Robert Van Der Zee
About Robert Van Der Zee
Robert Van Der Zee serves as the Chief Financial Officer at the World Food Programme, a position he has held since 2024. He has extensive experience in financial operations and resource management, particularly in the humanitarian sector, having worked with the organization in various roles since 2005.
Work at World Food Programme
Robert Van Der Zee currently serves as the Chief Financial Officer at the World Food Programme, a position he has held since 2024. His role involves overseeing financial operations that support the organization's mission to provide food assistance to over 158 million beneficiaries globally. He has a long history with the World Food Programme, having previously worked as Global Treasurer from 2005 to 2013 and as Director of the Corporate Finance Division from 2018 to 2024. His extensive experience in financial management within the organization has been instrumental in driving effective resource planning and allocation.
Education and Expertise
Robert Van Der Zee has a strong educational background in finance and management. He studied at Erasmus University Rotterdam, where he earned a Master of Science in Business from 1989 to 1995. He also completed an International Executive MBA at IE Business School in 2004. Additionally, he participated in the Oxford FinTech Programme at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford in 2018, and is currently studying the Social Finance Programme at the same institution since 2023. His education has equipped him with the necessary skills for strategic financing and financial monitoring in the humanitarian sector.
Background in Banking
Before his extensive career at the World Food Programme, Robert Van Der Zee worked at ABN AMRO Bank N.V. from 1995 to 2005. His roles included Structured Finance Manager in Dublin, Vice President of Financial Institutions and Public Sector in Athens and Madrid, and Director of Corporate Banking in Budapest. This diverse banking experience provided him with a solid foundation in corporate finance and strategic resource management, which he later applied in the humanitarian assistance sector.
Achievements in Financial Operations
Throughout his career, Robert Van Der Zee has played a key role in overseeing financial operations that support the World Food Programme's mission. His contributions include effective resource planning and allocation, which are critical to the organization's ability to deliver food assistance globally. His leadership in the finance sector has been recognized for its impact on the operational efficiency of humanitarian efforts.