Leading in crisis situations

Expert, Experience expert

1 hour

NL

Crisis Management,
Risk management

Influence,
Cooperation,
Personal effectiveness

How to lead large-scale, politically sensitive projects, how to build a professional team around you, and how to bring diverse organizations together to prepare your ultimate goal. Based on the preparations and execution of the NATO Summit 2025 and other large-scale events, you will be taken through various real-world examples and tips to make your future approach a success.

Willem Woelders is 67 years old and has been with the national police force for 48 years this year, for the most part as a supervisor. After four years at the police academy in Apeldoorn, he joined the Amsterdam municipal police in 1981, where he gained much experience in investigation, basic police care and large-scale operations, including many evictions, professional soccer, the Bijlmer disaster and the Eurotop in Amsterdam and the investigation into the murder of Theo van Gogh. In 2007 transferred to the Utrecht region as deputy chief of police, in 2011 chief of police Flevoland and Gooi- en Vechtstreek and then from the 2013 deputy chief of police in Central Netherlands and the National Unit. In recent years busy with setting up and implementing the new system Bewaken en Beveiligen (Security and Surveillance) and the last two years busy with the preparation and implementation of the NATO Summit in The Hague in June 2025. Retired as of September 30, 2025 but remained connected to the force as a police volunteer. In addition to the police leadership academy, Willem earned his Master of public Administration from the NSOB in The Hague in 2002.

In the summer of 2023, our former prime minister invited NATO to the annual NATO conference in The Hague in June 2025. In August 2023, Willem was asked as national commander to organize this by the national police. The largest event in the history of the police, ultimately involving 27000 police officers, in close cooperation with defense, the KMAR and various ministries and municipalities. 145 people to be secured, divided into 45 delegations that mainly arrived at Schiphol Airport, had to be transported to The Hague, stayed in hotels there and had the conference at the Word Forum. A logistical mega operation where the balance had to be found between security and hospitality. In addition, the police had to be prepared for all sorts of scenarios, especially now that the world around us is restless and unsafe and that this has also led to unrest within the Netherlands, which manifests itself particularly in many demonstrations. In the presentation, Willem will paint a picture of the preparation and eventual implementation of police measures during NATO Summit. Based on his experiences during the preparations and during NATO Summit and other large-scale events, the following topics will be discussed: how to build a good and professional team, how to cooperate with various organizations to achieve the ultimate goal and how to bring the various interests together in a world where 100% security does not exist. The presentation can be adapted to the specific needs of the client, both with regard to the content as well as the duration of the presentation.

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