Trained as medical doctor at Amsterdam University. Passion for sports (soccer, biking, running), languages and science.

Following 1.5 years of military medical practice, started in the pharmaceutical industry as clinical research trainee with Ciba-Geigy Netherlands in 1989. Subsequently moved through different roles in different companies in marketing /commercial, general management and clinical development.  Since 2015 with Novartis in Basel as Global Program Clinical Head. Overseeing global clinical development of the new anti-malarial drug KAF156. Also a part-time lecturer at the ETH University in Zürich, teaching pharmacy master students on the principles of clinical development.