I am an academic researcher with 20 years of work experience. I've worked in the banking sector, at the UN, in grassroot networks and in European research projects all on the topic of finance, innovation and sustainability. I obtained my PHD in 2019 on Financing Sustainable Innovation (at Erasmus University Rotterdam) and have since developed myself as an impactful and collaborative scholar in the field of business economics, with a strong transdisciplinary focus. I publish in the field of business strategy, financing and sustainability, often asking questions regarding mechanisms and business models that can leverage/unlock funding towards sustainability purposes. Empirically, my work centers mainly around urban Nature-Based solutions (NBS), urban regeneration and circular economy. I have participated in several EU Horizon projects (NATURVATION, HUB-IN) developing insights and tools on business models and financing for different transitions, as well as underlying approaches to enable them, such as collective action.

I often work in externally funded projects aimed at advancing sustainability transitions, with research and practice. Currently I am co-leading a work package in the Horizon Europe project NATURESCAPES carrying out work on co-finance/co-governance of (peri-)urban NBS and landscapes, as well as on involving missing and marginalized actors into such NBS (including funding). Other projects I am currently engaged with are REGENL (financing the transition to regenerative agriculture) and EMPOWERED (finance/business models for the heat transition in Dutch cities). I am also a board member at the Sustainable Finance Lab, a Dutch thinktank aimed at transforming the financial sector in support of sustainability transitions, by bridging theory and practice. Furthermore, I co-lead the Utrecht University community Transforming Cities within the UU Strategic Theme 'Pathways to Sustainability', one of the core strategic directions of Utrecht University.

I have strong skills in connecting research, education and policy development both at a national and at an international level.  Between 2021-2024 I worked with the City Deal Public Space in the Netherlands on helping municipalities develop integrated financial approaches to transitions in the public space, and I've contributed to Dutch policy recommendations in parliament regarding (finance for) urban greening. I regularly contribute to workshops, conferences and policy documents in this field. Also, I integrate student research into such projects, in particular master theses.