Ben Knapen
VP Innovation & Technology at DYKA- Claim this Profile
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Bio
Ducki Grzegorz
For last several years I have had a real pleasure to be a member of Ben’s development team. During this period, he got to know himself as a passionate leader in many fields, required to be an effective business manager. By his unique people management skills, he can build effective team, based on identification of strengths of each team member and he is able to coach by showing clear and consistent way forward. Being at the same time challenging, but supportive. Always available for his team members, ready to give advice at any time. Secondly, Ben never accepts ‘status-quo’. This is simply a part of his nature. He seeks possible improvement areas, new ways of working, with passion. He leads us through transformation period, being an effective LEAN transformation leader. During transformation, he was also able to translate business strategy into clear vision and turns it into life by identifying gaps and acts accordingly, where his organizational skills were helpful.
Alex Oomen
Ben has developed a unique R&D management system with his Team. Based on Lean principles, simple and effective, the Team is selfmanaged and continously improving their ways of working. A best practice of visual management and event based rhythm in R&D.
Ducki Grzegorz
For last several years I have had a real pleasure to be a member of Ben’s development team. During this period, he got to know himself as a passionate leader in many fields, required to be an effective business manager. By his unique people management skills, he can build effective team, based on identification of strengths of each team member and he is able to coach by showing clear and consistent way forward. Being at the same time challenging, but supportive. Always available for his team members, ready to give advice at any time. Secondly, Ben never accepts ‘status-quo’. This is simply a part of his nature. He seeks possible improvement areas, new ways of working, with passion. He leads us through transformation period, being an effective LEAN transformation leader. During transformation, he was also able to translate business strategy into clear vision and turns it into life by identifying gaps and acts accordingly, where his organizational skills were helpful.
Alex Oomen
Ben has developed a unique R&D management system with his Team. Based on Lean principles, simple and effective, the Team is selfmanaged and continously improving their ways of working. A best practice of visual management and event based rhythm in R&D.
Ducki Grzegorz
For last several years I have had a real pleasure to be a member of Ben’s development team. During this period, he got to know himself as a passionate leader in many fields, required to be an effective business manager. By his unique people management skills, he can build effective team, based on identification of strengths of each team member and he is able to coach by showing clear and consistent way forward. Being at the same time challenging, but supportive. Always available for his team members, ready to give advice at any time. Secondly, Ben never accepts ‘status-quo’. This is simply a part of his nature. He seeks possible improvement areas, new ways of working, with passion. He leads us through transformation period, being an effective LEAN transformation leader. During transformation, he was also able to translate business strategy into clear vision and turns it into life by identifying gaps and acts accordingly, where his organizational skills were helpful.
Alex Oomen
Ben has developed a unique R&D management system with his Team. Based on Lean principles, simple and effective, the Team is selfmanaged and continously improving their ways of working. A best practice of visual management and event based rhythm in R&D.
Ducki Grzegorz
For last several years I have had a real pleasure to be a member of Ben’s development team. During this period, he got to know himself as a passionate leader in many fields, required to be an effective business manager. By his unique people management skills, he can build effective team, based on identification of strengths of each team member and he is able to coach by showing clear and consistent way forward. Being at the same time challenging, but supportive. Always available for his team members, ready to give advice at any time. Secondly, Ben never accepts ‘status-quo’. This is simply a part of his nature. He seeks possible improvement areas, new ways of working, with passion. He leads us through transformation period, being an effective LEAN transformation leader. During transformation, he was also able to translate business strategy into clear vision and turns it into life by identifying gaps and acts accordingly, where his organizational skills were helpful.
Alex Oomen
Ben has developed a unique R&D management system with his Team. Based on Lean principles, simple and effective, the Team is selfmanaged and continously improving their ways of working. A best practice of visual management and event based rhythm in R&D.
Experience
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DYKA Group
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Netherlands
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Wholesale Building Materials
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1 - 100 Employee
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VP Innovation & Technology
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Sep 2020 - Present
Responsible for bringing sustainable, innovative solutions to market, triggered by challenges like climate change, water management, energy transition and circular economy, enabled by new technologies. Adding value to our customers and generating new business for the DYKA Group. Leading a group of Business Development Managers, International Product Managers, Product Development Engineers and Certification & Standardization Officers. Responsible for bringing sustainable, innovative solutions to market, triggered by challenges like climate change, water management, energy transition and circular economy, enabled by new technologies. Adding value to our customers and generating new business for the DYKA Group. Leading a group of Business Development Managers, International Product Managers, Product Development Engineers and Certification & Standardization Officers.
