Gloria Marin-Querol, BScIBA 2019 

Founder's Associate at Evidenced, and Co-Founder of Seven Hills Foundation in London, UK 

With a global perspective, entrepreneurial initiative, and the ability to translate these into long-term, meaningful change, Gloria Marin-Querol co-founded Seven Hills Foundation to empower vulnerable children in Kampala, Uganda through education, play, life skills, and vocational training. She has always had a strong drive to support people from less privileged backgrounds, and after her BScIBA at RSM, a BSc in International Communications and Media, plus a Master’s in Management from London Business School – she pitched herself as an independent consultant in East Africa, spending seven months in Uganda and developing relationships in the local coffee industry. She volunteered with a local grassroots NGO in Naguru Slums in Kampala, and created Seven Hills on her return to London. 

Nominator and foundation partner Jens Sudmeier said Gloria is remarkable because she created Seven Hills alongside her career. “Her dedication, multi-tasking ability, and drive to improve lives in the Global South serve as a powerful example of what it means to be a force for positive change in business and society,” he says. 

In Uganda, Gloria witnessed business knowledge creating meaningful economic change in a social impact project in agriculture, and went on to work in social impact consulting – including supporting the Zambian government in setting up a new centralised medicine procurement agency. 

She transitioned into start-ups because she believes it’s one of the most efficient ways to create scalable, practical change in the private sector. “My long-term goal is to work with or fund start-ups that have a meaningful impact in developing countries.” 

Jan Baan, BScIBA 2014 and MSc F&I 2016

CEO and co-owner of Omoda and Assem 

Jan Baan joined shoe retailer Omoda as assistant to the CEO in 2017 when he was 24. The company, started by his wife’s family five generations ago, had a handful of shops and online sales. He became its COO and co-owner in 2019, and continued to invest in his own development by studying for an MBA, and post-graduate diplomas in organisational leadership and AI for business. By the time he became Omoda’s CEO in 2022 – at the age of just 28 – he was ready to lead its transformation to a much bigger fashion retailer with an entrepreneurial, omnichannel approach. 

Now, Jan is CEO and co-owner of two apparel retailers: Omoda and Assem. Both companies have emerged from the recent rapid changes in the retail landscape during the pandemic as stronger, more innovative, and more customer-centric businesses. 

Jan’s nominator is RSM Professor of Management and Technology Steef van de Velde: “Jan shows the impact that a driven, visionary leader can make in business, and in our academic community. His eagerness to keep growing – as well as his meteoric rise and strategic acumen – speaks volumes about his discipline, humility, and a desire to continuously learn.” 

Jan shares his insights at RSM Alumni events, and has been an inspiring guest lecturer for bachelor and Executive MBA students. “He brings real-world perspective and genuine energy into the classroom,” says Steef van de Velde. 

Jan believes personal growth is constant, and his fulfilment comes from knowing he has done everything possible to achieve, build, or grow something – such as using technology and AI to recreate a personalised shopping experience online.  

Vincent de Wildt, MBA/Master in Financial Management 2014

Managing Director, Head of Private Banking, VP Bank AG 

Alongside his impressive international career in wealth management, Vincent de Wildt (MSc Financial Management 2014 and MBA 2014), has become a role model for responsible leadership in European private banking, says nominator Alexander Nau (MSc Finance and Investments 2014). Vincent played a pivotal role in strengthening Luxembourg’s position as a trusted cross-border hub for clients across Europe with a strong focus on transparency, innovation, and integrity, and is widely respected for his people-first leadership style, empowering teams, mentoring young talent, and fostering an open, collaborative culture in an industry often defined by tradition. He has an impressive international career in wealth management with senior leadership roles at renowned institutions, and is now Managing Director – Head of Private Banking at VP Bank AG.  

His impact extends outside the boardroom through his active engagement leading the RSM Alumni Luxembourg Chapter and in shaping the next generation of banking professionals. Vincent said: “My path has been shaped by a commitment to integrity, growth, and building high-performing, purpose-driven teams. Highlights in my career are the ones that reflect my passion for driving transformation while staying anchored in trust and performance, like successfully leading the sale and integration of ABN AMRO Luxembourg into BGL BNP Paribas – a complex transition requiring both strategic execution and people-centric leadership.”  

He champions inclusive, ethical, and sustainable leadership in private banking, believing that real impact comes from combining ambition with empathy and by helping others rise. “RSM pushed me to grow beyond technical competence into a more strategic, authentic leader.”  

