Niels has extensive experience in East African tourism as a co-founder of a local travel and tour operator and as a development aid worker in Uganda, particularly in the Virunga and Bwindi areas around Kisoro district.

With a technical education and a PhD in synthetic organic chemistry from ETH Zurich, including a research stay at Harvard, Niels is now a senior strategy consultant in the pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors. He advises pharmaceutical companies on R&D, pipeline, and access issues across various therapeutic areas.

Nearly blind without vision aids, Niels understands the importance of early and correct ophthalmological interventions, including prescription glasses, for individuals and communities.

Believing that we are urged to live life to the best of our abilities, Niels, a 3x Ironman and ultra marathon runner, aims to transform lives through competition, dedication, and community awareness. He has created the Bwindi 80k Ultra, Uganda’s longest long-distance race, to further this mission.