About Folkert Mulder Ph.D.

Folkert Mulder Company – Insight and inspiration to excel –

Amsterdam area | Management Consulting

Folkert Mulder Company
Insight and Inspiration to Excel

Amsterdam area | Management Consulting

As the founder of the business, Folkert Mulder specializes in facilitating organizational transformation and strategic redirection. He has a unique talent for building trust within organizations and mastering group dynamics. With deep experience and insight, he understands what individuals and organizations need to thrive. Before founding his firm, Folkert worked as a consultant for an international strategy consulting firm.

Folkert holds a Master’s degree with honors in Business Economics from Erasmus University Rotterdam, the Netherlands, and a Master’s degree from INSEAD, Fontainebleau, France. He also holds a PhD in new forms of leadership and their impact on ‘emotional capital’ within teams and organizations.

He has a proven track record of helping companies expand their businesses across various industries, including fast-moving consumer goods, professional services, and energy. In addition to driving strategy development and organizational growth, he has successfully led post-merger integration processes, providing strategic guidance to Management Boards, shareholders, and Supervisory Boards. He has worked with companies across Europe, Asia, and the Americas, ranging from family-owned businesses and private equity-backed firms to publicly listed corporations.

Folkert’s expertise also extends to the sports arena, where he has guided top-tier teams, including a golf team that won the World Championship, a sailing team that won the HCP category in the prestigious Sydney Hobart Rolex Yacht Race, and a Dutch field hockey team that won the national premier league championship. He was also part of the coaching staff for the Dutch men’s and women’s national field hockey teams as they prepared for the Olympic Games.

He serves as a board member of the Erasmus Centre for Leadership at the Rotterdam School of Management and the Development Board of the Erasmus Trust Fund Foundation. In addition to his consulting work, Folkert lectures on organizational change at Erasmus University Rotterdam and the University of Cologne for MBA and Executive Programs and is a sought-after speaker.

www.folkertmulder.com

Outperformance becomes a core company value.

References: FolkertMulder.com/Testimonials, LinkedIN. More references can also be provided on request

Clients

Below is a list of some of the clients in recent years. Generally speaking, Folkert tend to work with clients for a longer period in order to achieve meaningful results and to ensure commitment within the organization. For further information, please see the testimonials. When starting an assignment, Folkert often put the client in touch with some of my previous or current clients so that the new client can get a better idea of how he works and what results can be expected.

Companies

  • Ahold-Delhaize
  • BayWa AG
  • Blokker
  • Mercedes AG
  • SHV Holding
  • Heineken International (PMI’s APB, S&N)
  • Heineken Out of Home / Marketing teams
  • Heineken Germany, Tsjechië, Honk Kong
  • Heineken Innovation & BeerSystems
  • Brau Union International
  • RWE/Essent (PMI)
  • SHV Energy
  • Nutreco
  • ONE-Dyas
  • ING
  • Dutch Central Bank (DNB)
  • Autoriteit Financiële Markten
  • NIBC
  • FMO ontwikkelingsbank
  • ING
  • Rabobank
  • Loyens & Loeff
  • Kennedy Van der Laan
  • Boekel de Neree (Dentons)
  • Hospitals 
  • Heutink
  • Pouwerhouse (PMI)
  • PetsPlace
  • Varo (Argos Energies)
  • Cefetra
  • NobleBio
  • Eneco
  • O’Neill
  • Bencis
  • EPS
  • Eden Hotel Group
  • WTS Energy
  • Heutink
  • Lekolar
  • Afriflora

Sport Teams

  • The Netherlands’ national Men’s field hockey team (Olympic Games)
  • The Netherlands’ national women’s field hockey team
  • Amsterdam Men’s Field Hockey Team (Championships)
  • NGF Top Golf (World Champion)
  • Winsome sailing team (HCP Winner Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race)

Integrated organizations

Integrated organizations thrive when individuals channel their passion and energy into a collective force, creating an environment where exceptional results are possible, as championed by Folkert Mulder. He believes that when employees understand the company’s direction and see the value of their contributions, a shift in mindset occurs, unlocking the organization’s full potential.

Authentic leadership is at the core of this transformation. Leaders who clearly communicate their purpose, vision, and approach, rooted in genuine beliefs, can inspire and empower their teams. This authenticity strengthens connections with employees, partners, and clients, setting the organization apart from competitors. The result is a culture where alignment with core values drives excellence, making outperformance a central goal.

