Erick van Egeraat

News

Erick van Egeraat Chairman Quality Team Rotterdam World Expo 2025

Friday, 21 March 2014

Fifteen Rotterdam entrepreneurs have joined forces to promote Rotterdam to host the 2025 World Expo. They share the opinion that organizing such an event will provide Rotterdam with the common agenda and focus to work towards, that it needs.

This century, the growth of the global economy will concentrate mainly in delta’s. Most of these delta’s are located in geographically vulnerable areas. Rotterdam illustrates that such areas can in fact be an excellent location for companies and for inhabitants. The Dutch economy has proven itself without equal as a strong economic driver in a delta. Through demonstrating the transition that Rotterdam is in, in the field of energy and resources, and its impact on the maritime and off shore industries, knowledge can be consistently presented to the world. This makes Rotterdam not only a showcase, but also a business case for numerous delta’s worldwide.

Participants are: Pieter van Oord (Van Oord), Jeroen de Haas (Eneco), Roland Pechtold (Nova Terminals), Joop Wijn (ABN AMRO), Erik Hoving (KPN), Daan Sperling (TBI), Bert Jan Schutrops (Vopak), Lorike Hagdorn (TNO), Peter Goedvolk (AEG Invest), Lowick Barg (KPMG), Rob Nijst (VTTI), Yves Luca (AVR) and Rob Vester (Achmea).

Initiator of this initiative is Leendert Bikker. “We will have a new perspective with which we can move forward. There are plenty of analysis on lack of economic growth. This group of entrepreneurs takes action, and not minor, it is an initiative from the market. 2025 is closer then we think. We hold all the cards to realize this ambition for the expo, and to contribute to the economic development of this region. Above all, it would re-establish The Netherlands as a nation of innovation and trade to be proud of. The Netherlands with the Rijn-Schelde Delta can be on the global forefront of the much needed transition towards a circular economy. This will contribute to our national industrial agenda and offers a perspective to everyone, and to the professional education in particular. This chance we have only once, and we should take it.”

The group will be assisted by three councils. The internationally operating architect prof.ir. Erick van Egeraat will lead the quality team that will guard the quality of the concept. Prof.dr.ir. Jan Rotmans of the Erasmus University of Rotterdam leads the Academic Council that will safeguard the content of the proposal. The Rotterdam entrepreneur of Cees de Bruin of Infodin Group will chair the Governance Council.

The group of entrepreneurs plans to formulate a tangible plan of attack during the coming 6 months. Approximately September 2014 this plan will be published, and will be handed over to different authorities. It is expected that in summer 2015 an actual choice will be made to make a bid to the Bureau International des Exposition in Paris.