Peter Wakkie, member of the Corporate Executive Board of Ahold:

"Need for top talents"

Peter Wakkie is member of the Corporate Executive Board of Ahold. At the end of the 1960s, he studied Dutch Law in Utrecht and worked as a lawyer for more than thirty years.

Happy days

“My student days were mainly happy days. In the 1960s, studying was a relaxed activity. There were hardly any working groups. I studied like crazy from the beginning of May until the middle of June, with the help of a coach. It was quite a trick to pass all tests and to avoid having to do re-sits. Only in the final years of my study did I become a little more serious and started selecting minor subjects which could prove to be valuable for my career.

I learnt a lot from being president of the bar committee of the Utrecht Student Corps. The Corps is just like a company: it employs permanent staff and students bear financial responsibility. The most important skill I acquired as a student is how to relate with all sorts of people. What is more, during my student time I also met people who have become friends for life.  I do not mean a network of acquaintances, but genuine friends, people I still see today.”

Perfect command

“In proportion to its population, the Netherlands boasts many large international businesses, e.g. Shell, Unilever, Akzo, Philips and Ahold, the company for which I work. Ahold employs over 150,000 people and has a turnover of approx. 30 billion euros. Large international businesses need top talents and Dutch universities can play an important role in providing these top talents. More than ever before, universities should aim at developing graduates with international skills. A perfect command of spoken and written English is crucial. Virtually all international businesses in the Netherlands communicate in English.”