Nice to meet you
WWhy do I do what I do? And where do I get my energy from?
It’s great that you want to learn more about me. My name is Alexander Stolze, and I was born in Delft.
I am an independent Corporate Wellbeing Expert with 25 years of experience in designing, implementing, and executing healthy and vital work environments. My mission is to inspire and support people and organisations to make healthier choices — at work and in life so that people flourish and organisations achieve sustainable performance.
If you’d like to get to know me personally, feel free to call me at +31 6 209 60 203 or leave a message via the contact page
As a child, I wanted to become an architect, advertising designer, or mayor. None of these professions ended up on my business card, but the motivations, personality traits, and skills associated with these roles have, to a large extent, shaped who I am today.
In 2007 I became a father for the second time. Soon after, my wife experienced physical paralysis and trauma from her past. As a young family, we had to learn to accept and embrace major life events, setbacks, and grief — and make difficult choices that ultimately contributed to physical, mental, and emotional health.
Turning Point in Vitality and Health
For me, one of the many choices I made was to focus on meaningful work. Based on our experiences, I wanted to contribute to improving health care in the Netherlands. In 2009 I found my place at Zilveren Kruis Achmea, where my mission to inspire and support people and organisations in making healthier choices — in their work and lives — began.
I started by developing an online health platform focused on prevention for all insured members. Later, I became responsible for vitality, health, absenteeism, and reintegration for all employees and business units at Achmea with the Healthy Working team. I felt like an “architect” creating a safe and healthy work environment.
Then ING came into my path and I stepped into the role of Head of Wellbeing for the Benelux. During the COVID-19 period, I gained international experience. Vitality and health suddenly became a global boardroom topic.
ING is recognised as a leader in healthy and productive work. Around me I saw wellbeing trends — and key indicators such as absenteeism, engagement and health — still moving in the wrong direction in sectors like health care, education, and manufacturing.
At the end of 2024, I decided to use my knowledge and experience as a vitality manager for other organisations outside the banking sector, as an independent Corporate Wellbeing Expert with over 25 years of experience.
I see myself as an architect of healthy(er) work environments, a bit of a ‘designer’ who entices people to make healthier choices, and in my new role also somewhat of a ‘mayor’, representing and advocating for organisations that put employee wellbeing and health first.
Through my work and life experiences, I have developed three core beliefs about vitality and health that guide the decisions I make when designing and implementing wellbeing strategies in the workplace:
Wellbeing is a choice.
No matter your situation, you can always make choices. How you think, how you feel, and what you do in terms of behaviour. Are you willing to ask for help?
Wellbeing is a competence.
The consequences of choices are often predictable. Scientific research shows what does and does not contribute to wellbeing. What if we taught that in (business) school?
Wellbeing is something you do together.
You can make healthy choices on your own, but consistently acting on them and maintaining them can only happen together — because that is the essence of working in an organisation.
I also firmly believe that:
- Wellbeing should be woven and embedded into the daily way of working.
- It is a shared responsibility between employee and employer.
- It belongs on the strategic agenda of every executive team.
- It must be made visible, tangible, and experiential in the work environment — because to make it work, people need to feel it for themselves.
- “I love it when your vitality plan comes together.” This (adapted) quote from John “Hannibal” Smith in The A-Team is my professional motto. I genuinely enjoy seeing people visibly strengthened in their resilience through a healthy(er) work environment. Sometimes people even take the effort to share this with me — and that brings me joy.
- Bouncing back stronger. Because of what my family experienced, we came out of it much stronger together. My wife is doing very well. She is a model of resilience and perseverance, with her own practice as a child therapist for highly sensitive children, and she also works part-time as a primary school teacher.
- Family life. In 2013 we welcomed our third son. He is now in middle school; our middle son is taking a gap year; and our eldest is studying and living in Amsterdam. Being together — walking in the woods with our dog Laika and then sitting down for a meal with everyone (including daughters-in-law) — is something I enjoy deeply.
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Friends, mountain biking, and apple pie. Every Saturday at nine o’clock I ride about 20 kilometres in the woods with three friends. Rain or cold are never reasons to cancel. Afterwards, coffee and apple pie at the teahouse — and great conversations — are the reward.
- Laika. Did I mention our dog? She’s a lively, beautiful lilac border collie we adopted three years ago — and I can’t imagine life without her now (and that from someone who used to “have nothing to do with dogs”).
- I turn 50 this year 🎂.
- My biological age feels much younger — according to various official tests.
- My “musical age” is 73 (according to my 2025 Spotify Wrapped).
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I love energetic tracks with lots of horns and synthesizers (like This Girl by Kungs vs Cookin’ On 3 Burners or Rosanna by TOTO). 🎺
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I have a 9️⃣ 9️⃣ 5️⃣-day Duolingo streak in French (and still counting...).
- My favourite podcast is Boekestijn & De Wijk on BNR.
