TKI Water Technology Executive Renewal

Societal challenges

At the end of October 2017, TKI Water Technology entered a new phase. The top sector policy and the TKI subsidy regulation have been extended for a period of five years and will be directed at societal challenges like climate change, food production, the energy transition and the circular economy. By stimulating innovations, the water technology sector contributes to solutions to these challenges. The new approach is described in the Kennis- en Innovatieagenda Watertechnologie 2018-2021 (Water Technology Knowledge and Innovation Agenda 2018-2021).

Management changes

The executive of TKI Water Technology has also been renewed. Joke Cuperus (Director, PWN) succeeds Roelof Kruize (Director, Waternet) as chairperson of the TKI Executive Board. ‘The Netherlands is world-renowned for its knowledge in the field of water technology,’ says Cuperus. ‘That’s something to be proud of, but no reason for complacency. The challenges we face as a sector call for collaboration and innovation. We can’t do it alone. As businesses, knowledge organisations and government, we must join forces. As chairperson, I will be promoting this partnership.’

Wim van Vierssen (CEO of KWR) has transferred his executive function to Jos Boere (Deputy CEO of KWR, and Director of Allied Waters), who has been active on the TKI Programme Board since the start of the programme. When asked about the significance of the new TKI programme for KWR, Boere says that ‘a cross-sectoral response to societal challenges is something KWR wants to be part of. We’re already working with the horticultural sector on water reuse and, in partnership with the energy sector, we’re looking at aquifer thermal energy storage and at hydrogen as an energy carrier.’

Joke Cuperus

Jos Boere