Esther Lelij

Esther Lelij has a diverse and extensive work experience in the field of corporate communications. Esther started their career as an intern at VolkerWessels in 2005 and later worked as an intern in the PR department at Tygerberg Hospital. In 2006, they joined VolkerWessels as a Project Manager in Corporate Communications and held various roles in the company, including Bestuurslid and Corporate Communications Advisor, until 2011. From 2012 to 2013, Esther worked as a Group Corporate Communications Manager at VolkerWessels UK, where they developed and implemented marketing communication strategies and managed media relations. Esther also worked as an Internal Communications Manager at VolkerWessels and as a Communications Advisor at VSMC. In 2013, Esther joined EY as a Project Manager in Communications, where they managed communication deliverables and advised stakeholders on communication approaches. From 2014 to 2018, they were the Head of Corporate Communications at VolkerWessels UK, responsible for directing and managing internal and external communication strategies. Most recently, Esther has been working at Lely as the Manager of Corporate Communications, overseeing all internal and external communications of the international family business. Esther will be joining Van Oord in 2022 as the Lead for Internal Communications, Culture & Engagement.

Esther Lelij completed their education with a High Performance Leadership program at IMD in 2023. Prior to that, they pursued a Leadership Development Management Programme at the London Metropolitan University from 2015 to 2016. Esther holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in Journalism from HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht, which they obtained between 2007 and 2008. Additionally, they earned a Bachelor's degree in HBO Communicatie, International Communications from Inholland University of Applied Sciences from 2002 to 2006. Esther completed their secondary education with a HAVO diploma from CSG Aquamarijn between the years 1996 and 2002.