Joost van Helden

Joost van Helden is an accomplished operations executive with extensive experience in the chemical and energy sectors. Currently serving as the COO and Operationeel Directeur at Van Vulpen since May 2025, Joost previously held significant leadership roles, including Director Global Operations at Lawter Inc., overseeing global manufacturing and operations across multiple countries. Prior experience includes leadership positions at Eni, where Joost spearheaded digital transformation and operational excellence initiatives, as well as governance and compliance oversight at Karachaganak Petroleum Operating B.V. Additional roles at companies such as Petroleum Development Oman, Hexion Inc., Air Products & Chemicals, and AkzoNobel showcase a strong background in process optimization, Lean Six Sigma methodologies, and engineering. Joost holds a Master’s Degree in Chemical Engineering from Delft University of Technology and a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemical Engineering from Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences.