Paul ‘t Hoen became a member of the Board of Trustees in 2003 after a longstanding career at KPN, Vision Networks, Lucent Technologies and as an independent consultant. Convinced that ICT is a major driving force behind the Dutch economy and that real innovation is impossible without ICT, he then decided to dedicate a large part of his time to advising ICT-related companies and organisations on their strategy.

As a trustee of IICD, Paul ‘t Hoen was very much involved in IICD’s activities. In his position as Chair of Kennisnet, the Dutch national school network, he was particularly interested in the use of ICTs in the educational sector. He was also an avid supporter of experimenting with innovative technical solutions, such as applications based on mobile phone technology. In 2007, he facilitated a strategic workshop with technical experts from IICD and other organisations, such as the Telematica Institute and Altran, about the role of innovative technological solutions in the future strategy of IICD.

Over the years, Paul ‘t Hoen has not only been a board member of IICD, he has also been Chair of the Advisory Council of the Netherlands ICT Research and Innovation Authority (ICTRegie) and Chair of Kennisnet. He also chaired the Steering Committee of the Holst Centre (R&D), was board member in two IT companies and was a member of several public advisory councils. In 2006, he received the ICT Personality Award for his lifelong contribution to stimulate the use of ICT and strengthen its reputation in the private, public and non-profit sector.