VP Research & Innovation

KPN is a leading telecom and IT provider in The Netherlands at the forefront of technological innovation. As a leader in the Technology Strategy, Transformation, and Architecture (TSTA) team, the VP of Research and Innovation sets KPN’s innovative strategic agenda with a five-to-ten-year plan, and positions KPN as the ideal for technology and innovation in the industry. 

About KPN

“I’ll connect you.” Those legendary words of the operator who facilitated the first telephone 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. They serve private customers (B2C), and business users (B2B), with an 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 achieved 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 twenty-three percent of its revenue in technology and innovation, KPN strives to become the frontrunner and ideal example 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 delivers their deep expertise and capacity to translate technological opportunities into specific and robust technologies and strategies for KPN. 

At the heart of TSTA’s technological innovation is three leading pillars: digital experiences, telecom infrastructure, and operating model. These include transformation programs such as Digital Customer Experiences, Cloud, GenAI, and Autonomous Operations that are shaping KPN’s future as a technology leader. 

Job description: VP Research & Innovation

The VP of Research and Innovation (VP R&I) shapes KPN’s research and innovation agenda and drives initiatives to deliver a sustainable competitive advantage. With a five-to-ten-year goal in mind, they lead KPN Field Labs, the company’s innovation hub and experimental center, and strategic partnerships with universities and research institutes. The VP uses their expertise and leadership to develop an end-to-end vision for KPN as an industry technology leader, embedding emerging themes such as 6G, AI, Quantum, and Photonics. They align the board with strong value-based business cases, operational and customer management, and design and execute the transformation. 

The VP R&I manages the standardization and implementation of KPN’s innovative technologies 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 of Research and Innovation identifies emerging developments in telecommunications networks and services, and identifies future research areas, business models, and technological innovations. Understanding the opportunities and potential threats these trends pose for KPN, they use their sharp business sense and financial expertise to analyze their added value and effects to present the business case to the board.  

At the forefront of technological expertise, the VP is the face of KPN’s innovative power. They build and maintain relationships with stakeholders at the highest level, presenting their vision and strategies to the Board of Directors, other leaders within the organization, and to external partners. The VP develops and maintains top-level strategic alliances and collaborations to expand the organization’s reach in the industry and beyond. 

“The VP of Research and Innovation shapes the future of KPN by identifying breakthrough innovations that will be of critical importance to KPN’s future business model and services.” – Rachid el Hattachi, EVP Technology Strategy, Transformation and Architecture of KPN

The VP of Research and Innovation collaborates with five other 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 of R and I balances strong business acumen with execution power and networking skills. They communicate clearly at all levels and align non-technical stakeholders with their vision, influencing decision-making up to the board level. Their networking and negotiation skills help the VP operate effectively on the complex playing field of customers, suppliers, partners, and other external stakeholders, to continuously develop a sustainable and significant competitive advantage for KPN. 

Interested?  

KPN is working with Top of Minds to fill this vacancy. 
To express your interest, please contact Stephanie Stuit at Stephanie@topofminds.com.