The €150 million program, NL2120 appointed an inspiring and motivated Director. Currently working as Business Director at Sweco and from now on working three days a week for NL2120, we are proud to introduce the NL2120 Program Director – Alex Hekman!
During the kick-off meeting in Akkrum, The Netherlands, it was clear that Hekman is a leader in the water world and the best candidate for the position. He has been chairman of the steering committee of NL2120 for some time now.
Hekman on becoming NL2120 Director: “I am extremely motivated to take on the role of program director NL2120 and I am grateful for the confidence that the parties have given me in this. At Sweco I have been working for years on natural solutions to adapt the Netherlands to climate effects and to strengthen the steering role of the water and soil system in spatial planning. That is still slow. I have certainly discovered in recent years that it is important to stand up, to step forward. To put the finger on the sore spot where necessary, but above all to come up with solutions how things can be done differently or better. This is not easy, especially when it comes to Nature-based Solutions. But the scope of NL2120’s collaboration is a huge opportunity to take major steps in this direction.”
“There have been solid application rounds with very good other candidates. Congratulations to the program! But in the end Alex turned out to be the dream candidate.”
Erik van Eekelen, Director of the Building with Nature III Program at EcoShape
Alex Hekman has also been involved in the EcoShape core management team since Sweco became a partner of the EcoShape consortium in January 2021. When Sweco joined EcoShape, Hekman was interviewed and shared: “We want to enrich EcoShape and learn from EcoShape. It is crucial nowadays to work in these kinds of partnerships. If you want to bring about transformation, it is important to work together as a sector.” As the leader of NL2120, he brings together the necessary collaborators and mindset to work together to create change.
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