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Owner
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May 2018 - Present
Enabling companies to improve the effectiveness and speed of their product development activities by creating flow in innovation through optimizing processes inspired by lean principles and building high performance teams Examples are o Ynova – redefining the strategy and formulating new value propositions o Ortageo – organizing a breakthrough innovation project o TenCate Protective Fabrics – increasing innovation speed and effectiveness Enabling companies to improve the effectiveness and speed of their product development activities by creating flow in innovation through optimizing processes inspired by lean principles and building high performance teams Examples are o Ynova – redefining the strategy and formulating new value propositions o Ortageo – organizing a breakthrough innovation project o TenCate Protective Fabrics – increasing innovation speed and effectiveness
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HAN University of Applied Sciences
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Netherlands
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Higher Education
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700 & Above Employee
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Senior Researcher lean product development
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Sep 2018 - Sep 2020
Leading research and education activities related to lean product development Examples are: * Developing and executing the master module lean product development * Executing research related to the use of product configurators * Giving masterclasses related to lean product development * Training and guiding 3rd years technology students in executing a multidisciplinary assignment using agile values and principles and a scrum-like way of working Leading research and education activities related to lean product development Examples are: * Developing and executing the master module lean product development * Executing research related to the use of product configurators * Giving masterclasses related to lean product development * Training and guiding 3rd years technology students in executing a multidisciplinary assignment using agile values and principles and a scrum-like way of working
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Philips
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Netherlands
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Hospitals and Health Care
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700 & Above Employee
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R&D Manager Professional Indoor Lighting Solutions
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Jan 2011 - Apr 2018
• Responsible for the creation and execution of an innovation roadmap, leading to a continuous stream of new product families being introduced in the professional indoor lighting market and member of the segment business management team• Driving an extensive business transformation process including a cultural change and changes in the processes, competences and network which is required due to a disruptive change in technology and a rapidly changing market conditions• Directly leading a multi-disciplinary team of 35 people based in Winterswijk and Ketrzyn, Poland and indirectly 15 people in different sites in Europe Show less
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Development Manager Professional Indoor Lighting
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Oct 2008 - Jan 2011
• Responsible for product development of indoor luminaires for the EMEA market • From June 2009 onwards in addition responsible for the ETO process on Business Unit level. • From April 2010 onwards in addition manager of a new specials group in Winterswijk.• Supporting new business creation by developing special lighting solutions in close cooperation and / or co-development with customers• Leading a multi-disciplinary team of 20 people
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Factory Development and Engineering to Order Manager
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Feb 2007 - Oct 2008
• Responsible for the industrialization of new product architectures to be produced in Winterswijk and for all maintenance activities (e.g. cost reductions and range extensions)• Member of the management team of the IPSC Winterswijk• Responsible for all ETO activities, contributing to 25 – 30 % of the plant supply value • Actively involved in a cultural change program in the IPSC Winterswijk• Member of an international R&D group and of an international ETO group, focused on improving the overall innovation and ETO processes Show less
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Philips
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Netherlands
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Hospitals and Health Care
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700 & Above Employee
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Program Manager Floor Care
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Feb 2006 - Feb 2007
• Responsible for the overall Floor Care innovation program • Defining the long term product roadmap in close cooperation with Business Management, translating this into a long term project portfolio and allocating projects to the most appropriate R&D center and/or production center
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Development Manager Floor Care
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May 2002 - Feb 2006
• Globally responsible for road mapping, predevelopment, product development and product maintenance for Floor Care products and member of the Floor Care business management team • Member of the CoC management team and actively involved in a transformation process towards outsourcing, partnering and co-development• Leading a multi-disciplinary development team of 35 persons in the Center of Competence Hoogeveen and indirectly a team of 15 persons in Suzhou, China
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Groupleader Product Development FloorCare
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Mar 2000 - May 2002
• Responsible for timely delivery of the committed product development projects
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Nefit NL
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Netherlands
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Consumer Goods
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1 - 100 Employee
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Process Manager Nefit Buderus
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Jun 1999 - Mar 2000
• Facilitating the organizational changes required to transform from a functional organization into a process-oriented organization.
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Manager Systems Development
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Sep 1997 - Jun 1999
• Responsible for the alignment of the project portfolio with Buderus Product Marketing and R&D management and the integration of new modules into new product platforms• Leading a team of 15 people, including project managers and technical specialists
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Océ - A Canon Company
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Netherlands
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Printing Services
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700 & Above Employee
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Function Development Leader
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Jun 1984 - Sep 1997
• 7 different jobs at the R&D center of Océ, with increasing complexity and responsibility. • Responsible for the development, engineering and industrialization of key modules for new copier/printer families, including their manufacturing processes and verification methods. • Leading multi-disciplinary teams up to 20 persons (mechanical engineering, electronics, mechatronics, physics, chemistry, chemical technology). • 7 different jobs at the R&D center of Océ, with increasing complexity and responsibility. • Responsible for the development, engineering and industrialization of key modules for new copier/printer families, including their manufacturing processes and verification methods. • Leading multi-disciplinary teams up to 20 persons (mechanical engineering, electronics, mechatronics, physics, chemistry, chemical technology).
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Education
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1982 - 1984
University of Twente
Master’s Degree, Teaching mathematics, physics and chemistry -
1977 - 1984
Universiteit Twente
Master's degree, Chemical Technology; Inorganic Material Science
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