In today’s business landscape, digital transformation is essential for growth. It involves more than adopting new technology—it requires a cultural shift that embraces innovation and challenges traditional ways of working. Successful digital transformation starts with empowering individuals to lead change, fostering a mindset that welcomes new ideas and approaches.

As championed by Folkert Mulder, alignment with a company’s vision is key, especially during digital transitions. Leaders play a crucial role by energizing and guiding their teams, creating an environment where everyone can thrive. As the World Economic Forum highlights, empowering people is vital for successful digital transformation. This focus on authenticity and empowerment drives lasting growth, positioning companies to consistently outperform their competition.

Testimonials 

“Folkert has successfully completed two projects for Euro Pool System (EPS) in the past two years, first for the Supervisory Board and later as the interim CEO for the EPS organization. During these two different assignments Folkert proved to be an outstanding consultant and CEO, one who has the ability to fathom complex issues while at the same time having the drive and expertise to take decisions and focus on the result. Folkert is engaging, inspirational and a true team player. On behalf of the entire Supervisory Board of EPS we would like to thank Folkert for all the work he has done for us during the past two years.”

— Chairman (Klaus Lutz, CEO of BayWa) and Vice Chairman (Franky Depickere, Board member of the KBC Group)


“I have come to know Folkert as an extraordinary consultant who brings with him a fresh look on complex issues. Alongside his analytical skills, he is an excellent judge of character and has the ability to win over people and to bring about real change. I can warmly recommend Folkert.”

— Roland Pechtold, CEO at NOVA Terminals


“Folkert coached my Management Team in the process of further aligning the organization to reflect the ambitious targets we have set. Based on interviews with the Management Team, he presented a good analysis of the organization. On the basis of that analysis, he introduced refreshing ideas on how to improve the interaction between the various departments. In line with a newly established vision statement, we have implemented those ideas releasing lot’s of energy in the organization.”

— Govert Rietema, Director The Netherlands, Primagaz Benelux


“Folkert successfully supported both the Post Merger Integration of ESSENT and RWE (REN) and that of Powerhouse/Westland. Folkert’s strength lies in his clear insight into the organization, what it needs and how those needs can be met. This enables him to engage the organization in the changes and at the same time empower the organization. As a result, the two integrations were very successful.”
Top qualities: Personable, Expert, Creative

— Marc van Putte
Hired Folkert as a Business Consultant, and hired Folkert more than once


“As integration manager at RWE/ESSENT B2B, I have worked very closely with Folkert in order to ensure the success of the integration process. Folkert coached our new management team and the organization in the transition to an unified new organization. His strength lies in his ability to involve the organization in the direction it needs and to facilitate organizational alignment so that we have achieve the aims we have set ourselves.”
Top qualities: Great Results, Personable, Creative

–Rutger Ockhuizen 
Hired Folkert as a Coaching, and hired Folkert more than once


“I have worked with Folkert on a number of projects, and what has struck me each time is his ability to create trust and commitment in the organization, and so, by developing a shared perspective, allowing it actually to deliver. In the case of a number of projects, Folkert has made substantial contributions which have resulted in best practices being introduced within the organization”

— Daniel de Jonge
General Manager Brau Union International, Heineken Central u0026amp; Eastern Europe
Hired Folkert as a Business Consultant, and hired Folkert more than once


“Folkert has the uncanny ability to reduce apparently complex relationships to their core components. In doing so, he creates scope to devise a shared perspective based on trust. Folkert is a great person to work with. He had a positive influence on people around him. Energy, humor and competence are his characteristcs. We hope to be able to continue to benefit from his drive and knowledge. Erna Baars, President CEO Waterland Hospital Purmerend”
Top qualities: Personable, High Integrity, Creative

— Erna Baars
President CEO Waterland Hospital Purmerend
Hired Folkert as a Business Consultant, and hired Folkert more than once


“Folkert has a clear insight into the dynamics of organizations, and is able to solve compl ex problems. One of his talents is his ability to quickly elicit the commitment of people to doing what has to be done!”
Top qualities: Great Results, Personable, Expert

— Floris Cobelens
Marketing Manager Heineken
Hired Folkert as a Business Consultant, and hired Folkert more than once


“Folkert helped the partners our firm in creating and confirming a shared vision of our firm’s future. Folkert combines high likeability with a deep understanding of complex issues. This rare combination allows him to be succesful with both early adopters and skeptics. Highly recommended!”
Top qualities: Great Results, High Integrity, Creative

— Joost Linnemann
Managing Partner at Kennedy Van der Laan
Hired Folkert as a Business Consultant


