Event

The warning signs are often there. The harder question is why organisations wait to act.

In an increasingly complex environment, organisations are under growing pressure from customers, employees, investors and society at large. Yet many leaders delay action on emerging concerns until their options have narrowed. This session explores why that happens, how external stakeholders are reshaping corporate decision-making, and what leaders can do to maintain strategic flexibility before others begin setting the agenda.

Join us in person for an insightful event with Professor Paul A. Argenti, visiting Professor at RSM and Professor at Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth.
Drawing on examples from technology, pharmaceuticals, consumer products and social media, Paul will explore how early warning signs can grow into stakeholder pressure, regulation and other constraints – and why acting earlier can preserve an organisation’s room to manoeuvre.

The central question is one of leadership and strategy:
How do you recognise when an emerging concern requires action, while meaningful choices still exist?

The event is co-hosted by RSM Corporate Communication Centre and EACD Netherlands, and is open to MCC alumni, students and EACD members and friends.

Keynote speaker

• Professor Paul A. Argenti

Paul Argenti is a pioneer in corporate communication and Professor at Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. He is the author of Corporate Communication, the first textbook in the field, now in its eighth edition, as well as several other books on communication, responsibility and digital strategy. He has advised and delivered programmes for organisations including ING, Novartis, Goldman Sachs and Mitsui, and is a frequent contributor to Harvard Business Review.

Panel discussion with EACD Netherlands

Following the keynote, Professor Argenti will be joined by two senior members of EACD Netherlands to share practical perspectives and real-world experiences. The session includes ample opportunity for interaction and discussion, making it both an informative and highly engaging event.

Programme

• 17:00 – Welcome with coffee & tea
• 17:30 – Joint introduction by RSM and EACD
• 17:35 – Keynote by Prof. Paul Argenti
• 18:10 – Panel discussion with Professor Argenti and EACD Netherlands
• 18:30 – Networking drinks
• 19:00 – Closing

Event host:

Professor Joep Cornelissen,
Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University (RSM)
Joep Cornelissen is Professor of Corporate Communication and Management at Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University. The main focus of his research involves studies of the role of corporate and managerial communication in the context of innovation, entrepreneurship and change. In addition, he also has an interest in questions of scientific reasoning and theory development in management and organization theory.He is a former Associate Editor for the Academy of Management Review, a Council member of the Society for the Advancement of Management Studies, a former General Editor of the Journal of Management Studies (2006-2012) and serves on the editorial boards of the Academy of Management Journal, Journal of Management Studies and Organization Studies.

EACD Netherlands:

Elvira Luykx,
Founder & Consultant, NORTH / EAST Communications ConsultingElvira recently completed her role as Head of Communications Strategy, Insights, and Operations at ASML, where she worked on an interim basis. She is an experienced communications professional, with a track record in corporate affairs and communications within multinational companies, and a background in Public Affairs consultancy. In her roles at companies such as Numico (Danone), Reckitt and DSM she engaged in stakeholder dialogue, acted as a spokesperson, developed corporate positioning, and guided organisations through crises. Prior to joining ASML, she worked as an interim consultant overseeing global business transformations for FrieslandCampina and Versuni (formerly known as Philips Domestic Appliances) where she was responsible for driving communications and change.

Francine Rutgers,
Co-founder/Managing Partner, Herman Rutgers Executive & Interim SearchAfter a career in communications on the agency side and in the corporate world, Francine decided to move into executive search in 2000. Founding Herman Rutgers Executive & Interim Search in 2008 brought the icing on the cake: entrepreneurship. The agency is specialised in executive search for top positions in corporate affairs & communications across all types of sectors and industries. The added value of having the right corporate affairs or communications professional in the right place becomes particularly clear when the organization’s reputation is under pressure. This is when board members and communications directors need to be able to rely on each other’s understanding and trust.

Maartje Snellen,
Partner, FGS GlobalMaartje is a seasoned crisis management and corporate communication professional with extensive experience in mainly the food, FMCG, technology and energy industries. Before joining FGS Global as a partner, she co-founded crisis management agency The New Edge. Maartje held several senior roles in crisis management and corporate communications at national, regional and global levels for companies including Shell, NAM (an ExxonMobil/Shell joint venture), Heineken and Burson-Marsteller. As a consultant, Maartje supported clients like Ahold Delhaize, Huawei Netherlands, Unilever,