The Advisory Board is authorized to provide both solicited and unsolicited advice to the NAE Board on strategy, action plans, stakeholder management, and the fulfillment of its duties concerning matters related to the association. The appointment of the members of the Advisory Board is made upon the recommendation of the NAE Board to the General Assembly.
Members of the Advisory Board are appointed for a term of three years, with the possibility of extension. They do not receive any compensation.
Members
Diana van den Heuvel
Corporate Account Director, Siemens Energy en President van het Koninklijk Instituut van IngenieursDiana van den Heuvel
Diana van den Heuvel brings a unique combination of technical and societal expertise. She studied Electrical Engineering at Delft University of Technology and obtained a Master’s degree in French Language & Linguistics at the University of Amsterdam. This blend of STEM and humanities reflects her broad interest in both technology and the human and societal context in which it is applied.
Throughout her career, she has held various strategic and leadership positions within the energy sector. She was actively involved in the liberalization of the energy market and plays a leading role in the energy transition, with a focus on electrification, hydrogen, grid infrastructure, and digitalization.
What drives her is the conviction that sustainable progress arises where collaboration and innovation reinforce each other — and where scientific insights and practical applications are brought together. She believes in the power of public-private partnerships, diversity of perspectives, and building a future-proof energy system that is both technologically and socially embedded.
Main position
Corporate Account Director, Siemens Energy
Additional positions
– President, KIVI
– President, CIGRE Netherlands
– Council member, NWO, SIA-RAAK
Diana van den Heuvel
Corporate Account Director, Siemens Energy en President van het Koninklijk Instituut van IngenieursDiana van den Heuvel
Diana van den Heuvel brings a unique combination of technical and societal expertise. She studied Electrical Engineering at Delft University of Technology and obtained a Master’s degree in French Language & Linguistics at the University of Amsterdam. This blend of STEM and humanities reflects her broad interest in both technology and the human and societal context in which it is applied.
Throughout her career, she has held various strategic and leadership positions within the energy sector. She was actively involved in the liberalization of the energy market and plays a leading role in the energy transition, with a focus on electrification, hydrogen, grid infrastructure, and digitalization.
What drives her is the conviction that sustainable progress arises where collaboration and innovation reinforce each other — and where scientific insights and practical applications are brought together. She believes in the power of public-private partnerships, diversity of perspectives, and building a future-proof energy system that is both technologically and socially embedded.
Main position
Corporate Account Director, Siemens Energy
Additional positions
– President, KIVI
– President, CIGRE Netherlands
– Council member, NWO, SIA-RAAK
Silvia Lenaerts
Rector Magnificus Technische Universiteit EindhovenSilvia Lenaerts
Silvia Lenaerts obtained her PhD at IMEC and KULeuven. She then founded a high-tech company. For more than 20y she has been working for the European Commission. Since 2022 she is EIT board member. In the academic world, she founded the department of bioscience engineering and her own research group. As Vice-rector Valorisation & Development she realized 3 open innovation hubs, 34 active spinoffs, a tripling in industrial cooperation and licence income.
Silvia Lenaerts: ‘Only by creating long term strategic partnerships and connecting people, long lasting socio-economic impact can be achieved.’
Main Positions:
Rector Magnificus TU/e – paid
Additional Positions:
Supervisory Board member Lantis – paid
Supervisory Board member EIT – paid
Executive committee member EIT
Member of expert group on Innovation EUA
Supervisory Board member OPZuid
Chair 4TU Research
Supervisory Board member e/MTIC
Supervisory Board member FNS
Supervisory Board member of ARC CBBC
Chairman of foundation H. Lundqvist Scholarship Program
Membership representative VNO-NCW Brabant-Zeeland
Steering Committee The Gate (TU/e)
Commissioner TU/e Participants B.V.
Silvia Lenaerts
Rector Magnificus Technische Universiteit EindhovenSilvia Lenaerts
Silvia Lenaerts obtained her PhD at IMEC and KULeuven. She then founded a high-tech company. For more than 20y she has been working for the European Commission. Since 2022 she is EIT board member. In the academic world, she founded the department of bioscience engineering and her own research group. As Vice-rector Valorisation & Development she realized 3 open innovation hubs, 34 active spinoffs, a tripling in industrial cooperation and licence income.
Silvia Lenaerts: ‘Only by creating long term strategic partnerships and connecting people, long lasting socio-economic impact can be achieved.’
Main Positions:
Rector Magnificus TU/e – paid
Additional Positions:
Supervisory Board member Lantis paid
Supervisory Board member EIT paid
Executive committee member EIT
Member of expert group on Innovation EUA
Supervisory Board member OPZuid
Chair 4TU Research
Supervisory Board member e/MTIC
Supervisory Board member FNS
Supervisory Board member of ARC CBBC
Chairman of foundation H. Lundqvist Scholarship Program
Membership representative VNO-NCW Brabant-Zeeland
Steering Committee The Gate (TU/e)
Commissioner TU/e Participants B.V.
