VanderSat appoints Dr. Thijs van Leeuwen CEO and names Menno van der Marel non-executive chairman as global demand for water data and analytics rises

r. Thijs van Leeuwen has been appointed chief executive officer. Menno van der Marel, currently chief executive officer, has been appointed non-executive chairman.

Thijs is currently chief operating officer at VanderSat. As a member of VanderSat senior leadership team for nearly five years he has played an integral role in the company’s business and operating strategy which has led to significant growth. Prior to joining VanderSat, Thijs was a visiting scientist at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and Researcher at the Netherlands Institute for Space Research (SRON).

“Thijs is the right person to lead VanderSat into the future, given his strong command of our business, his strong science background and proven ability to drive results in our fast growing markets,” said van der Marel. “We are on a very positive growth trajectory at VanderSat and are well-positioned to continue building on our strong momentum. I am so pleased and proud that Thijs will lead our company, and I am excited to work with him — along with our entire team — to ensure a seamless transition and on VanderSat’s next phase of growth and market leadership.”

Thijs said: “At the same time, we are delighted that we will continue to benefit from Menno’s experience in his active role as non-executive chairman. He has been an exemplary leader as chief executive officer for the last three years, with a deep commitment to driving VanderSat’s business and positive environmental impact. We are grateful for his leadership and stewardship.
As non-executive chairman, Menno will continue to play a key role and be actively involved in VanderSat’s business. He will chair the board of directors, act as an advisor to Van Leeuwen and be involved in VanderSats long-term business strategy.

Dr. Thijs van Leeuwen

Thijs van Leeuwen, 37, is currently chief executive officer of VanderSat. After obtaining his PhD degree at the VU University Amsterdam, he worked as a visiting scientist at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and researcher at SRON Netherlands Institute for Space Research. Since 2015, he was leading the operations within VanderSat.

Menno van der Marel

Menno van der Marel, 47, is a tech entrepreneur and investor. He is non-executive chairman of VanderSat, member of the strategic board of The Ocean Cleanup and investor in multiple tech start and scale ups. He was founder and CEO of Fox-IT, an important cybersecurity player.