Aad JCM van Vliet

Aad is a senior international coach, team coach and seasoned global HR executive with over 30 years of experience in global blue chip companies such as Unilever, SmithKline Beecham (GSK), Novartis and DSM (dsm-firmenich). Aad was a member of global executive leadership teams and has been leading HR teams of up to 220 professionals serving more than 12’000 employees in businesses with annual sales of up to USD 6 billion

Aad started Avvartes in 2011 and has since been working with his clients in Technology, Pharmaceuticals, FMCG, Energy, Chemicals, Finance, Banking, Reinsurance, Construction, Agriculture, Retail, Consulting, Aviation, Education, Start-ups and NGO’s.

Leadership -on all levels- is what Aad is deeply passionate about. Leading Self – Leading Others and Teams – Leading Organizations Together and Leading Change is at the core of his work, always in context of building successful businesses. Aad believes that the quality of leadership has never been as important as it is now and that the readiness, mindset, leadership capabilities and human-centric focus of leaders is the key to business success. He is also optimistic and knows that great leadership can be learned.

Aad spends most of his time:

coaching (senior) leaders and leadership teams
designing with and delivering to his clients transformational leadership development programs
enabling leaders to deliver change successfully
teaching leadership.

In 2024 he has started a 4-year research project in the area of self-mastery

Aad is Adjunct Professor Executive MBA at BMI-UCL in Brussels and BMI in Vilnius. He is also an accredited practitioner in MBTI, Situational Leadership and Human Synergistics tools. He is switched-on and deeply interested in understanding and applying new and relevant insights, based on research.

Avvartes was born from his desire to bring fresh, strategic, future-fit solutions to international businesses by bringing together a unique group of outstanding international experts.

25% of his time Aad is working for free, supporting leaders and organizations in developing economies and start-up business environments.

In his coveted downtime, Aad enjoys running, mountain biking, hiking and skiing as well as spending time with his wife, their four children and their grandchildren.

References:

“I’ve been working with Aad for the past 18 months now, both in a personal coaching capacity, but also on wider development work which has been invaluable to my team. On a personal level, Aad’s insightful, compelling and non-intrusive coaching style has helped me identify my strengths and development areas, enabling me to work with him to develop strategies to progress both myself and my team to succeed in our mission, to beat cancer sooner. Aad challenges the norm, encouraging me to take a creative solutions focused approach to my work, which has accelerated my personal development and strategic thinking.”

“I am working with Aad since 7 years now, both as facilitator and moderator of leadership meetings, change coach and my personal coach. Aad is a real professional with great experience, excellent observation and feedback skills combined with a calm and thoughtful personality. All of the above has been essential for the success of our leadership meetings and creation of an aligned team in times of big change. As my personal coach Aad’s creative questions and thinking behind my points helps me find ‘the question I didn’t ask myself’ to get to the next level.”

“As GM of a large Healthcare company in Germany, I worked 4 years with Aad to change the leadership model from hierarchical Single Leader to an inclusive Leadership Team approach. We included the 50 leaders with people management responsibilities twice a year in 2 day team meetings covering 1 day strategy/business agenda and 1 day people management agenda. Over time the culture of the organization developed from focus on internal issues and challenges into a more inclusive and aligned organization with clear focus on customers and external challenges. Aad has been instrumental in providing the right framework and process for this cultural transformation.”

“Aad has been a tremendous support in my personal development from a mere line manager to a leader. His approach felt like a partnership, which has enabled me to gather important insights in my functioning and that of my team. More importantly, he has given me the tools to actually do something with these insights. Aad has helped me getting the best out of myself as a leader through his experience, expertise, empathy and truly personal approach.”

“It has been a real privilege working with Aad. During our coaching sessions he was able to establish a solid ground based on trust and openness since the beginning. During our conversations, I felt understood and challenged at the same time. He gave me many hints to question my “standard” approach to the challenges I was facing at work as well as helped me to gain new insights and to find more appropriate responses. I see the work we’ve done together as extremely valuable for my personal and professional growth.”

“Aad is an inspiring lecturer and an authentic business leader who is totally in touch with how the business environment and society are changing and what it means fort he leaders who must effectively manage people. He gives you a fresh, strategic and practical grasp oft he art and science of developing teams that are capable of building up your business in a serious way.”

“Aad fully engaged me with his extremely relevant and fascinating insights on coaching and leadership in today’s business context. It was exactly what I needed, well structured with international examples and the type of practical exercises you need to really understand and apply any leadership style. I took home a methodology that works and I use it.”

“Aad and I have been working together for nearly five years. The first thing that comes to my mind about him is his energy and his skill to motivate people. I have not seen anyone have a significant impact as quickly as Aad. He brings a sense of teamwork and collaboration at the management team level and his contributions are adding real bottom line value to the business. Another very strong point is his focus on improvement of the organization, to help people grow in order to help the business grow. He is very mature and stable and always made sure that people could follow, especially also when I as the business leader wanted to advance too fast. With Aad you have an excellent, business minded and strategically outstanding Human Capital professional.”

“Professionally Aad has an excellent pedigree, a real blue chip background and training. He was a great support for me, has great insight and judgment. When he is speaking, everybody is listening. Aad is a strong family man and highly committed to his work and to his job. He is comfortable and down-to-earth and has no need to be in the limelight.”

“There are times in life when you get the chance to meet people who simply put a mark on your professional life. Mr. Aad van Vliet was one of those people. When I met him few years ago he facilitated my understanding of the values of the corporate culture and was a true guide for me throughout the merger of two of the greatest pharmaceutical companies. For all of this I am grateful to him and today I consider I was a lucky man because I had the chance to meet a special man.”

