Toespraak bij afscheid Gerard Kleisterlee, CEO Philips

Toespraak | 01-04-2011

Gerard,

This past week, my colleagues in the cabinet have been worrying a lot: could they keep their voicemails? When I told them that you were coming to the rescue at Vodafone, they were relieved. Who is better equipped than you to solve any problems, including voicemail leaks?

As Jan-Michiel Hessels just said, you are a man of exceptional qualities. You spent 37 years at Philips. Managed to stay its CEO for ten. Completely restructured the company, yet at the same time brought it peace and stability. You are leaving Philips a healthy company and a leader in its industry. And now your wealth of experience will benefit others as well.

I have been told that you are not a man for the limelight. But there is no escaping it today.

Ladies and gentlemen,

I have a profound admiration for Gerard Kleisterlee.

Not only because he had the good taste to grow up in the south of the Netherlands, like me, and to marry a lady named Annemiek, like me.
Not only because he has led Philips for a full decade – although in my fifth year as a minister, I appreciate the stamina it takes to stay at the top for such a long time.

What I admire most about Gerard is that he is one of those rare leaders whose influence reaches far beyond their own organisation. Gerard has taken to heart the interests, not only of his company, but of his country as well. By sharing his knowledge, insights and time for the benefit of society at large.

In doing so, he can take others to great heights. Sometimes literally. As he did for one of my predecessors, Laurens Jan Brinkhorst. The year was 2003. The government had just set up our first Innovation Platform and wanted to redesign its innovation policy. But they weren’t sure how. Gerard had been with the Innovation Platform from the very start, and he had ideas. So what did he do? He took the minister for a helicopter ride. They flew from the IMEC campus in Leuven to the High Tech Campus in Eindhoven. His point was: what you need for innovation is a fertile ecosystem where entrepreneurs and researchers meet, inspire and challenge each other.

Eight years later, the view from that helicopter has helped shape my innovation policy as well. I believe that it is only through close cooperation between companies, research institutions and government that the Dutch economy can achieve its full potential. Be among the best on the global market. Attract the best investors. This is happening now in the Brainport region around Eindhoven. Not least thanks to Philips and Philips spin-offs like NXP and ASML!

Gerard,

You have said yourself that the most difficult decision of your career was to sell the semiconductors division. But obviously, it turned out to be a good decision both for Philips and for NXP. Philips came through the crisis with losses in only two quarters, while NXP has emerged stronger than before. It took courage to go against the current and decide that Philips would do less but do it better. Your decision is an inspiration to the present Dutch government, as we cut bureaucracy, focus on what we do best and work to make our best even better.

Gerard, you have been the leader of a global company in a decade that historians may in hindsight describe as the end of Western economic hegemony. You have invested a lot in growth markets, especially in Asia, where you have lived yourself. You have relocated part of Philips’ production to Asia.
You have been an active member of the Hong Kong-based Asia Business Council, which promotes Asia’s economic development and competitiveness in the global marketplace.

Yet at the same time, you have worked to strengthen the Netherlands’ position in the world economy. By investing in LED lighting and in medical technology at Philips. And by striving for a better climate for business and innovation, as a member of both the European Round Table of Industrialists and the successive Dutch Innovation Platforms. I have been told that people at Philips sometimes grumbled when you insisted on putting the interests of the nation above the interests of your company.

You have also worked for the interests of society beyond business. For energy saving and sustainability. For cancer research. And for the arts – including the splendid Hermitage Museum where we are today.

Ladies and gentlemen, in an interview with the Financial Times last year, Gerard said: ‘Whenever I step out of this office, I want to leave something behind that has substance, that has sustainability, something people can build on, expand, improve.’

This you have done. Your successor, Frans van Houten, will have plenty to build on as the company’s 12th CEO. As will many other people in Holland and abroad.

Fortunately, you have decided that retiring at 65 is not for you, and that the many history books on your reading list will have to wait. You will continue to play a leading role at Vodafone and Dell, and to share your knowledge and expertise at Shell, the Nederlandsche Bank, the Concertgebouw, IMD Business School and many other places.

Gerard, it is because of this impressive list of accomplishments that our head of state, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, has asked me to represent her here today.

Would you please step forward ….

I will now say a few words to you in Dutch.

Gerard Kleisterlee, het heeft de Majesteit Koningin Beatrix behaagd om je voor je bijzondere verdiensten te benoemen tot Commandeur in de Orde van Oranje-Nassau.

Van harte gefeliciteerd!

Gerard, the floor is yours.

[Hierna houdt Kleisterlee zelf zijn toespraak.]