A distinguished jury, chaired by David Knibbe, evaluates the candidates. The selection process consists of multiple rounds and leads to the election of the Young Captain.
September
The jury is conducting in-depth interviews with the selected candidates. The jury is divided into two groups, with each group holding a thirty minute interview with every candidate. During these sessions, the jury explores ambitions and achievements, ethical leadership dilemmas, current European and global economic issues, visions for sustainable and socially responsible business practices, and the role of enterprises from an international perspective.
At the end of the day, the full jury will convene to select three finalists. All candidates will be personally informed of the results by one of the jury members, including an explanation of the decision and specific feedback on their interview.
October - Final juryround followed by partnershipdinner
The three finalists will write an essay on pre-determined issues, themes, or propositions, based on current developments that change annually. The essay serves as the basis for a discussion lasting approximately one hour with the full jury. In recent editions, candidates have addressed themes such as demographic shifts, emerging markets, global food security, the climate transition, digital transformation, and European economic policy.
This session is designed as a high-level substantive debate, providing the finalists with the opportunity to showcase their strengths, articulate their vision with precision, and demonstrate their capacity for critical thinking.
Afterwards, the jury will select the new Young Captain. The results will remain confidential until the award ceremony. In keeping with tradition, our partner Bilderberg will host a dinner for the three finalists, the jury members, our partners, and the board at the Bilderberg Garden Hotel in Amsterdam.
The new Young Captain will be announced in November during a celebratory dinner attended by approximately 130 business leaders from the Dutch corporate sector.
From left to right: Lodewijk Hijmans van den Bergh, Stephanie Hottenhuis, Eelco Hoekstra, Peter Hondebrink, Hein Schumacher, George Tokaya, Hans van Oosterhout with the 3 finalists Damla Hendriks, Kaya de Lange, and Brian Broeders.
