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Curriculum Vitae Gerben Smeenk 31-10-2016
Personal details:
Last Name: Smeenk
First name: Gerrit Bernard (usual name Gerben)
Born: June 19th 1963, Veldhoven (NL)
Nationality: Dutch
Marital state: Married
Contact information:
Elstrekenweg 71 Via Maria Montessori 6
B-3520 Zonhoven 40030 Castel di Casio (BO)
Belgium Italy
Tel: +31-6-52357538 (GSM NL) 0039-340 236 9694 (GSM IT)
+32-473-482619 (GSM BE)
E-mail: gerben.smeenk@skynet.be
Summary:
My entire career I have been involved in development and realization of both consumer and
professional products. Coming from a Mechanical Engineering background, I love to lead multi-
functional R&D departments and projects. In the most recent period I have specialized in project
and program management and in individual and team competence development.
What colleagues say about me is: “Gerben makes the impossible happen in a human way”, which
I consider a good reflection of being an inspirational leader, highly engaged and dedicated to
delivering business value, driving results through building high performing teams and processes.
The key strengths I am building on, are:
 a structured approach to drive fact based decision making and problem solving
 strong analytical and conceptual skills
 ability to combine strategic thinking with pragmatic solutions
 quality mindset, focus on continuous improvement of product quality, business processes
and individual and team competences
Experience:
1987 - 1991: Philips Lighting BV, Lead Engineer Mechanization,
Roosendaal (NL).
Key achievement: Realization of first automated production
of PL lamps with integrated electronics.
1991 - 1995: Philips DAP BV, Chief Engineer Production Systems,
Singapore, 23 employees.
Key achievements:
1) Realization of semi-automated soleplate manufacturing
and assembly, increasing yearly capacity from ca. 5M pcs
to 10M pcs with cost reduction of 20% and controlled
quality
2) Design and implementation of quality management system,
Equipment creation process, for ISO certification.

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Experience:
1995 – 1999: Philips DAP BV, Group Leader Product Development,
Hoogeveen (NL), 16 employees.
Key achievements:
1) Design and realization of low cost, compact vacuum cleaner
to address Q1/Q2 market segments
2) Design and implementation of programming tool, supporting
strategic scenario evaluation on investments and resourcing.
1999 - 2001: Philips Electronics NV, Group Leader Mechanical Engineering,
CFT Hasselt (BE), 35 employees. Account manager Optical
Pickup Unit, responsible for definition and execution of
development of production systems, project turnover ca. 20 M
Euro per year.
Key achievements:
1) Increase production capacity for OPU from 4M to 8M pcs /
year with 40% cost and lead time reduction of production lines
2) Design and realization of first production line of DVD-RW OPU.
2001 - 2003: Philips Electronics NV, General Manager CFT Hasselt,
Hasselt (BE), 200 employees. Integral business responsibility,
turnover ca. 35 M Euro per year.
Key achievements:
1) Increase customer satisfaction from 6.5 to > 9.0, through
effective communication and project review resulting in improved
delivery reliability and improved process capability
2) Lead ISO certification of CFT Hasselt and
3) As member of site management team execute multiple
re-structuring processes.
2003 - 2005: Philips Lighting BV, Manager Mechanization,
Turnhout (BE),, 150 employees, turnover ca. 35 M Euro.
Key achievements:
1) Development and realization of fully automated production line
for UHP (projector) lamps
2) Set up structure of self-steering teams per product segment to
drive product and industrial strategy.
2005 - 2010: CISS Consultancy BVBA, owner and Sr. consultant.
Offering consultancy on R&D strategy and business process
improvement, organizational development and project
management.
Key projects:
1) Product data management project, project budget 4M€.
2) Strategy and organizational development global R&D organization.
3) Project management for development of small domestic
appliances, project budget 3M€.

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Experience:
2006 - 2014: Kasteel De Schans BVBA, founder and chairman,
Opoeteren (BE), 6 employees. Training center for personal
development.
Key achievement: change from non-profit organization to
BVBA, while maintaining values and objectives.
2010 – 2014 Philips DAP BV , Project Management Office lead,
Drachten (NL), 15 employees.
Key achievements:
1) Field call rate reduction from 40% to 10% of “New to the
world” wet cleaning device
2) Re-definition and bringing alive of Quality Management
System.
3) Key contribution to Philips Excellence, Project Management
Capability program.
2015 – present: Philips Electronics NV, Product Development Lead
for Fully Automatic and Manual coffee machines,
Gaggio Montano, Italy, 70 employees.
Responsible for definition and execution of global product
development program with R&D budget of 12M€ and business
turnover of 220M€.
Key achievements:
1) Business turn-around with growth from 160M€ to 220M€
turnover with integral margin from 32% to 39%. 70% of turnover
from products introduced in past 2 years
2) Install program and project management organization and processes,
project delivery reliability from 25% to 70%.
Education:
1975 - 1981: Gymnasium B at Eindhovens Protestants Lyceum
1981 - 1986: Technical University Eindhoven, mechanical engineering. Master degree
1988: Factory mechanization (internal Philips)
1993: Asian Pacific Seminar, general management (internal Philips)
1995: Product Development 3 (internal Philips)
1997: Managing managers (internal Philips)
1998: PQA auditor (internal Philips)
2001: EFQM auditor (internal Philips)
2003: ISO auditor
2013: TOP IPM (internal Philips), master level project management training
2014: PMP certification (PMI institute)
2016: Lean development, daily management
Other information:
Languages: Dutch (fluent), English (fluent), German (good), French (moderate), Italian
(basic)
Software: Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint), Microsoft Project