Board

H.J. (Herberth) Samsom MBA – Chair and Executive Board Member

Herberth joined the Foundation on September 1, 2023. For the past seven years, Herberth was CEO & Founder of TBAuctions, the largest online auction company for industrial goods in Europe. Since 1985, Herberth has been an entrepreneur in various companies in the marketing and communications industry, including DDB Amsterdam. In 2008, Herberth was co-founder of InShared – We all benefit! Herberth is a non-executive board member and investor at, among others, TBAuctions, Equipe Zorgbedrijven, and Clinias Dental Group. He obtained an MBA at Bocconi University in Milan.

Drs. B.J.M. (Gita) Gallé – Executive Board Member

Since April 2020, Gita has been a member of the Executive Board of the Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology. Over the past 17 years, Gita has worked in various positions in healthcare. As Director of the Dutch Hospital Association (NVZ), as a member of the Executive Board of Jeroen Bosch Hospital, and as Chair of the Executive Board of Deventer Hospital. Gita had not planned to join the Princess Máxima Center. But it came her way. And although she also has experience in the corporate world at KLM and in public administration, Gita is deeply attached to healthcare. Healthcare is relevant; it is a complex sector, and health and well-being are at the top of everyone’s agenda. How wonderful, then, to work for a center whose mission is to cure every child with cancer while preserving quality of life. And for a group of children who still have their whole lives ahead of them.

Drs. P.H.B. (Peter) Pennekamp – Independent Board Member and Treasurer

Peter joined the Foundation in June 2016. In his civil service career within the Dutch national government, he has held various positions. For example, he served as Director-General at the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS) and as Inspector-General for Work & Income. He is also an active member of the CDA and served, among other roles, as chair of the largest regional division, South Holland, and therefore also as a member of the national party board and a member of various selection committees. In addition, he is a board member (treasurer) of several social organizations, such as a Utrecht-based philanthropic fund.

Ir. M.T.J.Y. (Resi) Becker – Independent Board Member

Resi joined the Foundation in June 2016. She is CEO of Essent, the energy company that, with 2.5 million customers, plays a key role in making our homes and buildings more sustainable. Under her leadership, Essent is accelerating the energy transition in the Netherlands with green energy, energy-saving measures for customers, and integrated energy solutions in our infrastructure. Previously, Resi was Director Mail NL and a member of the Executive Committee of PostNL. At PostNL, together with her team, she worked on keeping mail delivery in the Netherlands reliable, affordable and accessible. She studied Industrial Engineering and Management Science at Eindhoven University of Technology.

Mr. P.C. (Philippine) Risch – Independent Board Member

Philippine joined the Foundation’s Board on September 1, 2023. As of October 1, 2024, Philippine is CEO and Chair of BNG Bank. From 2018, she was a partner at McKinsey for six years, where she advised organizations and executive teams in various sectors on strategy, marketing and sales issues as well as organizational change, and guided them through transformation. Before that, she worked at ING for 21 years, in various marketing, management and executive positions. Philippine served for nine years as a board member and treasurer of the Carré Fund, which aims to guarantee Royal Theater Carré a long and healthy future and to keep it accessible to a large and diverse audience. Philippine has a personal connection to the Princess Máxima Center and its mission.

View the additional roles of the above members who are part of the Board.