Gijs advises financial institutions, banks, leasing companies and asset managers on a daily basis on issues at the intersection of finance and compliance. Recent advisory projects include implementing compliance processes to meet legal and regulatory requirements, setting up a risk management function, ISO certifications and projects in the field of AI governance. He knows the dynamics of large financial institutions from the inside and translates abstract regulations into workable solutions.
After completing his studies in business economics and his master’s degree in Accountancy at VU Amsterdam, Gijs began his career at KPMG, where he obtained his RA qualification in 2014. He built eighteen years of experience in Financial Services Audit, the last years as a partner, and subsequently joined the partner team of CPI, a Grant Thornton Netherlands company. Clients know him as a trusted advisor with a strong track record in quality of delivery and stakeholder management.
His technical foundation is broad: IFRS and Dutch GAAP, Sarbanes-Oxley, structuring the internal control environment, regulatory reporting (FINREP and COREP) and data migration projects. In addition, he has extensive experience in interacting with regulators, including PCAOB and AFM inspections.
His international track record sets him apart. For example, he worked for three years from KPMG Sydney and from 2018 to 2022 he was, as the global lead partner, responsible for the worldwide audit of a Global Systemically Important Financial Institution (G-SIFI) in fifteen countries, including SOx responsibility.
Where traditional consultancy often ends with the report, for Gijs that is only the beginning. He speaks the language of the boardroom but never loses touch with the work floor: demonstrate, collaborate and ensure people can ultimately do it themselves. He aims to empower people and holds up a mirror for clients where needed. Clients appreciate his intellectual sharpness, his execution power and the drive with which he turns words into action.