Constantijn van Oranje
Special Envoy TechleapConstantijn van Oranje
Constantijn van Oranje leads Techleap, the initiative to turn The Netherlands into a European powerhouse for tech companies. He and his team run programs and connect a community of the most promising and ambitious startup & scaleup founders in The Netherlands. Techleap also works with stakeholders like the government to improve the conditions for tech entrepreneurs to scale their companies. He is member of the National Growth Fund Committee, Board member of the NATO Innovation Fund, Fellow at Deloitte Centre for the Edge and Senior Advisor Digital Technology & Macro Strategy at Macro Advisory Partners in London and New York. Additionally, he is an ambassador of the European Innovation Council.
Main Positions:
Special Envoy at Techleap
Senior Advisor ‘Digital Technology and Macro Strategy’ at MAP (London)
Edge Fellow at Deloitte Center for the Edge
Additional Positions:
Member of the Advisory Committee of the Nationaal Groeifonds;
Chairman of the Board of the Prince Bernhard Nature Fund;
Member International Network Council Eisenhower Fellowship;
Member of the Supervisory Board Rijksakademie van Beeldende Kunsten;
Chairman of the Supervisory Board Hartwig Medical Foundation;
Member of the Supervisory Board Nato Innovatie Fonds;
Honorary Chairman of the Prince Claus Fund;
Patron of Stichting Nationaal Muziekinstrumenten Fonds;
Patron of World Press Photo;
Patron of Stichting Nederlandse Vioolconcoursen.
Constantijn van Oranje
Special Envoy TechleapConstantijn van Oranje
Constantijn van Oranje leads Techleap, the initiative to turn The Netherlands into a European powerhouse for tech companies. He and his team run programs and connect a community of the most promising and ambitious startup & scaleup founders in The Netherlands. Techleap also works with stakeholders like the government to improve the conditions for tech entrepreneurs to scale their companies. He is member of the National Growth Fund Committee, Board member of the NATO Innovation Fund, Fellow at Deloitte Centre for the Edge and Senior Advisor Digital Technology & Macro Strategy at Macro Advisory Partners in London and New York. Additionally, he is an ambassador of the European Innovation Council.
Main Positions:
Special Envoy at Techleap
Senior Advisor ‘Digital Technology and Macro Strategy’ at MAP (London)
Edge Fellow at Deloitte Center for the Edge
Additional Positions:
Member of the Advisory Committee of the Nationaal Groeifonds;
Chairman of the Board of the Prince Bernhard Nature Fund;
Member International Network Council Eisenhower Fellowship;
Member of the Supervisory Board Rijksakademie van Beeldende Kunsten;
Chairman of the Supervisory Board Hartwig Medical Foundation;
Member of the Supervisory Board Nato Innovatie Fonds;
Honorary Chairman of the Prince Claus Fund;
Patron of Stichting Nationaal Muziekinstrumenten Fonds;
Patron of World Press Photo;
Patron of Stichting Nederlandse Vioolconcoursen.
Focco Vijselaar
Algemeen Directeur VNO-NCWFocco Vijselaar
Focco Vijselaar has been the director of VNO-NCW and the general director of the work organization of VNO-NCW and MKB-Nederland since April 1, 2023. Prior to his appointment, Focco Vijselaar was Director-General for Business and Innovation at the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy from 2018. Before that, he served as Director of General Economic Policy/Chief Economist at the same ministry and as Director of International Financial Relations at the Ministry of Finance. Focco Vijselaar studied General Economics at the University of Groningen. He is married and has three children.
Main Position:
– General Director of VNO-NCW and the work organization with MKB-NL.
– qq member of the Executive Board of the Social and Economic Council (SER).
– qq member of the Board of the Labour Foundation.
– qq member of the Board of the UN Global Compact Netherlands.
Additional Positions
– Member of the General Board of the BOOR Foundation.
– Member of the Advisory Board of the Dordrecht Museum.
– Member of the Advisory Board of the National Think Tank.
– Member of the Board of the Dutch-German Chamber of Commerce.
Focco Vijselaar
Algemeen Directeur VNO-NCWFocco Vijselaar
Focco Vijselaar has been the director of VNO-NCW and the general director of the work organization of VNO-NCW and MKB-Nederland since April 1, 2023. Prior to his appointment, Focco Vijselaar was Director-General for Business and Innovation at the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy from 2018. Before that, he served as Director of General Economic Policy/Chief Economist at the same ministry and as Director of International Financial Relations at the Ministry of Finance. Focco Vijselaar studied General Economics at the University of Groningen. He is married and has three children.
Main Position:
– General Director of VNO-NCW and the work organization with MKB-NL.
– qq member of the Executive Board of the Social and Economic Council (SER).
– qq member of the Board of the Labour Foundation.
– qq member of the Board of the UN Global Compact Netherlands.
Additional Positions
– Member of the General Board of the BOOR Foundation.
– Member of the Advisory Board of the Dordrecht Museum.
– Member of the Advisory Board of the National Think Tank.
– Member of the Board of the Dutch-German Chamber of Commerce.