- By Lanner
- In Blog
- Posted 28/07/2021
We have now introduced you to two new members of our Management Team, Sander Zweers and Geoff Turner. In this week's final blog we are getting to know Luuk Duijndam, who is taking over the role of Lanner's Finance and Business Controller, bringing a vast amount of knowledge and experience to the role.
Q. Welcome to the Lanner Team! How are you finding your new position as Finance and Business Controller for Lanner?
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A. It’s exciting to be working even closer with the Lanner team. Ever since Lanner was acquired by RHDHV back in 2019, I have been closely involved with the company and started to learn about the business, the ways of working and the Lanner culture. I think Chris Barnes has done an excellent job as the previous Finance Director and I look forward taking over from him and working closely together with Tony, Helen and the rest of the Lanner team!
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Q. You’re also the Royal HaskoningDHV Business Unit Controller for the Business Unit Software (BUS) and of the BU Nereda, what does this entail?
A. It probably helps to explain a little bit of the organisational structure within RHDHV.
RHDHV has 5 Business Lines, of which the Business Line ‘Digital’ is one. The Business Line comprises of several units and the Business Unit Software, or BUS, is one. In the BUS we have brought together all the scalable software solutions RHDHV has and continues to develop. This is the Business Unit that Lanner forms an integral part of. I’m responsible for Business Control (Finance) of this Business Unit. As a Business Controller, I’m part of the management team of the BUS. In essence the P&L (Profit and Loss statement) is a key driver and primary measurement tool for me to assess overall performance, identify business drivers, benchmark business processes against relevant KPIs, identify organisational blind spots to curb inefficiencies and promote business process optimisation.
This makes me as Business Controller more concerned with operational matters, rather than for instance compliance, tax, or accounting practices, where this responsibility sits elsewhere in our organisation.
For the Business Unit Nereda (our patented biological waste-water treatment technology), I’m also the Business Controller. The BU Nereda is organised under one of the other Business Lines: Water & Maritime.
Q. Tell us more about yourself! What experience are you bringing to Lanner?
A. I’m actually not a pure financial specialist by training, as I have a MSc degree in Civil Engineering. I started off my career as a Strategy and Management Consultant prior to joining the strategy team of RHDHV, where I was responsible for Mergers & Acquisitions of the company. As such, I bring a sound experience amongst others in business modelling and analytics. In the meantime, I’m completing an executive MSc program in Finance and Control at Maastricht University, to further develop myself as an all-round finance professional.
In my spare time I like to do sports like running, cycling and golf. Currently a lot of my free time is spent on renovating our new house, and we plan to be ready with that before our first-born arrives in September!
Q. As Lanner is becoming further integrated with RHDHV Digital, it is an exciting time for all involved, but what does this mean for our customers?
A. I think our customers will benefit from a more and more integrated software offering. With the further integration of Lanner in the wider Software Business Unit, we are able to offer a wider range of solutions and services that will benefit all our customers. This solution offering will range from insights & analytics to more sophisticated, advanced, automated control solutions. The ‘Digital Twin’ concept will bring this all together. On top of that, we will drive a strong focus on sustainability and making a positive impact on the world, supported by our strong domain knowledge in these fields.
Q. What other area’s of RHDHV Digital is Lanner working closely with, and what opportunities is this creating for Lanner?
A. The predictive simulation capability Lanner offers is one of the key ingredients of the Decision-as-a-Service proposition we are developing. This creates a wealth of opportunities for the Lanner team to further connect with the other parts of our business and develop the skills that are needed for this journey. Also, in terms of accessing new markets, there are significant growth opportunities. One of our key focus areas will be on ‘Water related issues’. Here we see ample opportunities for bringing the Lanner propositions forward to the clients we already have strong relations with.
Q. From a financial perspective, what insight can you give into the role of predictive simulation and digital twins as key strategic tools for businesses?
A. Predictive simulation and digital twins as part of our Decision-as-a-Service offering allow our customers to make better decisions and de-risk decision making. This can have significant financial impact. These technologies will help to quantify risk and can be employed as part of a risk management strategy for identifying business options with minimal volatility. The use of predictive simulation in the creation of business cases represents an efficient and cost-effective method for driving change, whether it is based on incremental steps or large-scale transformation.