As published in Dutch on Digital Transformers by Peter Keijzer (Lubbers & Jong). Robert van Geffen at Philips has scooped the Digital Transformers Award 2015. This award was created to stimulate the indispensable digital transformation of companies. Van Geffen’s victory underlines the importance of the involvement of young people in transformation processes.
Winner Robert van Geffen: “This is a great token of recognition as well as a stimulus for Philips as organization. We really are transforming. Healthcare is changing and so is people’s behavior, therefore Philips is following suit. Thanks to digital progress, diagnoses are made more rapidly and we become more efficient at healing illnesses and supporting patients.”
Ben Holewijn at Newpeople, one of the organizers: “Through this initiative we want to show the importance of digital transformation to Dutch enterprises. Change is required to continue competing with other countries. Young people play a crucial part in the matter. This becomes clear when you consider the award’s finalists, as most of them are aged under 40. Unfortunately I have to conclude that board room count too few young people to really boost that change on a larger scale.”

Chosen from more than 100 entries

The Digital Transformers Award is a sign of recognition and a stimulus for the talent which plays an extraordinary and meaningful role in digital changes within companies. Six finalists were selected from more than 100 entries; they stood out for their knowledge, vision and results. The other finalists, apart from winner Robert van Geffen, were Bas Touw (Nuon), Caspar Fraiture (VvAA), Maarten Stramrood (Ziggo), Mijke Broeders (Efteling) and Wolter van Haersma Buma (Transavia). The Digital Transformers Award was handed out in B.Amsterdam on Thursday October 15.

About Digital Transformers

The Digital Transformers community focuses on the Dutch digital talents and supports the digital development of companies by offering distinguishing inspiration, insights and development options. The Digital Transformers are companies which are active in the digital business sector. Together they reach over 25,000 digital professionals. The originators are co-founder Robbert de Haan, Ben Holewijn (NEWPEOPLE), Adjan Kodde (Mirabeau), Jur Gaarlandt (SparkOptimus), Kristof De Wulf (InSites Consulting) and Peter Keijzer (Lubbers De Jong).