis management. Valuable for understanding “early warning models” and the significance of institutional improvement processes.

What do you work on?
I contribute insights to various Partners for Water projects by facilitating knowledge dissemination and engagement. I’m also involved with the Sustainable Water Fund. As a professional water broker, I collaborate closely with my network for defining and valorizing synergies. That’s why I’m always open to talk, on both project and programme development.