Hanne Buis was appointed as Executive Partner during last week's general meeting. She will start on 1 March 2025, formally joining the board as of 1 April 2025, as announced in today's press release. Dorothee van Vredenburch will stay on until the end of April 2025, working alongside Hanne to ensure a smooth transition.

We've asked Hanne some brief questions to start getting to know her.

Could you tell us briefly who you are and what hobbies you have?

I was born in Amsterdam, grew up in Vught and studied in Rotterdam. I now live in Amstelveen with my husband, 15-year-old son, and 13-year-old daughter. Working in Amsterdam feels like coming home in a way…

I have many hobbies, but two passions really stand out. The first is sports—I’m passionate about a wide range of sports. I used to play tennis and hockey a lot and sailed at a high level: I was part of the Olympic team during the preparations for the Athens Games in 2004. These days, I enjoy playing tennis, speed skating, golf and sailing. Recently, as a family we discovered the fun of playing padel together.

My other passion is culture: from classical music – with Bach as a favourite – to visiting big musical productions with my daughter, as well as going to museums. I’m happy to contribute my experience and expertise to the cultural sector as well: in the past eight years, I have served as member (and later chair) of the supervisory board of the Netherlands Bach Society, and I currently serve on the Cultural Advisory Council in Amstelveen.

What are you looking forward to the most?

Obviously, getting to know everyone and familiarising myself with all aspects of the firm. I am curious about exploring the business side of the legal work that is largely invisible to the outside world, but essential to the firm’s success. While I have a degree in law, my expertise lies in operations, strategy and general management. I am eager to work alongside all of the teams to identify how we can further enhance our way of working and to build upon the strong foundation laid by Dorothee and other colleagues.

I see many interesting developments around the corner and on the horizon - opportunities and challenges alike - that we'll need to navigate, such as shifting societal perspectives, cyber threats, the rise of AI and the never-ending competition for talent. I’m looking forward to being part of this journey and helping shape the firm’s future.

Joining De Brauw is quite a shift in your career—what attracted you to the firm?

I’ve noticed a contagious enthusiasm and passion in everyone I’ve spoken to so far, and I find that truly energising.

My background seems indeed very different. I spent 20 years in aviation at Schiphol Airport and Lelystad Airport, working in complex environments with a wide range of stakeholders to manage.
Besides that, I’m a supervisory board member at grid operator Stedin, and I am involved in our family business, Zandstra, which produces ice skates. This year, we’ll proudly celebrate its 200th anniversary. We’re dedicated to ensuring that it thrives for another 200 years, even as climate change poses significant challenges for the industry.

De Brauw appealed to me on several levels. Although I can imagine that governance with more than 50 partners isn't always straightforward either, I envision a greater degree of autonomy in shaping our own strategic path, compared to the aviation industry that has a broad range of stakeholders who aren’t naturally aligned.

What appealed to me even more is the drive for excellence. During my time at Schiphol, I had the chance to work closely with lawyers from different practice groups within De Brauw and was consistently impressed by their professionalism and relentless pursuit for quality. As a former top athlete, striving for the best possible performance is part of who I am. I see that same dedication at De Brauw—the commitment to being the best version of yourself.

One of the perks at De Brauw is our very own coffee bar. What can we tell our top barista, Naz, about how you like your coffee?

I really appreciate one or two latte macchiatos in the morning. I have already had the privilege of experiencing Naz’s barista skills a number of times—during the quite substantial number of conversations I had ;).