- I met my wife Mirella in Paris in 1996, at Le Port d’Amsterdam on Rue du Croissant.
- Every Wednesday evening is a screen-free night (no TV, no iPad, no screens).
"I love it when your vitality plan comes together"
My blogs en podcasts
Blogs are in Dutch, Articles and Interiews are also available in English
How do I become a healthy employer?
In this episode of the Dutch podcast “Hoe word ik”, Alexander Stolze discusses what a company can do to improve the wellbeing of its employees.
“Vacation is not a solution to work pressure.”
Should companies move to an unlimited vacation policy for their employees? We discuss this with Alexander Stolze in BusinessWise Weekly.
Listen to the podcast on Spotify here.
How can I become better at managing my energy at work?
In this episode of the podcast “Hoe word ik”, Corporate Wellbeing Expert Alexander Stolze shares practical tips and insights on how to better manage your energy in the workplace.
Articles and Interviews
“Don’t use Blue Monday to dwell on negativity — use it to reflect on what gives you energy.”
Alexander Stolze advocates less screen time and more self-compassion in winter: start your good intentions on 1 March
Written by: Jeroen Kreule
Reading time: 3 minutes • 19 January 2026
The mental public health of the Netherlands is under pressure, according to Alexander. He refers to a report published in September by the Council for Public Health & Society (RVS), which describes our society as a “hyper-nervous society”in which performance pressure, acceleration, and individualism have gone too far and are threatening the wellbeing of both young and old.
Use this Monday for reflection
Stolze: “Everything has to be better, prettier, and faster. The biggest cause? I believe it’s screen use in combination with social media. When we wake up, we’re on our phones. Then we work all day behind a screen. Once we get home, we sit in front of a widescreen TV, and before going to bed we scroll on our phones again.
My personal tip: schedule a screen-free evening. I’ve been doing that for years every Wednesday, together with my wife. We read, we talk, we walk the dog, or we listen to music. And go outside more — especially during winter, try to get as much daylight as possible. Move your body. It really leads to more calm in your head, and you sleep better as a result.”
Taking stock
Alexander also advises using Blue Monday to take stock: where do you get energy from in your work and in your private life, and where are your energy drains?
“Use this Monday for reflection. Make a list. A simple example: if you’re often stuck in traffic with great reluctance, consider a job closer to home. If you feel energised by having people around you, invite friends over more often. I also know there is a lot of loneliness: in that case, join a club or do some volunteer work.”
Those who slow down now will be ahead later
“Focus on things that make both yourself and others happy, and organise 2026 in a way that allows you to use your personal and work-related energy sources more effectively. It doesn’t have to cost anything. And during this period, be a little gentler with yourself.
Try to follow the news a bit less, without burying your head in the sand. Focus on positive things you can influence.
I’m also not a big supporter of Dry January — it’s too extreme. You see many people start drinking again after three weeks anyway. It’s still dark and cold outside. A glass of wine for conviviality is hard to resist. Many animals use this period for hibernation — people could take inspiration from that.
So take it easy now, and for example start your good intentions on 1 March, the beginning of the biological spring. Those who slow down now will actually be ahead later. Then 2026 will be your year.”
“How do you build a wellbeing business case that every CFO will say an unequivocal ‘YES’ to?”
It’s almost that time again… annual budgets are being discussed and finalised. How do you convince the executive board — and especially the Chief Financial Officer — of the value of wellbeing?
In a period in which mental health, sustainable employability, and happiness at work are increasingly high on the agenda, many organisations are now struggling with one crucial question: how do you convince the executive board — and especially the Chief Financial Officer — of the value of wellbeing?
As a former Head of Wellbeing at international banks and insurance companies, I have submitted business cases totalling over €10 million. More than half of these were approved immediately. But some were not. What did I learn? A well-substantiated plan is essential, but numbers alone are not enough.
The key lies in a modern application of Aristotle’s classical rhetoric: Ethos, Pathos, and Logos.
- Ethos is about credibility. Show that you truly know what you’re talking about. Know your audience inside out. Connect your deep personal motivations to the topic, and involve relevant stakeholders — such as the works council and business sponsors — well in advance.
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Pathos appeals to the heart. For example, ask the question: “How would you care for people if they were your direct colleagues or family members?” Or subtly present a scorecard showing that direct competitors are actually doing far better. Emotion makes urgency tangible.
- Logos is your rational foundation. Use data from reputable institutions, refer to (occupational health and safety) legislation, and make smart use of external funding such as (Dutch) MDIEU subsidies or co-investments from health insurers. Show that wellbeing is not a cost item, but a strategic investment that creates value.
During my keynote, I demonstrate in an interactive way how this approach not only builds support, but also leads to real impact. Because when you can help the CFO see, feel, and understand what wellbeing delivers, the “YES” follows naturally.
Photocredits: ©Speakersacademy.com, Walter Kallenbach
