Leaders in Nature®

Guiding organizations through change — with people at the center

Raymond Leenders is an interim leader, facilitator, and transformation guide who believes that organizations grow when people feel seen, supported, and connected. With more than twenty years of experience in supply chain management, ERP/IT transformation, and cross‑functional project delivery, he has learned that real progress rarely comes from systems alone — it comes from human clarity, trust, and collaboration.

His work has taken him into a wide range of sectors and organizational cultures across the Netherlands, Scandinavia, Germany, Japan, the United States, Belgium, and the United Kingdom. Wherever he worked, the central question was always the same: How do you maintain clarity, calm, and humanity when the pressure rises?

In the Netherlands, Raymond worked for several American medical‑device multinationals, a Norwegian outdoor clothing producer, a Japanese chemical company a Dutch multinational in the food industry, an energy distribution company, and several ERP consultancy firms. These environments taught him to navigate speed, compliance, pragmatism, and human‑centered leadership — often all within the same day.

At the Norwegian outdoor clothing producer, the culture required a different approach than the direct Dutch style. The Norwegian way of working — grounded in equality, trust, and consensus — called for careful alignment, space for dialogue, and a calm, connecting presence in the daily collaboration with stakeholders at the Norwegian headquarters.

In Japanese contexts, such as the chemical company with a manufactering site in the Netherlands, a different dynamic emerged. His work took entirely place in the Netherlands, however he reported directly to Japanese executives based locally. The Japanese culture — with its emphasis on respect, precision, and implicit communication — required attention to nuance, preparation, and the careful building of trust within both the local and Japanese decision‑making cultures.

In Germany, Raymond worked for a consultancy organization and an aluminium extrusion company. The precision, structure, and technical depth of the German culture provided a strong foundation for his later work in complex operational environments.

In Belgium (French‑speaking part of the country) he worked for an American marine‑propulsion company, working closely with the U.S. headquarters on long‑term supply planning. The combination of American results‑driven expectations and the nuance and diplomacy of Belgian culture required clarity, sensitivity, and a strong connecting role.

In the United Kingdom, he guided the preparation and transfer of activities to a completely new team in the Netherlands — a team he had the opportunity to build and develop himself. It was a transition shaped by cultural differences, change pressure, and team dynamics, where transparency and trust were essential to making the shift successful.

Raymond’s leadership philosophy is simple: Lead with presence, act with integrity, and create the conditions for others to thrive. He brings calm into turbulent situations, listens deeply to what teams are experiencing, and helps leaders reconnect with the reality behind dashboards and reports. His strength lies in seeing what others overlook — the subtle dynamics, the unspoken tensions, the blind spots that quietly shape performance.

Nature is at the heart of how Raymond works and lives. Based in the South Limburg, he finds clarity in movement and perspective in the outdoors. Long walks with his dog are a daily ritual — a way to slow down, reconnect, and listen more deeply to what wants to emerge.
He also recently began beekeeping, drawn to the quiet discipline and natural intelligence of the hive. Working with bees has become a personal reminder of balance, patience, and the power of small, steady contributions — principles that echo through his approach to leadership.

His deep love for Scandinavia — its simplicity, balance, respect for and beauty of nature — continues to shape his way of seeing the world: grounded, honest, and human.

Raymond is married and the proud father of a teenage daughter and a son. His commitment to people extends beyond his professional life. He is socially engaged in his community and serves as a volunteer first responder, on standby to help people in need who require CPR or urgent assistance. This sense of responsibility — showing up when it matters — is woven into everything he does.

Through Leaders in Nature®, Raymond supports organizations navigating complexity, crisis, transformation, and growth. His work brings structure where there is confusion, momentum where things have stalled, and confidence where uncertainty has taken hold — always with people at the center.