Prof. Wim van Gelder, A member of the ILSI Europe Board of Directors receives a Royal Decoration
Prof. Wim VAN GELDER (former Global Director of Numico Research and now 
Senior Vice President Danone Scientific Affairs) has lately received a Royal Decoration for his exceptional work in his entire professional career. He has been appointed ‘Officier in de Orde van Oranje-Nassau’, which is a very prestigious decoration in The Netherlands, and which has been handed over by the Mayor of Wageningen, Mr. Van Rumund, on behalf of the Dutch Queen Beatrix. Local TV and press were present at this special occasion.
Wim VAN GELDER is an internationally recognised scientist with a passion to translate science to society. Wim has been Global Director of Numico Research since 1999, and has played a crucial role in the further development of this organisation into an internationally renowned research organisation.
Before he joined this company, he worked for the Agro-Technological Research Institute, where he was one of the founders and first directors, and for the Confederation of Netherlands Industry and Employers (known as VNO-NCW) as Director of Technology Policy. There he worked together with multinational and Dutch knowledge-intensive companies and advised Dutch ministers and parliament members. Subsequently, he joined Eindhoven University of Technology, as Dean and full professor of the department Technology Management. During this period he established research schools, built alliances with international distinguished research schools (e.g. Stanford, Berkeley) and acquired Elite Accreditations. He published many scientific papers and is a member of a number of important national and international advisory boards. Amongst others, he is an active member of the Board of Directors of ILSI Europe, member of the Netherlands Academy for Technology and Innovation and member of several advisory committees to the Dutch Government.
ILSI Europe has the following structure:
The General Assembly is the ultimate decision making body on which all member companies are represented. The General Assembly elects the Board
of Directors.
Moderated by the chairman, the Board of Directors is the managing body of the Institute. To ensure a balanced input, it is composed of an equal number of member company representatives and of scientists from academic institutions. It approves i) the scientific programmes, ii) the appointment of Scientific Advisory Committee members iii) the appointment of Expert Group members and iv) the proposals of new task forces following advice of the Scientific Advisory Committee.
List of current members of the Board of Directors
The Scientific Advisory Committee is composed of a maximum of twenty experts with at least 50% coming from the non-industry sector. It is chaired by the President of ILSI Europe. The members of the SAC are elected by the Board of Directors according to their relevant expertise, their prestige and availability for active contribution.
The aims of the Scientific Advisory Committee are to:
• review the scientific programme of ILSI Europe, including the new activities with respect to their scientific validity, coherence within ILSI Europe’s
programme, feasibility, urgency of the issues
• monitor the composition of expert groups and scientific advisors to task forces in order to ensure scientific integrity
• provide scientific guidance to the task forces
• propose and review proposals for new activities.
List of current members of the Scientific Advisory Committee
Composed of members from academia and industry with experience in publishing, writing and editing, the Publication Committee co-ordinates the peer-review process and ensures the quality of ILSI Europe publications in the Concise Monographs Series and in the Reports Series.
Task Forces are the working bodies that initiate, undertake, develop and manage all projects. Task forces address their topics through activities such
as expert groups, projects funded by the European Commission, workshops, conferences, literature reviews and all resulting publications.
Expert groups comprise at least 50% non-industry scientists to ensure a balanced input of ideas; they write most of ILSI Europe’s publications. Anybody can apply for an expert position.