Egbert Nijenbanning
Working at Twente Board means collaborating on Twente’s future. This is how Egbert Nijenbanning perceives his role as a board member. Together, they envision what Twente should look like in 2050, develop a corresponding programme, and create a strategy to strengthen Twente's profile, especially towards The Hague.
According to Egbert, who serves as an alderman for the Municipality of Hellendoorn in his daily life, defining a vision is the primary objective of Twente Board. “Together with the three key sectors, we need to consider what Twente should offer, not only to The Hague but also to our own residents. We should be proud of Twente as a region, not competing with one another but enhancing each other through focused priorities,” he explains. “Take industrial estates, for example. Everyone talks about the size in hectares but rarely about the types of companies that should be there. Forming clusters in certain sectors can strengthen a location. I also believe we need to explore more collaboration with our German neighbours to jointly invest in the region.”
He envisions Twente Board as an open organisation where residents of Twente can freely share their ideas. “Twente Board should take a more unified approach as a region and consistently highlight regional strength. Twente’s uniqueness lies in our vibrant urban areas combined with expansive rural landscapes, which provide tremendous opportunities. The collaboration among the three sectors, along with Young Twente Board, allows us to look beyond our own individual interests. This enables us to gain a more comprehensive view of Twente’s assets and how we can address future challenges.”
According to Egbert, working towards the Gross Twente Happiness is a powerful framework for integrated collaboration. “Whether you're working in government, education, business, or the triple helix, our shared goal is to contribute to a region where people can live, work, and thrive. Success in this area has often been a matter of perception, but by literally measuring Gross Twente Happiness, we gain insight into Twente’s strengths and the areas where we need to push harder. It functions as a kind of compass, guiding us to continue doing what’s best. That’s what I find so appealing.”
Additional Roles | Egbert Nijenbanning
- Member of the Overijssel Mobility Executive Committee
- Member of the Twente Water Network Core Team
- Member of the Twente Recreation Board
- Member of the Asbestos Remediation Bureau Committee
- Member of the Socioeconomic Cooperation Committee (BOSS)
- Member of the Environmental Sustainability and Waste Portfolio Holders Committee
- Member of the Board for the National Parks Cooperative
- Member of the Core Committee for the Sallandse Heuvelrug & Twents Reggedal National Park
- Member of the Overijssel Aviation Committee
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