Marco Kooistra

Marco is a founding partner of the Osmos Network responsible for the organisation’s financial management. He brings the network extensive expertise in finance, fiscal strategy, business management and accounting.

Marco’s interest in both philosophy and practice-based problem solving brought him to embrace both visual arts and finance in his career path. An early education in business management and accountancy (University of Amsterdam) set Marco up for a career in the mechanics of business. This included business management, fiscal law, financial strategy and more conventional accounting and financial auditing. Marco worked with Booz Allen Hamilton (now Strategy&, a PWC company) as an independent auditor for almost two decades. Meanwhile, he also worked as a consultant helping others develop businesses and launching his own financial accountancy consultancy firm, Lupa Company. His years of experience in both large and small businesses offer a foundation for him to support in ventures closer to his heart where he can leverage his passion for the arts and creativity.

 

Marco is quick-witted and calculated, giving an honest but well assessed response to any challenge he faces. Though he brings depth of knowledge from years of professional experience, he is not married to his ideas or methods. He welcomes novelty, if and when it proves valuable. He is a systemic, yet pragmatic, thinker. This makes Marco a great asset when exploring projects covering business and organisational dynamics.

 

Marco has a passion for projects involving sustainable food and agriculture. He has supported the financing and development of the Sonian Wood Coop. He has helped launch a number of small businesses and organisations with food and local production such as Stadshout in Amsterdam and the City of Utrecht. He volunteers extensively with the arts and community led agriculture including Stichting Klaterklanken and Stichting Meer Publiek. 

Education
  • BSc. Business economics and accountancy – University of Amsterdam (NL)
  • Diploma in fiscal economy – University of Amsterdam (NL)
  • Diploma in fiscal law – Erasmus University (NL)
  • Photography – Royal Academy of Visual Arts Den Haag (NL)
Professional experience
  • Director and project manager – Osmos Network (BE/NL)
  • Owner and director – Lupacompany (NL)
  • Co-owner and Directeur – Blipartners B.V. (NL)
  • Board director – Sonian wood coop (BE)
  • Chairman – Stichting Klaterklanken (NL)
  • Chairman – Stichting Meer Publiek. (NL)
  • Owner and Directeur – Tatam B.V. (NL)
  • Controller – Strategy& (NL)
  • Vennoot en controller – Artvice (NL)

Expertise

Language skills

Dutch (native)

English (fluent spoken and writing)

Marco's insights

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Connecting Nature

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A European research program (H2020) developing nature based solutions: ‘bringing nature to cities and cities to nature’.

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The wood of the Sonian Forest

/// Case study
Cities produce vast amounts of resources, much of which goes under used or overlooked. Case study: The Sonian Wood Coop

Everyone else
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Adrian Hill

Adrian is a founding partner of the Osmos Network responsible for general operations with expertise in production in cities and ecological systems.

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Eric Haas

Eric is a co-founder of the Osmos Network, focused on the organisation’s business development.

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Hanne Van Reusel

Hanne is an Osmos Network partner bringing the team expertise on the commons, participative processes and the development of public space.

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Julia Rocha

Julia is an Osmos collaborator with expertise in visual communications and public space.

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Laurens Van der Cruyssen

Laurens is an Osmos Network partner bringing the network expertise in psychology, quantitative and qualitative analysis, and human-centred design.

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Liana Simmons

Liana is an Osmos expert bringing the network a strong foundation in collaboration and cooperation to empower local and regional organisations and communities.

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Michael Kaethler

Michael is an Osmos expert bringing the network theoretical and methodological skills to address complex and systemic problems often rooted at an epistemological (knowledge) or ontological (being) level.

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Nienke Schachtschabel

Nienke is an Osmos expert based Amsterdam (NL). She brings the network extensive experience in visual communication, design research and in agro-ecology.

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Stephan Kampelmann

Stephan is a co-founder and expert of the Osmos Network bringing the network practical experience and theoretical knowledge on local economics, resource management and governance within bio-based production chains.

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Toha De Brant

Toha is an Osmos expert bringing the network expertise in anthropology and years of practical experience with community building, advocacy and grass-roots development. As a passionate photographer, she also supports the team with documentation of events.

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