KPN
KPN is a leading telecommunications and IT provider in the Netherlands at the forefront of technological innovation. As leader in the Technology Strategy, Transformation, and Architecture team, the VP Research & Innovation sets KPN’s strategic agenda of breakthrough innovations with a five-to-ten-year horizon and positions KPN as the reference for technology and innovation in the industry.
About KPN
“I’ll connect you.” Those legendary words of the telephone operator who facilitated the first call in the Netherlands in 1881 set the tone for KPN’s rich history. Today, KPN is one of the largest and most innovative telecom and IT providers in the Netherlands, enabling its customers to be connected anytime, anywhere. The company serves private customers (B2C) and business users (B2B) with its extensive offering of fixed and mobile, internet, TV, network, cloud, connectivity, hosting, and security services. With approximately 40 percent market share and more than 9,700 employees, KPN realized a turnover of 5.4 billion euros in 2023.
KPN’s Technology Strategy, Transformation, and Architecture (TSTA) Innovation is at the core of KPN’s strategy. Investing 23 percent of its revenue in technology and innovation, the company strives to become the frontrunner and reference in the industry. To accomplish this mission, the TSTA team is building the most progressive digital and AI-driven process and IT chain infrastructure in Europe. The close-knit team thrives on deep expertise and the capacity to translate technological opportunities into specific and robust technologies and strategies for KPN.
The beating heart of technological innovation in TSTA is built on three pillars: leading digital experiences, leading telecom infrastructure, and leading operating model. These pillars encompass transformation programs such as Digital Customer Experiences, Cloud, GenAI, and Autonomous Operations that are shaping KPN’s future as technology leader.
Job description: VP Research & Innovation
The VP Research & Innovation (VP R&I) shapes the research and innovation agenda and drives initiatives that will deliver a sustainable competitive advantage for KPN. With a five-to-ten-year perspective in mind, they lead KPN Field Labs, the innovation hub and experimental center of the company, and the strategic partnerships with universities and research institutes. The VP uses their expertise and strategic leadership to build the end-to-end vision for KPN as an industry technology leader, embedding emerging themes such as 6G, AI, Quantum, and Photonics. They bring the board along with strong value-based business cases, align operational and customer management, and design and execute the transformation.
The VP R&I manages the standardization and implementation of innovative technologies in KPN and represents the company in national and international standardization organizations such as 3GPP, ETSI, and GSMA, and other industry organizations and alliances.
Leading innovation internally and externally Focusing on the horizon beyond 2027, the VP Research & Innovation identifies emerging developments in telecommunications networks and services and takes the lead in identifying future research areas, business models, and technological innovations. Understanding the opportunities and threats these trends pose for the company, they use their sharp business sense and financial savviness to analyze the value and effects on KPN to present the business case to the board.
At the forefront of technological expertise, the VP R&I is the face of KPN’s innovative strength. They build and maintain relationships with stakeholders at the highest level, presenting their vision and strategies to the Board of Directors and other leaders within the organization and to external partners. The VP proactively develops and maintains top-level strategic alliances and collaborations to expand the organization’s reach in the industry and beyond.
“The VP Research & Innovation shapes the future of KPN by identifying the breakthrough innovations that will be of critical importance to KPN’s future business model and services.” – Rachid el Hattachi, EVP Technology Strategy, Transformation & Architecture
The VP Research & Innovation collaborates closely with the other five VPs and three Transformation Directors in the TSTA team to develop a truly integrated approach to innovation in KPN. They report to the Executive VP leading TSTA and manage a team of fifteen research leads, KPN Field Labs experts, and PhD students.
This is an exciting opportunity for an inspiring, visionary leader in technological innovation who can build bridges between technological opportunities and KPN’s business strategy. The VP R&I balances strong business acumen with execution power and networking skills. They communicate clearly at all levels and bring non-technical stakeholders along with their vision, influencing decision-making up to the board level. Their networking and negotiation skills help the VP R&I operate effectively on the complex playing field of customers, suppliers, partners, and other external stakeholders to continuously build a sustainable and significant competitive advantage for KPN.
