board
Joris Pinkster (Executive President)
Joris Pinkster is a molecular biologist with over 20 years of working experience on sustainability issues both in the Netherlands as internationally. Because of his work for five different ministries of the Netherlands, the ministry of environment of Peru, the United Nations (UN) and because of his experience with negotiations on EU- and UN-legislation, he has ample experience with the management of governmental policy. Currently we works as a strategic advisor on the implementation of the sustainability ambitions of the Royal Schiphol Group. His personal drive is to make the world a bit more sustainable.
Tedros Medhin
Tedros Medhin was a close friend of David Goedmakers; they met at the Stedelijk Gymnasium in Nijmegen. Tedros holds a degree in Corporate Communications from the University of Amsterdam and served as programme coordinator for the Green Livelihoods Alliance, a programme dedicated to the inclusive and sustainable governance of tropical forests and forest landscapes. He works as an independent consultant, with particular expertise in programme management within the conservation and forest governance sector.
Rene Henkens
A lifelong fascination with nature led René Henkens to a career in ecology and biodiversity conservation. As a senior ecologist at Wageningen University & Research, he has spent almost 30 years working on conservation challenges in Europe, Africa, Asia and the Caribbean. He believes that lasting conservation can only be achieved by bringing together science, local communities and sustainable development. This belief also guides his contribution to Chimbo and its work in the Boé region of Guinea-Bissau.
LUÍS COSTA (treasurer)
Luís Costa is a quantitative researcher and trader with a background in engineering and finance. During his Master’s in Finance at NOVA School of Business and Economics, between Lisbon and Stockholm, he developed a strong interest in the intersection between sustainability and financial markets, researching how sustainability indicators can be incorporated into quantitative investment strategies. He later joined Robeco, where he conducted quantitative research on the relationship between ESG characteristics and corporate bond returns and risk factors.
Today, Luís works in quantitative trading in Amsterdam, developing data-driven strategies and decision-making frameworks for global financial markets. Through Chimbo, he seeks to combine his professional expertise with his longstanding interest in sustainability and conservation, contributing to initiatives that generate measurable and lasting impact for local communities.
Norbert de munnik
Founders of Chimbo:
Piet Wit
Piet Wit is graduated in agriculture with specialization in rangeland ecology. He has gained a wealth of experience during over 50 years working as a professional in natural resources- and biodiversity management. Besides his experience in the Netherlands, he has worked in most of the countries of Western Africa in particular the Sahel region, in East- Central- and Southern Africa and in Asia. His experience includes long-term missions to Nigeria, Cameroon and Mongolia during which he worked in conserving biodiversity and participatory management of protected areas and their buffer zones. Piet Wit has a solid background in training and education management. He has a/o served as the chairman of IUCN’s Commission on Ecosystem Management from 2008 until 2016.
He is secretary of the executive committee of Daridibó and advisor to the Board of Chimbo
Annemarie Goedmakers
Dr. Goedmakers studied biochemistry and ecology (cum laude) in Amsterdam and Lyon. She has worked as a scientist in the field of aquatic ecology in northern France, as head international relations with a Dutch ministry, as senior consultant international natural resource management for DHV Consultants, and as director renewable energy and later as senior vice president sustainability with NV Nuon. She has founded and been CEO/executive president of FRES (Foundation Rural Energy Services). From 1989 until 2004 she has been a member of the European Parliament (spokesperson finance for the Socialist Group and a.o. rapporteur on international research cooperation). She is president of the executive committee of Daridibó and authorized representatieve of Chimbo