Gerben Smeenk

Experienced R&D Leader | Project & Program Manager | Medical Device Development Specialist

About

Gerben Smeenk holds a Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering from Eindhoven University of Technology, earned in 1986. His extensive professional career includes significant roles at Philips Electronics NV, where he served in various capacities including Product Development Lead, Senior Project Manager, and Project Management Office Lead across different divisions such as Personal Health Mother and Child Care, Saeco, Lighting, and DAP. Smeenk also possesses entrepreneurial experience as the Owner and Senior Consultant at CISS Consultancy and as the Managing Director and Founder of Kasteel de Schans bvba. Currently he is active as independent R&D consultant, supporting R&D and business teams in program management, project management, individual and team development, product improvement and market corrections.

Education

Eindhoven University of Technology

Master in Mechanical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering / December, 1986

Eindhovens Protestants Lyceum

Gymnasium / December, 1981

Eindhovens Protestants Lyceum

Gymnasium B, General Education / 1981

Technical University Eindhoven

Master degree, Mechanical Engineering / 1986

Experience

CISS Consultancy

Research Development Consultant / July, 2024 — Present

Philips Personal Health Mother and Child Care

Project Management Office Lead / April, 2021 — June, 2024

Senior Project Manager / September, 2017 — March, 2021

Project manager for development, industrialization and market introduction of electrical breast pumps, a Class II medical device.

Philips Saeco

Product Development Manager / January, 2015 — August, 2017

Responsible for definition and execution of development program of Fully Automatic Espresso machines for the Domestic markets. Brands: Philips, Saeco, Gaggia. Focus on program management and project management. Representing R&D in category management team.

Philips

PMO manager and Sr. Project Manager / July, 2010 — December, 2014

Focus on leadership of Project Management Office and responsible for ISO 9000 deployment. Actively involved and leading in definition of harmonized PM processes and competence development processes and tools across Philips. Operationally responsible for programming R&D and project execution, reporting and review for Floorcare category.

ciss-consultancy bvba

Owner and Sr. consultant / April, 2005 — December, 2014

CISS consultancy specializes in business strategy development, improvement of business processes, project management and competence development, both personal and team development. Main domains are product innovation and ICT.Mission, vision, strategy development

Kasteel de Schans bvba

Managing director / January, 2009 — October, 2014

Kasteel de Schans is een cursuscentrum voor persoonlijke ontwikkeling. In een veilige omgeving worden eventuele blokkades weggewerkt, zodat je vol in het leven kan staan. Vervolgens word je begeleid om de doelen te stellen en realiseren die voor jouw zin in het leven van belang zijn. De aanpak is vaak lichaamsgericht. Individuele begeleiding en coaching is ook mogelijk.

Philips Lighting

Manager Mechanization / August, 2003 — April, 2005

Department designing and realizating production equipment for lamps 100 employees + 50 temporary Focus on technology roadmapping, process and equipment development, project management Achieved ISO 9000 certification

Philips Hasselt

Manager CFT Hasselt / January, 1999 — December, 2003

Philips DAP

Development groupleader / January, 1996 — December, 1999

Independent RD consultant

Independent RD Consultant / 2024 — Present

Resolution of various quality issues in market (recall consumer service product improvement); Digitization of RD transforming from document driven to data driven organization; Simplification alignment of go the market processes with RD processes

Philips Electronics NV

PMO Manager / 2021 — 2024

Lead team of integral project leads project support officers configuration managers and business excellence experts. Key achievements: Improve effectiveness and efficiency of Philips process framework for product development; Lead development and launch of products in the area of mother and child care (breast pumps bottles soothers baby monitors)

Senior Project Manager / 2017 — 2020

Project Management of development industrialization and market introduction of electrical breast pumps a Class II medical device. Key achievements: Development and launch of electrical breast pump in USA and Europe with reduced sound improved vacuum performance and cost reduction; Manage compliance with IEC 60601 (medical) and IEC 60335 (household) standards; Development of new platform electrical breast pumps with ca 30% improved efficacy.

Product Development Lead / 2015 — 2017

Product development of Fully Automatic and Manual coffee machines. Responsible for definition and execution of global product development program with RD budget of 12M and business turnover of 220M. Key achievements: Business turn-around with growth from 160M to 220M turnover with integral margin from 32% to 39%; Install program and project management organization and processes project delivery reliability from 25% to 70%; Launch first fully automatic Espresso machines under Philips brand; Lead architecture program to install product platforms for Philips and Saeco Espresso machines

Various Roles (Business functional and project management) / 1987 — 2010

Business functional and project management roles in product and equipment development in The Netherlands Singapore and Belgium. Products: Lighting Optical Storage Steam irons Vacuum Cleaners.

Philips Innovation Services

Senior Project Manager / 2020 — 2021

Project Management of RD process deployment and industrialization projects for various Philips businesses mainly medical domain. Examples: Ultra Fast Scanner for Digital Pathology Solutions; 7 Tesla Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Patient Imaging Module for IGT and US imaging

Philips DAP BV

Project Management Office Lead / 2010 — 2014

Key achievements: Field call rate reduction from 40% to 10% of AquaTrio; Re-definition of Quality Management System; Key contribution to Philips Excellence Project Management Capability program and PM blueprint.

Kasteel De Schans BVBA

Founder and Chairman / 2006 — 2014

Training center for personal development. Key achievements: Change from non-profit organization to BVBA while maintaining values and objectives.

CISS Consultancy BVBA

Owner and Sr. Consultant / 2005 — 2010

Offering consultancy on RD strategy and business process improvement organizational development and project management.

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