Meet Associate Partner Leo
Leo Oudshoorn has been working at Eraneos since 2008. “I got to know Eraneos at the time through a few former colleagues,” Leo explains. “I was immediately drawn to the people I met there.” Leo started as a senior consultant and has since advanced to Associate Partner Healthcare.
Throughout his career at Eraneos, Leo has always focused on information management, digital strategy, and enterprise architecture. “From time to time, I have also taken on assignments related to sourcing, ICT strategy, and other Eraneos services,” says Leo, “but my focus has always remained on digital strategy.”
One of Leo’s favorite projects in recent years was a project for a client who wanted to reorganize and streamline their information management function. After an analysis of the situation by Leo and his team, we, as the Eraneos team, worked together with the client’s employees to examine how the activities within the organization were organized and how these could be made more efficient. “It was great to see them come to the insights themselves. They discovered that the way they had been doing things for years could actually be organized differently and more intelligently,” Leo explains. “It’s rewarding to complete a project where the solution works well for the organization, but also increases employee engagement and satisfaction.”
Heart for healthcare
In recent years, Leo has specialized in the healthcare sector. He is now mainly involved in issues such as: “What exactly does digitalization mean for healthcare in the Netherlands?” and “How can we help healthcare organizations ensure that digitalization truly adds value to care, both for care providers and for patients/clients?” “I am active in all types of healthcare organizations, such as hospitals, elderly care organizations, and umbrella or branch organizations in healthcare,” Leo explains. “My interest in the sector has grown over time—partly because of some great projects I’ve been involved in within healthcare, and partly because it is such an important and relevant sector for the Netherlands.”
There is a great deal of discussion about healthcare in the Netherlands: about costs, the sustainability of our healthcare system, and about long-term scenarios. “I really enjoy being able to contribute to that. For example, when you do a project at a hospital, you immediately see whom you are doing your work for. You walk among the doctors and nurses, as well as the patients, and you have direct contact with them,” says Leo. “That’s what I enjoy so much about these assignments.”
“There is no heavy hierarchy or formal lines to follow here. This, combined with my fantastic colleagues, is one of the main reasons why I have enjoyed working here for all these years and continue to do so.”
Leo, together with several colleagues, developed a digital strategy at a healthcare organization. “What was interesting about that project,” says Leo, “is that they had been working on all kinds of digitalizations and solutions for years, but patients, clients, and staff were not sufficiently involved in the decision-making process. We started asking questions like: ‘What do the patients need?’ and ‘How can we make things more efficient for the healthcare staff?’ We really started working from the patient journey and the employee journey.” In the end, the employees themselves took the initiative to see what worked best for them in terms of organization and setup. “The nice thing about such projects is that we can digitalize and improve concrete processes, but always with a focus on the people involved.”
Coaching colleagues
In addition to his own professional development with a focus on healthcare, Leo also spends a lot of time coaching and mentoring colleagues. “I am the coach of several young consultants,” says Leo. “I help them further develop within our field. They can also come to me if they have questions or encounter any challenges, for example, how to deal with issues at the client or within the project.”
Leo’s noticed that other colleagues are keen to learn more about healthcare. “Every two weeks, we organize a meeting for colleagues who are interested in the healthcare sector. In these sessions, we share our knowledge about our projects and the latest developments in the sector,” Leo explains. Possible commercial opportunities are also discussed during these meetings. Leo is involved in some of the commercial activities and in creating assignments. “We always match consultants to assignments in consultation,” Leo explains. “We take into account what suits the consultant in terms of interests and development.”
One of the reasons Leo has worked at Eraneos for seventeen years is the people. “Everyone here is approachable and helpful, but also always critical. You can ask anyone anything, regardless of what projects they are working on or what role they have, and I really appreciate that. Your colleagues are always ready to help you, both in professional and personal situations, and they always give you an honest answer.” Leo believes this is characteristic of Eraneos: collaboration. “We are always looking for new people who have affinity and engagement with our organization, and who enjoy helping, coaching, and developing colleagues. Our people are our most important asset.”
What about life outside of work?
In his free time, Leo loves to play sports and spend time with family and friends. “I really enjoy cooking, so I like being in the kitchen, preparing delicious food, and then setting the table and enjoying a meal together,” Leo laughs. “I’m fond of Italy and Italian cuisine, so I often cook pastas and other Italian dishes. That can range from a very simple pasta to more elaborate dishes.” To fully unwind, Leo likes to read a book. “Sometimes it’s work-related, but I prefer reading a novel or a non-fiction book just to relax.”