Richard Greve
Associate Partner
I am an energetic Amsterdammer who combines thinking with action. An economist with a passion for people and IT. When I was writing my thesis, that combination seemed somewhat unusual, but over time I have come to realise that psychology, information technology and finance come together in almost every challenge. Today, they go hand in hand.
I was born in the iconic year of 1968 and perhaps that explains my love of change. My career reflects this: over three decades, I have worked as a banker, IT entrepreneur and HR Director at Dutch Railways. The common thread has always been creating the right conditions for people to work happily, healthily and productively. Today, I work as an organisational consultant and interim manager, where I particularly enjoy helping to shape change processes with and for people, anticipating the changes of tomorrow.
In my work, I am calm, analytical and understanding. I want to understand the challenge, but also the client and the wider context. From there, I translate those insights into approaches and solutions that suit the client. Give me the freedom to act, and I will take the initiative and get my hands dirty. I value working relationships built on trust, where there is room for honest and constructive challenge. This also means addressing what remains unspoken, always with the aim of helping the organisation and its people move forward.
In my personal life, I am remarkably consistent: I have been with my husband Michel for almost 30 years. We live by the coast, although I still spend plenty of time in Amsterdam. I have also been acting for 25 years, performing in theatres and living rooms.
"Keep it simple"
What is your area of expertise?
I believe that a profession chooses you. HR chose me. Despite my background in economics and IT, I kept asking myself: are we making the most of our people? Throughout my 30-year career, I have constantly heard how important our human capital is. Yet in practice, I still see too little evidence of this. That is why I moved into HR: to sharpen policies and employment practices, design organisations that operate logically and productively, and safeguard the human perspective. Leaders play a greater role in this than they often realise. I expect a lot from them: noblesse oblige.
What makes you stand out?
I come across as calm and perhaps a little laid-back. But those who work with me for longer discover a sharp yet warm side, with a sense of fun and creativity thrown in. I am a glass-half-full kind of person: analytical, independent, quick to form judgements, but also sociable. Working with people is what I enjoy most, especially in complex situations.
What have you achieved that you are proud of?
At Dutch Railways (NS), we managed to resolve the staff shortage at an incredible pace. Going from no recruitment during the COVID-19 pandemic to hiring 5,000 people a year was a tremendous achievement. Strategically, I am most proud of developing a people strategy that belongs not to HR, but to the organisation as a whole. We set a shift in motion from a task-focused to a people-centred approach, which managers are now putting into practice themselves.
Closer to home, I built a shed this year. I always thought I was hopeless at DIY, but it turns out I am not. People are capable of so much more than they think.
What is your vision for your field?
The challenges surrounding people are greater than ever. HR needs to become more modern, independent and confident. Not just identifying what needs to change, but actively driving that change. HR is not a support service for managers, but a guide to what the future holds.
