Adjudication

An expert jury, chaired by Eelco Hoekstra, selects the candidates. The adjudication takes place in stages.

Jury and candidates 2024

Relevant dates:

Judging Process

July 10: Final application deadline
CV and motivation letter from the candidate, along with a letter of recommendation from the CEO or CHRO, must be submitted.
September 19: First jury round & nomination of finalists
Location: A&O Shearman, Amsterdam
October 6: Final jury interviews followed by a dinner celebrating the official announcement of the 2025 finalists
Location: Bilderberg Garden Hotel, Amsterdam
November 24 : Young Captain Award Ceremony
Location: To be announced

Young Captain Program

August 28 & 29: Young Captain Program
Two-day leadership program for all candidates nominated for the Young Captain Award 2025
Location: Bilderberg Résidence Groot Heideborgh, Garderen
October 30: Young Captain Program – Follow-up Day
Location: BCG, Amsterdam

Jury members

Eelco Hoekstra
CEO and Board mmember with international experience

Stephanie Hottenhuis
CEO & Chair to the Board of KPMG Netherlands

Peter Hondebrink
Deputy Director Top Sectors & Industrial Policy, Ministry of Economic Affairs

Hans van Oosterhout
Professor of Corporate Governance, Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University

Heleen Dura - van Oord
Entrepreneur, investor and board member Rijksmuseum, De Efteling, African Parks Foundation and The School of Moral Ambition.

Marjan Rintel
President-Directeur KLM Nederland

Lodewijk Hijmans van den Bergh
Lid RvC bij ING, Heineken en HAL

Hein Schumacher
Former CEO Unilever

George Tokaya
Philips, Commercial Category Leader Beademingsmaskers & Software, Young Captain 2024

Friday, 19 September

First round of interviews

The jury will hold intensive interviews with all the candidates on the long list. For this, the jury will be divided into two groups. Both groups of jury members will hold an interview of about an hour with the candidates. In the interviews, the jury will ask searchingly about their ambitions and performance, moral issues on the subject of leadership, European economic issues, their views on sustainable business and the role of the business enterprise in an international social and economic perspective. At the end of the day the full jury will get together to choose the three finalists. The selection board will give reasons for its choice in a jury report. All the candidates will be personally informed by one of the members of the jury on the result and reasons for its choice or rejection. In this way, they will also get feedback about their performance.

Monday, 6 October

Second and Final Interview Round; Finalists' Dinner

During this round, the three finalists each write an essay on a number of pre-defined questions, themes, or propositions. These topics are drawn from current affairs and change annually. The essay serves as input for a two-hour discussion with the full jury. In recent years, discussions have covered topics such as ageing populations, emerging markets, global food production, and European economic policy.

This session takes the form of a high-level debate, offering the candidates a valuable opportunity to showcase their insights and capabilities.

Following the discussions, the jury selects the new Young Captain. The outcome remains confidential until the official Award Ceremony.

As tradition dictates, partner Bilderberg hosts a dinner for the three finalists, the jury members, and the board at the Bilderberg Garden Hotel in Amsterdam.

Monday, 24 November

Presentation of the Young Captain Award

The winner will be announced and the Award will be presented during a festive dinner in the presence of about 130 business leaders from the business community in the Netherlands.

Nominate your candiate

Do you know a promising business manager? Nominate your candidate.