From global stages to system change. After more than a decade managing leading international exhibitions and conferences in the Water and AgriFood industries at Jaarbeurs and Amsterdam RAI, Annelies built her career at the intersection of content, community, and impact. She later founded C22 to turn that experience into action—designing strategies that bring people and markets together, foster entrepreneurship, and accelerate innovation in the Water & Food transition. Along the way, she held strategic roles with organizations including PureTerra Ventures, StartLife, Isle Group, and Techleap, strengthening the bridge between startups, investors, and industry.

In early 2025, Annelies joined Next Venue as Strategic Director with a clear mission: identify and acquire events that belong at de Midden Nederland Hallen. The perfect match? Plant FWD. With deep roots in the food ecosystem and a sharp eye for building future-focused platforms, Annelies is now guiding the next chapter of Plant FWD—shaping it into a driving force for connection, collaboration, and real progress in the protein transition.