Pieter van Putten, CFA
PC Chair
Current employer/role/title:
Director & Chief Operating Officer, Ahlstrom Invest B.V.
Society membership:
Netherlands
Most recent society leadership role (prior to PCR):
PCR, Western Europe (2019-2023)
How do you enjoy spending your free time?
The limited free time I have, I like to spend with my family, doing sports (cycling, mountain hiking, skiing), and gardening. Any time left over after that, I like to read, mostly literature
What motivated you to run for Presidents Council Representative?
I had been PCR for Western Europe for four years and thus had to step down in 2023 as my term was up. Subsequently, I realized that volunteering for CFA was still very much in my system, and when I was asked to consider running as a candidate for the PC Chair position, I did not need to think long. I hope to bring my global professional background as experience to the position
What excites you about your subregion?
As PC Chair, you are the key connector between the society network, represented by its presidents and the PCRs, on the one hand, and the management team and Board of Governors of CFA Institute on the other. Dealing with such a diverse group of stakeholders is a challenge I would like to take up
As you begin this term, what is your overarching goal for your subregion? What would success look like for you by the end of your term?
My overarching goal will be that all stakeholders have a good understanding of each other's positions, thought processes, and views. As PC Chair, I will give it my all to play the connecting link where needed or opportune
What trait or characteristic do you think is most important for a society leader to exhibit, (and why)?
Society leaders, and also PCRs and the PC Chair, should be people’s people. We are educated for and mostly work in the financial industry, but even in this sometimes abstract, numbers-driven environment, good interpersonal skills are crucial to success. Ultimately, our organization – CFA Institute and all societies – is run by people for people