Keynote · conference moderator · masterclass

A speaker who brings energy to the room and gives senior leaders something to think about.

Clear enough for a broad audience, substantive enough for the boardroom. I make complex developments easy to grasp and connects them to decisions an organisation can actually take.

Tell me about your event → Schedule an introductory call

Not sure about the format? Call or text: +31 6 100 35 001

Netflix says “Strong energy, a clear vision and a deep understanding of organisational challenges.”

Still from the clip on why a forklift driver could become a drone pilot

See how it goes

This is how I sound on stage

Not a montage full of applause. One example from a real session: why a forklift driver could become a drone pilot, and what that says about how we look at talent.

Tell me about your event →

The full ZP Europe talk and more recordings are on the video page.

At the previous session I was still answering emails. During yours I did not look at my phone once.
Participant, HR Trendcongres 2025

What to expect

What organisers can expect

AI may be the starting point, but it is rarely the whole story. I use it to explore how organisations really work, how people respond to change and which human qualities matter more as automation grows. That is why my keynotes are as much about leadership, behaviour and meaning as about the technology itself.

A story that reaches the whole room

Clear language and recognisable examples that work for specialists, general audiences and senior leaders alike.

Interaction with a purpose

Live questions and audience input become part of the talk, not as a gimmick but to make the subject relevant to the people in the room.

A practical next step

Every session ends with a question, decision or experiment that helps the conversation continue inside the organisation.

Formats

From keynote to board table

Every format is tailored to the audience, the event and the outcome you want.

Keynote

The main-stage story about AI, work and talent. Interactive, energetic and tuned to your sector: healthcare, government, HR, finance or business.

Conference moderation

A clear thread throughout the day

I connect the speakers, keep the programme moving and help the audience see how the individual contributions fit together.

Working session

A working session

An interactive session for teams, senior leaders or HR professionals, using cases from their own organisation.

Executive roundtable

A candid senior-level conversation

A well-prepared discussion about the choices, tensions and consequences behind organisational change.

From practice

Three times what happened next

A good session is not the session itself, but what an organisation does with it the week after. Three examples.

Center Parcs

Business

The question: Do more with AI, and at the same time get the HR teams working together better.
What Laurens did: A multi-day session with HR management. From wanting AI, through experiencing what it can do, to concrete plans.
The effect: The team left with plans and with ownership: for every topic it was clear who would take it forward.

“Laurens connects technology and people, and creates space for an open conversation and new perspectives.” Marcel Berghuis, CHRO Center Parcs

Vista College

Education

The question: HR wanted to lead the organisation’s AI transformation, but did not know where to start.
What Laurens did: Working sessions with HR leaders and owners, followed by a theme day with the entire HR team.
The effect: Urgency became tangible, the constraints were mapped, and an agenda for change was drawn up with owners attached.

Amsterdam UMC

Healthcare

The question: Two hundred HR staff, one question: what does AI mean for our own work and for the hospital?
What Laurens did: A strategy session with the whole department. First inspiration and ambition, then hands-on work.
The effect: Working groups with owners were formed, and a change plan was presented to the board.

Behind the scenes

What happens in the room?

Your audience doesn’t just hear what AI can do, they feel what’s changing. Through live research with the room, an unexpected match, recognisable examples and questions that make their own organisation visible. That’s how inspiration turns into a real conversation about what could be different tomorrow.

I surface an unexpected match

Live, with the room: from the baker who became an EV charging technician to examples from your own sector. Different jobs on paper, striking overlap in skills.

I break a role down into tasks and skills

A recognisable role from the audience, pulled apart into what someone actually does. That’s the moment people start seeing their own organisation differently.

I let the room feel the visibility problem itself

Through live audience research, your audience feels for themselves how much talent gets overlooked, rather than just hearing me say it.

I close with something for Monday

Not inspiration for its own sake. Every talk ends with a concrete experiment your audience can start on straight away.

