During this Vision Dinner, Michiel Boots, Director-General for Economy and Digitalization at the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy, and Paul Timmers, former Director for Digital Society, Trust & Cybersecurity at the European Commission, will engage in a discussion with you on how the Netherlands and Europe can strengthen their digital position in a rapidly changing geopolitical reality. How do we work together to build a digital ecosystem, based on trust and in which government and the business community invest in innovation, digital infrastructure, and technological resilience? What role does the business community play in strengthening European competitiveness, and what conditions are necessary to enable investment in the technologies of tomorrow?
CEOs and board members
5:30 PM | Program starts (including presentation, discussion, and 3-course dinner)
8:30 PM | End of formal program, opportunity for informal networking
Salesforce Headquarters, Amsterdam
Director-General for Economy and Digitalization
Michiel Boots has served as Director-General for Economy and Digitalisation at the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy since April 2022. Prior to this, he was Director of General Economic Policy and Chief Economist at the Ministry. Earlier in his career, he served as Policy Adviser to Prime Minister Mark Rutte at the Ministry of General Affairs and held several positions at the Ministry of Finance, including Head of Financial Stability and Deputy Director of Financial Markets.
Michiel studied Dutch Law at Leiden University and earned a Master of Studies in Legal Research from the University of Oxford. With more than twenty years of experience in the Dutch central government, he has extensive expertise in economics, finance, digitalisation, and strategic policymaking.
CEO
Paul Timmers is a leading European expert in digital strategy, cybersecurity, and technology policy. Having held the position of Director for Digital Society, Trust & Cybersecurity at the European Commission (DG CONNECT), he was instrumental in developing European policy on cybersecurity, digital privacy, and the digital economy. Currently, he advises governments, enterprises, and international organizations on digital innovation, strategic autonomy, AI, cybersecurity, and the geopolitical impact of technology. Additionally, he serves as an entrepreneur, researcher, and visiting professor at various European universities. His expertise centers on the future of the digital economy, European digital sovereignty, and Europe’s strategic positioning within a shifting geopolitical landscape.
SVP & Country Leader the Netherlands
Since January 2025, Remko has served as Senior Vice President of Sales and Country Leader for Salesforce Netherlands. In this role, he leads the Dutch sales organization, focusing on delivering AI agents and innovative technologies to customers and partners throughout the Netherlands.
With over 25 years of experience in technology and digital transformation, Remko began his career in 1997 at an HP spin-off. He subsequently spent nearly two decades at Capgemini, where he led the global Digital Customer Experience organization. Since joining Salesforce in 2017, he has headed Professional Services for Northern Europe and the EMEA Practices organization, driving strategic implementations across various growth markets.
Digital sovereignty has become one of the most important strategic issues for the Netherlands and Europe. Technology, AI, cloud infrastructure, and data determine not only our economic growth but also our autonomy, security, and competitiveness. At the same time, Europe faces the challenge of leveraging global technological innovations while ensuring autonomy, security, and local regulations are maintained. Therefore, the development of a stronger European digital ecosystem, in which technology companies and local organizations collaborate constructively, is increasingly high on the political and economic agenda.
During the Vision Dinner, Michiel Boots, Director-General for Economy and Digitalization at the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy, and Paul Timmers, former Director for Digital Society, Trust & Cybersecurity at the European Commission, will engage in a discussion with you on how the Netherlands and Europe can strengthen their digital position in a rapidly changing geopolitical reality. How do we work together to build a digital ecosystem, based on trust and in which government and the business community invest in innovation, digital infrastructure, and technological resilience? What role does the business community play in strengthening European competitiveness, and what conditions are necessary to enable investment in the technologies of tomorrow?
The urgency is great. While other economic power blocs are investing heavily in digital infrastructure and technological ecosystems, Europe faces the challenge of combining openness with greater strategic autonomy. The central question is: how do government and the business community work together to build a digital ecosystem that strengthens economic opportunities, public values, and digital sovereignty, thereby securing the position of the Netherlands and Europe in the long term? You are cordially invited to the Salesforce office in Amsterdam to participate in this crucial dialogue.
