Hans Bakker

Hans Bakker is professor of Collaborative Strategies at Nyenrode Business Universiteit since February 2012. Before that he was a professor of Business Integration from 2002-2009, a chair funded by KPMG, and International Guest Lecturer from 2009-2012. 

Hans likes to build bridges between academic knowledge and the development of (international) companies both in the profit and non-profit area. His focus is on businesses development from a strategy and a business model viewpoint. His main interests lie in the area of collaboration, both at the business level as well as the individual level. Today no company can survive on its own and to be successful in business requires effective collaboration internally and with clients, suppliers, knowledge partners and other stakeholders. His research has been focused on identifying evolving best practices in international collaboration, and mergers and acquisitions as part of visions and growth strategies.

Hans is the co-author of “Successfully Integrating Two Businesses” (Gower, 2000), which he wrote together with Jeroen Helmink, of which also a Dutch version “Succesvol Integreren” was published (Pierson Education, 2002). In these books best practices with regard to managing mergers and acquisitions and integration are presented, based on research among 20 Dutch and international companies.

In 2002 he also published “Achter de Schermen. De balanceerkunst van de commissaris bij fusies en overnames”(Scriptum Uitgeverij, 2002). In this book he writes about the day-to-day dilemmas of non-executive directors with regard to their role in mergers and acquisitions and how to deal with them. Hans Bakker also wrote “The Next Leap. Achieving growth through global networks, partnerships and cooperation” (Cyan Publishers, 2004) with Martijn Babeliowsky and Frank Stevenaar. This book was written based on a research into the experience of fifteen international companies, based in Europe, and his own consulting experience. It presents issues of and solutions for managing cross-border cooperation. 

Together with Prof. Dr. Fred van Eenennaam he wrote the whitepaper “Commissaris zonder Code” (Nyenrode University, 2005), in which recommendations for the role of corporate governance for non-executive directors in non-listed companies are presented. Furthermore, he wrote the chapter “Het gevaar van vertrouwen”(The danger of trust) in the book “Commissaris van nu” (Van Gorcum, 2008), which was edited by prof.dr. Marcel Pheijffer en prof. dr. Fred van Eenennaam.

His most recent book (published in 2011), which he wrote with former CEO Michiel Boersma is titled “Ster-ondernemingen. Vijf groeistrategieen in een veranderend businesslandschap” (Star Enterprises. Five growth strategies in a changing business landscape). This book was based on their cooperation with 30 CEO’s and CFO’s of Dutch and international companies.

Other positions
Hans is also the owner and director of Javelin Partners, a consulting firm. In his career of more than twenty five years Hans has supported many Dutch and international organizations with the design and realization of their mission, strategies and collaboration ventures.

His activities in strategy consulting are realized in different industries such as: manufacturing (food, chemicals, building and construction), media (publishing), finance (banking, insurance), information & communication (hard ware and software suppliers), utilities and in the public sector (education and regional and national government). Many of the strategy and cooperation ventures he supports are cross-border ventures and therefore Hans works in many countries in Europe (like Austria, Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Netherlands, Sweden, United Kingdom), in Asia (China, Korea, Taiwan, Singapore) and in the Americas (United States of America, Canada). Hans has worked as the Managing Partner of the Business Consulting Practice at Twynstra Gudde and as the international business integration partner at KPMG Headquarters in Amsterdam.