The story of Reda Atibi
A handful of employees at Invest-NL have been there since the beginning, including Reda Atibi. He started as an intern at the then 'Dutch Investment Agency'. Reda witnessed the founding of Invest-NL firsthand, from the initial idea to launch and the growth into a full-fledged national financing and development institution.
“They asked if I would like to stay. I received the unique opportunity to combine my university studies with working at Invest-NL.” Nine years later, Reda is a Senior Investment Manager in the energy investment team.”
Steep learning curve
Reda appreciates the balance between freedom and responsibility at Invest-NL. “Initially, I was an intern and helped with small tasks. But as I took a proactive approach, I was given more and more responsibility. Now I am a deal team captain and lead teams through an investment process. That trust is exceptional.”
He also emphasizes the teamwork within the team: “You never do anything alone here. The nice thing about Invest-NL is that everyone looks at projects from different expertise. Brainstorming with colleagues truly elevates the quality of your work. Important qualities when making analyses and investments are being open to input, being modest about what you know, and realizing that there’s a big difference between doing something well and doing something very well.”
Focus on hydrogen
As a Senior Investment Manager, Reda is now involved with hydrogen proposals. “Two years ago, I consciously chose to focus on the hydrogen market. There was a lot written about it, but no one on our team had specialized in this area yet. I decided to focus on it and develop a vision for it.”
I believe we need to move towards a climate-neutral economy.
He explains why hydrogen is so important: “I believe that we need and can move towards a climate-neutral economy. Currently, hydrogen is mainly produced ‘grey’ using fossil fuels. But with green hydrogen, we can take significant steps towards making industry more sustainable.”
Regarding his recent work, Reda says: “We have recently invested in Battolyser Systems, a new technology that combines an electrolyser with a battery function. Battolyser Systems has enormous potential, and in order to realize this, much investment is still needed in development and scaling up. The idea that we are now investing in something that will really make an impact in a few years’ time gives me great satisfaction.”
The idea that we are now investing in something that will truly make an impact in a few years, that gives a lot of satisfaction.
Reda Atibi at Battolyser Systems
Motivations and Impact
What drives Reda is the opportunity to truly contribute to societal change. “Why do we still need to extract oil or release CO2 into the air, when there are already so many technologies that make a sustainable future possible?”
He mentions Thorizon, a developer of molten salt nuclear reactors, as an example. “Imagine these types of reactors being realized in the Netherlands. I think it’s fantastic that I have been able to contribute to the development of such technologies. It can really be different! I really enjoy contributing to that.”
Reda has not stayed at Invest-NL for nothing. “The balance between young and old, the drive of the people, and informal activities like padel tournaments create a great workplace.”
Whether it's about innovative technologies or personal growth, Reda’s story shows how Invest-NL offers a place where ambition and societal impact come together.