Bas Verkooijen
Chief Executive Officer
With 25 years of experience in the energy industry, Bas has led businesses in over 25 countries. As the CEO of Advario, Bas is passionate about building a new, world-class organisation that develops better business through successful partnerships and acts as a frontrunner in the energy transition.
Prior to joining Advario, Bas worked at OMV. In his role as the Senior Vice President Product Supply & Sales and member of the OMV Downstream leadership team, he was responsible for the group’s supply, logistics and commercial sales of refined products as well as petrochemicals. Bas started his career at Shell where he led various downstream businesses in Europe, Russia, Middle East, Asia and Oceania.
Bas holds a master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Groningen in the Netherlands.
Douglas van der Wiel
Chief Growth Officer
As Chief Growth Officer, Douglas van der Wiel focuses on keeping Advario’s customer-centric strategy and vision front and centre, while improving the company’s competitiveness. Douglas started his career at Oiltanking as Business Development Manager in Singapore in 2001. After more than five years in the region, he was transferred to Oman as Commercial Manager for Oiltanking Odfjell Terminals & Co.
In August 2009, Douglas took on the challenge as Chief Executive Officer of the joint venture between Star Energy and Oiltanking in Dubai. In August 2013, he transferred back to Singapore to take up the position of Vice President Commercial, Oiltanking Asia Pacific for a year, after which he was appointed President, Oiltanking Asia Pacific. In 2020, he transferred to the Netherlands as regional Senior Vice President at Oiltanking, responsible for the EMEA region.
Douglas holds a master’s degree in Business Administration from the Erasmus University in Rotterdam in the Netherlands.
Joke Nijhoff
Chief People Officer
As Chief People Officer, Joke works to unlock the power of highly engaged, empowered employees. Passionate about people and with a proven track record in the successful delivery of extensive projects with complex stakeholder patterns, she brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the Advario leadership team.
Prior to joining Advario, Joke worked in Human Resources in several diverse, internationally operating companies. That includes several roles within the Dutch multinational FrieslandCampina, a company that produces dairy products for both consumers and the professional market. At FrieslandCampina, which has distribution facilities and commercial branches in 32 countries, Joke was ultimately responsible for the People function of a business sector with over 3500 employees and annual revenues exceeding 3 billion euros. Furthermore, she led the global supply chain capability and organizational review for 15,000 employees. Her next position was Chief Human Resources Director for Rabobank’s Retail Banking sector in the Netherlands, before ultimately deciding to join Advario.
Joke holds a master’s degree in Culture, Organization and Management from the Vrije Universiteit (VU) Amsterdam in the Netherlands.
Yvan Tavernier
Chief Operational Officer
With 25 years’ experience in leadership in business unit and corporate executive , Yvan is an international senior executive who is passionate about leading and transforming organizations towards excellence.
Prior to being appointed Chief Operational Officer at Advario, Yvan has been responsible for Oiltanking’s global assets, operations and health and safety strategy, leading to increased profitability, productivity, and safety performance. Yvan joined Oiltanking in 2013 as Managing Director of Oiltanking Stolthaven Antwerp NV.
Yvan started his career at Solvay where he led various petrochemical manufacturing sites in Belgium and France. Prior to joining Oiltanking, Yvan was leading the moulded glass business in the US for Gerresheimer GmbH.
Yvan holds a master’s degree in Chemical Engineering from Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium.
Roderic Heeneman
SVP Strategy, Portfolio and Sustainability
Roderic has over two decades worth of experience in the energy industry, spending a large portion of his career in commercial leadership and M&A/ business development roles in Shell across the entire downstream supply chain.
He has been leading customer facing companies as well been involved in many growth projects in Renewables and Downstream, e.g. acquisitions and joint ventures in biofuels, EV, clean power, retail. He has also led large dealmaking communities and global restructuring- and divestment programs.
As Senior Vice President (SVP) Strategy, Portfolio and Sustainability, Roderic is instrumental in shaping and implementing Advario’s forward-looking strategy, M&A agenda and ambitious Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) agenda.
Roderic holds a Business Degree (MsC) from the University of Groningen.
Sophie Challet
Chief Financial Officer
With 27 years of experience in multinational companies in the Oil & Gas, Water, Waste, Electricity & Transport industries, Sophie Challet is a highly experienced finance executive, who oversees Advario’s global finances.
Sophie has lived and worked in many countries, including Monaco, China, Hong Kong, UK, USA, Equatorial Guinea, Qatar, and the UAE. Prior to joining Advario, Sophie was CFO Middle East for Egis, a French engineering and project management organisation. She has also held various senior finance and audit positions in companies such as SBM Offshore, Alstom Grid, Suez Group, Europcar & Deloitte.
Sophie holds a master in Economics and Business administration from Audencia Business School in France.
Amber Fisher
VP Communications & Transformation
Amber is an experienced corporate communication and change leader. As the VP Communications and Transformation, she is responsible for building and maintaining the company’s culture, and covers strategic planning, employee engagement, reputation management, stakeholder, and media engagement.
Prior to Advario, Amber worked at Shell in several corporate communications role in Shell’s Upstream business, specializing in non-technical risk management, stakeholder engagement and crisis communications. In 2015 she moved to The Netherlands to work as the Internal Communications Strategy Manager where she was responsible for helping leaders to understand Shell’s new energy transition strategy and translate it for their own teams. Following this assignment, Amber was the Communications Manager for the Integrated Gas business where she supported numerous organizational changes and transformations, and most notably the growth of the integrated gas business and the launch of Shell’s renewable and energy solutions business.
Amber has a Bachelors of Applied Communications from Mount Royal University, Canada, and a Master of Science in Management from the London School of Economics, UK.