Denise Lapoutre
My name is Denise Lapoutre, I’m the Local Coordinator for INVEST on behalf of Van Hall Larenstein University of Applied Science (VHL). I have an international career and my search for the puzzle pieces of sustainable economic development began in the 1990s when I started working as a non-Western sociologist for URACCAN University in Nicaragua. Since then, I have lived in seven countries across Latin America, Europe, and Africa, leading both organizations and projects in complex settings.
Before joining VHL, I worked on The Nigeria Supply Chain Integration Project, a Global Fund financed project under the Federal Ministry of Health in Nigeria. Transforming the pharmaceutical supply governance system and introducing a unified Logistics Management Information System affects more than 40,000 hospitals and health facilities, and impacts the lives of over 200 million people. These are valuable experiences; I pride myself on knowing what it takes to create a lasting impact. Because impact is what drives me, I love supporting young talent to discover their secrets for themselves.