Bart Bergmans, Executive MBA 2017

Partner at Blueprofs and Co-founder at Sanura

Bart Bergmans exemplifies the spirit of the UN’s SDG 11 – making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable – through his commitment to sustainable innovation in housing and urban infrastructure. He has been nominated for the Force For Positive Change Award by the RSM Alumni Relations Team. As co-founder of Sanura, he develops easy-to-install energy-saving technologies like a shower heat exchanger for retrofitting into existing bathrooms, making sustainability accessible and reducing environmental impact. His work at Blueprofs – a consultancy for the water sector – also supports climate adaptation and resilience and fosters safer and more sustainable urban environments. Collaborating across disciplines has enabled him to turn new ideas into practical products and processes that upgrade homes and protect communities. 

Bart said: “My goal is to help create a greener, more enjoyable world by connecting people and accelerating sustainable innovation. By being pioneers in practical urban sustainability for housing and water, we contribute to innovation that makes cities cleaner and more inclusive. Sanura’s products eliminate demolition and shorten the time for installation meaning that it’s possible to do large-scale retrofits across social housing and multi-units, lowering energy use and environmental impact.”  

Bart contributes to urban resilience through consultancy work at Blueprofs in supporting water-sector organisations on sustainability, climate adaptation, digitalisation, and continuous improvement. He applies a people-centred approach that bridges technical solutions with the practical conditions needed for successful implementation.  

Sanura was recently acquired by Counter Flow BV, a step that enables the further scaling-up of retrofit heat recovery for showers. “It marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter, with greater capacity and reach to make sustainability accessible at scale,” says Bart.

Denisa Kasa, BScIBA 2021 and MSc BIM 2023  

Associate, Volta Ventures 

Denisa Kasa has been nominated for the Force for Positive Change Award by the RSM Alumni Relations Team for volunteering to raise awareness of ecocide in the rivers of Albania. She works as an Associate for Volta Ventures, a venture capital fund specialising in investing in business-to-business software-as-a-service in the Benelux.  

She says during her bachelor and master studies at RSM she learned a lot about digital realities and world challenges, and in particular about transitions in the Asia-Pacific region and the chemicals and wastewater released into rivers there. “In Albania, my place of origin, one of its major rivers, the Ishmi, is one of the most polluted rivers in Europe, and two others are on the same path. I started documenting the pollution, fundraising to eliminate illegal dumping, and organising river clean-ups and walks to show how river pollution and abstraction for mining and tourist areas is destroying them.” A lot of local people joined in, and they partnered with local municipalities and administrative units.  

Denisa also supports initiatives focused on reducing consumption and dismantling the tourism bubble in Albania. “It was at RSM that I learned to think in ways that are not dogmatic, and to believe that one person alone can be a great enabler of change.” 

She finances local initiatives using some of the collected budget as well as her own savings. “This intervention is important because they usually rely on EU funding which is complicated and bureaucratic – and often fails to address the root causes.” Danisa and her network aim to expand their impact beyond Albania to other Mediterranean rivers. 

Philip Groeneveld, MSc Business Administration 2021

Manager Business Development at EBN BV

Philip Groeneveld is Manager Business Development, EBN BV, a Dutch public energy company He is driving large-scale sustainability in the Dutch energy system by combining strategic vision with hands-on execution, connecting industry, government, and society to turn complex energy challenges into actionable, investable solutions. Philip’s career spans the green economy, from waste recycling to advanced technologies, and system shifts toward net zero.  

Nominator Nick Kiran (MSc Business Administration 2021) said: “Philip brings together stakeholders from industry. With his leadership, impact, and ability to bridge vision with results, his work directly supports the Dutch energy transition and contributes to a more sustainable future with large-scale sustainability initiatives in the Netherlands. He thrives where economics, technology, and policy meet, balancing risk across value chains, navigating technological, financial, and legal complexity, and translating insights into clear decisions that move programmes forward. He is a true connector. 

Philip said: “My main motivation is to make a positive, albeit very modest, change for the future of my children, by combining strategic vision with hands-on execution. My focus is on solutions that are affordable, gain societal support, and are enabled by stable, progressive regulation, the conditions that accelerate a just energy transition.  

Philip’s MSc in Business Administration specialised in Strategic Management and Sustainability. His thesis, Decarbonising private firms through combined government incentives, was an early commitment to practical pathways for reducing emissions.