“Folkert is a highly energetic individual, who by listening carefully is able to penetrate quickly to the core of an issue. He connects easy with people creating a positive working environment. By relating information from the organization to his own insights, he is able to suggest surprising solutions. I will work with Folkert again and recommend his services and skills to any company looking for refeshing ways to conduct business and lining up the team to achieve those goals Eppo van Berckelaer Global Marketing Director O’Neill”
Top qualities: Great Results, Personable, Creative

— Eppo Van Berckelaer
Global Marketing Director at O’Neill 
Hired Folkert as a Business Consultant, and hired Folkert more than once


“Folkert is able to get the maximum out of organizations by giving employees the believe that THEY are the ones that WILL make the difference.”
Top qualities: Personable, Good Value, Creative

— Ronald den Elzen
Wholesale; On-Premise Director at Heineken Nederland
Hired Folkert as a Business Consultant


“Folkert has the ability to create alignment and trust within an organization by facilitating a process in which the organization itself works to create a clear context for the direction and interaction within that organization.”
Top qualities: Great Results, Good Value, Creative

— Elmer De Boer
Manager Marktet; Regulations at ENECO Energie
Hired Folkert as a Business Consultant, and hired Folkert more than once


“Folkert is capable of bringing out the best in people, through inspiration, out-of-the-box thinking and an innate ability to understand and manage complex inter-personal relationships.”
Top qualities: Great Results, Personable, Creative

— Karen Kao
Partner at Kennedy Van der Laan
Hired Folkert as a Business Consultant


“In the run-up to the legendary Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, coached by Folkert Mulder we focused a lot on the goals we wanted to set as a team and on planning the collaboration on board, with a specific emphasis on the composition of the team and how we could get the best out of one another and thus from the team as a whole. Due partly to this intensive preparation, we won the race in our class. An extraordinary result!

— Frank van Beuningen


“Folkert has a clear insight into what organizations need to excel. He supported NGF TopGolf in the development of a state-of-the-art organization in order to get the maximum out of players and staff. The result was a first ever winner of the  World Golf Championship”
Top qualities: Great Results, Personable, Creative

— Jeroen Stevens
Chairman Dutch Golf Federation

Sports Teams

Besides working for a wide range of first-class companies and management teams, we successfully facilitate sports teams as a metaphor for what you can establish within organisations. Teams we inspired to excel were a top-flight golf team that won the World Championship, a sailing team that was the HCP winner of the prestigious Sydney Hobart Rolex Yacht Race and a Dutch field hockey team who became twice national premier league champions.

In addition, Folkert has been part of the coaching staff of the Dutch men’s and women’s national field hockey team in preparation for the Olympic Games. Together with the coaching staff, he developed a blueprint for the team based on a clear direction and interaction. To further build on the emotional capital in the team, they developed a programme with the Dutch special forces to train them in leadership skills, communication and perseverance.

Sport cases are often used in assignments for companies and management teams because they appeal to the imagination. Additionally, a lot can be learned from sport in terms of a well-functioning team, team dynamics, and development.

Research LAB

 

Folkert Mulder holds a Ph.D. from Erasmus University Rotterdam, a leading global research institution. His research explores “New Forms of Leadership in Sports Teams and Politics” and the impact of building emotional capital within teams and organizations. This research delves into the dynamics of team leadership, providing valuable insights into real-world cases.

In 2024, he initiated a new study in collaboration with a team of researchers, focused on how conductors lead orchestras and the resulting impact on audiences. This project examines how conductors interpret classical compositions (e.g., Mozart, Beethoven) for orchestras, including the effects of AI-completed works, such as Beethoven’s unfinished 10th Symphony, on musical performance.

As part of his Ph.D. research, Folkert investigated the concept of ‘leadership in the plural,’ addressing the challenges of today’s interconnected world. This approach advocates for collaborative leadership that moves beyond traditional hierarchies, particularly in environments like professional sports teams where interdependence is key. The study offers strategic insights for organizations to manage complexity through collective leadership models and explores the shift from vertical to horizontal structures.

Folkert teaches MBA and Executive Programs on organizational change at Erasmus University Rotterdam and the University of Cologne. He is also a sought-after speaker and serves on the advisory board of the Erasmus Centre for Leadership and the Development Board of the Erasmus Trust Fund Foundation.

Contact

Folkert Mulder
Aerdenhoutsduinweg 24
2111 AP Aerdenhout
The Netherlands

Landline: +31(0) 23 737 015 42
Mobile: +31(0) 6 412 032 79
E-mail: Folkert@folkertmulder.com 

 
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