I work at 8vance every day, but my keynote is not a product pitch. The real-world cases make the story concrete: they illustrate what’s changing, they are not a sales pitch.

How it works

How we prepare the session

Introductory call

A short call about your event, audience and goal. Feel free to grab a slot in the calendar right away.

Shaping the content

We sharpen the story for your theme and sector. You know your audience, I bring the content.

Sounding out the room

I like to run a short survey among your participants beforehand. It takes them two minutes and gives me the questions, worries and examples that actually matter on the day.

On the day

On site well in advance, tech check and alignment with the host.

After the event

Slides and materials for your participants, and if you like: a follow-up for your organisation.

Laurens on stage at 'the future starts here'

Full theatre during a keynote by Laurens

Agenda

Where to see me next

A selection of confirmed appearances. Want me at your event? Tell me about it.

16 SeptemberZukunft Personal EuropeKeynote on AI, skills, matching and the future of workKeulen
21 SeptemberAI Matching CommunityHost and speaker on AI matching, skills and the AI ActUtrecht
24 SeptemberUp to Flex 2026On the future of flexible work in the age of AIUtrecht
29 and 30 SeptemberGlobal Talent Strategy & Intelligence ConferenceFrom Planning to Matching: Agentic HRAmsterdam
5 OctoberZorg meet-up voor bestuurders en HRHost, panel and working session on the labour market, AI, talent and healthcareRegio Utrecht
6 OctoberDigitaal WervenWith Kobi Ampoma of HEINEKEN on AI agents that make recruiters strongerAmersfoort
9 OctoberGoodHabitz Human Skills FestKeynote The More AI, The More Human, and a roundtable with Saskia van Uffelen
20 tot and met 22 OctoberUNLEASHSkills-based organising in the age of AIParijs
2 NovemberIntegrale Skills Ambassade ConferentieSpeaker
3 NovemberNationaal Arbo CongresKeynote on redesigning work around people, skills and AI
6 NovemberABD / DGABDTwo workshop rounds on the impact of AI on work
3 DecemberKSF JaarcongresConference moderator

Stages and clients

Where I have spoken

I have been speaking and chairing conferences since 2004, from a leadership team of eight to a room of eight hundred. A selection:

See the full list →

What clients say

“

Laurens brings energy and clarity into the room. During our HR & AI session he kept everyone engaged with concrete, recognisable examples and we went home with fresh ideas.

Joost SluijsHR Director, Radboudumc

“

Laurens brings an inspiring and refreshingly practical perspective to recruitment. He challenges comfortable assumptions and shows clearly what AI already means for hiring today. His talk prompts both reflection and action.

Sjoerd BurgerRecruitment Manager, Rijkswaterstaat

Practical

Frequently asked questions

Which languages do you speak?

Dutch and English, both at the same pace and with the same energy. International stages such as UNLEASH World and Zukunft Personal I do in English.

How is the talk tailored?

Every booking includes an intake. I weave your sector, current challenges and the language of your audience into the story. Specific examples and cases are available for healthcare, government and corporate audiences.

How interactive is it?

Quite interactive by default: live audience research, questions and conversation with the room. We tune the level to your programme. A room of 800 can be just as interactive as a management team of 8.

What is needed technically?

A headset or lapel microphone, a screen with HDMI or USB-C, and internet for the live interaction. I bring my own laptop and presenter and arrive well before the start for the check.

How do booking and fees work?

Speaking engagements run via Speakers Academy: they handle fee, contract and logistics. For in-company sessions, masterclasses and roundtables you can also get in touch directly. You’ll quickly hear what’s possible.

Can the talk be recorded?

Almost always, in consultation. Fragments for your aftermovie or socials are no problem. For full recordings we simply agree on the use beforehand.

Shall we pick a date?

Tell me about your event and your audience. You’ll quickly hear whether the date is free and how we tailor the story.

Tell me about your event →

📅Schedule an introductionPick a time that suits you ✉Send a messageVia the contact form, reply within 48 hours 💬+31 6 100 35 001Calling or texting is always fine