The Board of Make Next Platform (MNP) has appointed Frank van de Mast (ASML) as its new Chair, effective June 1, 2026. He succeeds Rob van der Werf (ASML) in this role. In addition, the Board has appointed Asceline Groot and Richard Visser as the new team for the MNP Office. Together, they will be responsible for the executive office of MNP.
Frank van de Mast
Frank van de Mast has held various positions at ASML for more than 28 years and currently serves as VP Post-Merger Integration Program. “I am committed to helping emerging Original Equipment Manufacturers (eOEMs) successfully reach the industrialization phase. A manufacturing industry with more large OEMs strengthens the competitiveness and ecosystem of the Netherlands and further increases its attractiveness to talent,” said the new Chair.
MNP owes a great debt of gratitude to Rob van der Werf. From the founding of Make Next Platform (MNP) in 2016 until his retirement in May 2026, Rob was closely involved in the development and growth of the platform. His fellow board members Lester Verhoef (Huisman Equipment B.V.), Lukas Roffel (Thales Nederland), Frank van Dijck (Vanderlande), and Fred von Dewall (Stichting TechnologyRating) state that his knowledge of technological developments within both small and large manufacturing companies, combined with his extensive network, were invaluable assets to MNP.
Rob joined the Board on behalf of ASML in 2017. In April 2025, he succeeded Chair Fred von Dewall (STR), who had held the position since 2016.
The MNP Office is responsible for the day-to-day activities of the platform, and a transition is taking place there as well.
Asceline Groot
Asceline Groot will support the MNP Board as Operations Officer and will be responsible for, among other things, external relations, events, communications, and media relations. Asceline has extensive experience in communications and operational management of platforms and foundations and brings a combination of organizational and content expertise.
Richard Visser
As Growth Officer, Richard Visser will actively identify emerging OEMs (eOEMs) that meet the criteria of the MNP Virtual Accelerator and develop a future-oriented coaching approach. Together with the MNP Board, Richard will also focus on attracting OEMs that wish to join the group of founding partners. In addition, he will explore opportunities for collaboration with other start-up and scale-up platforms that are strategically important to the Dutch manufacturing industry.
Richard’s first company, SMART Photonics, is regarded as one of the pillars of the Dutch photonics ecosystem and is an alumnus of the Make Next Platform program. As an engineer and entrepreneur, he has been active in the high-tech sector for more than forty years.
Asceline and Richard succeed Peter Berting and Wouter Kruijt.