Erwin Zijlstra

For more than 20 years, I help executive teams and senior leaders ealise their ambitions. After eighteen years as a member of the board of T-Mobile (Telco), Avery Dennison Europe (Manufacturing) and Unisys Europe (ICT) I now work as an interim executive, strategic advisor and coach for organisations in the Netherlands, Europe and the US.

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I support organisations that want to build and transform. Whether it's about growth, transformation, an acquisition, launching a new venture, building strong teams or addressing a reputational challenge.​​ Success depends on four elements: a clear vision, a purposeful plan, an effective organisation, and genuine engagement. This requires commitment at the top, discipline in execution, and impactful communication.

 

What lives inside a team doesn’t always align with what customers, employees, policymakers or society expect. That’s when an external with a different perspective can be enlightening. Likewise, an excessive desire for harmony, a dominant leader or internal conflicts doesn't necessarely deliver the best plans.

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The common thread in my work:

• Developing a clear vision and translating it into concrete strategy and choices

• Designing organisational structures and governance that strengthen execution

• Empowering leadership teams to collaborate and take ownership

• Crafting creative solutions grounded in today’s reality

• Stakeholder management

• Leadership communication with impact

• Maintaining focus, progress and accountability in execution

 

My strength lies in bridging content and people, thought and action, analysis and execution. In doing so, I help leaders stay on course – and create movement.