“Aad is one of the few people I have met in my business life who has strong values based on his belief and has always tried to live by them, even under sometimes difficult circumstances. This makes him a truly authentic, credible manager and human being. His management style is based on a real trust in his employees, which gives them self-confidence and makes them go the “extra mile”. He is exceptional in that he has no need for control and can really listen. I would personally work with and for him any time and with any topic to do with Human Resources, Leadership, inter-cultural issues and can recommend him without any reserve.”

“There are people with rich knowledge and experience. Much less with insight and wisdom.Even fewer with skills and patience in bringing up a team that can leverage the great minds to deliver great results. Aad is among the very few who has all of the three and yet still being humble.”

“Aad has an unshakeable faith in the human spirit, a passion for life and a delight in stimulating and nurturing every individual’s unique talent and potential. He firmly places people back at the heart of the HR agenda.”

“In my professional role as a councilor to commercial and civil organizations in the United States, Europe and the Middle East to build and improve their innovative and entrepreneurial competences, Aad has been immensely important! It was always very easy to work with him. Patient, generous, always willing to understand and see the other person’s point of view.Aad’s feeling for people, his insights in human behavior, and not least, in organizations’ ways of functioning was of great help and guidance in our common efforts. His focus was always on the advantages of the organization. Last but not least – Aad wanted people in the organization to develop their opportunities, to grow both professionally and as human beings. For me he counts very high among the rare number of leaders that I have met in top management during a long career, who are driven by that same urge. Having said this, let me wish Aad continued successful journeys relying on the same compass! And I congratulate the organizations which, hopefully, have the good sense and the instinct to understand and take advantage of his very competent cooperation and leadership.”

“I worked under Aad’s leadership for more than three years… I still recall the feeling I had when we first met in a regional team meeting of Novartis EMEA HR. Shaking hands with him I could tell he has a warm and original personality…listening to him later on and engaging in discussions I could see he has a great leadership style. By great I mean he has the depth and breadth necessary for a leader, but I also mean I felt he wanted everyone in the room to be great. Over the years to follow, I also realized more things… It is fun working with Aad, he creates a motivating atmosphere and the team or individual working with him are enjoying what they are doing and want to give their best… I always refer to an experience where he embraced projects we came up with in Egypt and allowed everyone else in the region to see the merit and eventually adopt them. This was very motivating and benefited the business in the region… Would really look forward to working with Aad again!”

“Aad van Vliet was as SVP HR from 2007 until 2010 the contact person for the employee representatives of DSM Nutritional Products’ European Works Council. We, as employee representatives, got to know Aad as a HR responsible, who dealt respectfully and fair with us and our colleagues employee representatives. We experienced him as a human being, who creates an environment in which ideas can be developed and realized. Aad evaluates and challenges opinions and advices critically but open-minded. He does not necessarily take the present circumstances and conditions as a given and is open to change. We regret it very much that he is no longer our HR Leader.”

“If one can talk about innovation in HR, for me Aad van Vliet represents it. Working with Aad was by far one of my most inspiring and learning experiences over the last years. His combination of professional wisdom, strong but humble personality and outstanding mentoring skills make working with him both fulfilling and enjoyable.”

“Aad van Vliet brings a multitude of experience and skills to anyone requiring a highly skilled change agent in the human resources arena. His sharp business acumen can provide a competitive advantage for those looking to add to their company’s “bottom line”. I observed first hand, in a large global company setting, the pride he takes in his work. He is a team player with a solid work ethic and desire to see projects through to successful completion. His strong analytical and problem solving abilities allow him to conceptualize and implement projects quickly and correctly from the start. Aad takes a personal interest in the development and well-being of those around him. He is an excellent communicator, and his superior judgment skills can be invaluable in the selection and development of individuals and teams.”

“I know Aad since 1995 as a colleague and one of the best HR Leaders I have been working with. Aad combines effectiveness in managing complex processes with outstanding leadership skills especially in implementing new organizations or leading organizations through changes. His visionary ideas have been put in practice thus enabling an organization to become more effective and business driven. Combined business acumen and great leadership skills has enabled him to establish a culture of openness and trust. He always has been highly regarded by colleagues and peers who would seek for his advice and guidance.”

“Aad has an amazing visionary ambition which has always guided and inspired me. This combined with his authenticity, trust and caring personality made working with him a truly fulfilling experience.”

“Aad is a very talented senior Human Resources leader with a wide experience in many aspects oft he strategic, tactical and operational aspects of people management in a complex, international business environment. Not only did he develop and deliver innovative concepts in many areas. He also contributed significantly in improving business processes within and across departments. To me he served very successfully as a personal coach with respect to all aspects of leading, developing and motivating people.”

“I worked with Aad for quite a few years when he was HR Director for SmithKline Beecham. In his role he supported a diverse number of countries in Central and Eastern Europe and Israel. In his role he was particularly helpful in encouraging innovation and entreneurship so as to achieve maximum business results. His personal effectiveness was excellent and provided great support to the region – he reads where other people are coming from and is a positive active listener and his drive to achieve continuous development was evident. As a result of having a large diverse number of markets, he was very active and successful in ensuring that there was an active cross-boundary outlook.He encouraged people at all levels to share knowledge and best practices and he encouraged and facilitated cross-functional and cross-boundary initiatives. Aad always was a team player and was very adaptable and multicultural and I wish him all the success and would be very happy to recommend him.”

Global Co-Lead

Aad

JCM van Vliet

About Aad,

our partner in Zurich.