Meet ZOA's board and management team

ZOA’s board is formed by a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and a Chief Programme Officer (CPO). Together with the management team, they are responsible for the executive decisions and daily management of the organisation. 

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Daily management

ZOA's leadership team

ZOA’s executive board is comprised of Chief Executive Officer Chris Lukkien (right in the picture) and Chief Programme Officer Edwin Visser. With the Management Team, they are in charge of the daily management of the organisation. ZOA's management team runs the organisation, develops our strategy and ensures it is executed.

Chris Lukkien and Edwin Visser
  • Mr Chris Lukkien – Chief Executive Officer (CEO) | Chair MT
  • Mr Edwin Visser – Chief Programme Officer (CPO)
  • Mr Leo den Besten – Company Secretary
  • Mrs Elly Urban – Director of Programmes
  • Mr Jan-Marc Stam –  Director of Finance
  • Ms Marjan Companjen – Director of Human Resources
  • Mr René Vlug – Director of Fundraising and Communication

Additional functions of Chris Lukkien are Member of the Executive Committee of ‘Integral Alliance’, Chairman of the Administrative Council of ‘EUCORD’ (until 2026), Member of the Board of ‘Prisma’, Chair of the Supervisory Board of Opella (per januari 2026), Chair of the International Health Partners - EU and as a result also member of the board of International Health Partners - UK (per October 2026). Additional functions of Edwin Visser: Member of the Board of ‘Partos’ and Chair of the Board of Supervisors of the Dutch Relief Alliance.

Read more about ZOA’s Board of Directors

International TEam

ZOA's international management team

The International Management Team consists of the Management Team of ZOA Netherlands, combined with the Country Directors.

  • Kees-Jan Hooglander – director Disaster Response Team
  • Richard Vernet –  director ZOA in Burundi
  • Timothée Rukundo – director ZOA in DR Congo
  • Dawn Hoyle – director ZOA in Ethiopia
  • Paul Roelofsen – director ZOA in Myanmar
  • Robert Anthony Caleesious – director ZOA in Nigeria
  • Jitendra Panda – director ZOA Dorcas in South Sudan
  • Rajkumar Selwyndas – director ZOA in Sudan
  • Vera Djabali – director ZOA in Syria
  • John Panga – director ZOA in Uganda
  • Bereket Godifay – director ZOA in Yemen
  • Haidi Sadik – director ZOA in Ukraine

Supervisory board

Besides a board and management team, ZOA has a supervisory board. This council is responsible for the supervision of ZOA’s board, its plans and policies, and for safeguarding the mission and identity of the organisation. 

More about ZOA's supervisory board