Home
I am an author of fiction and non-fiction books, columns, and articles, born in Harlingen in the Netherlands in 1942. Writing, reading, and language are important elements of my life. Since 1981, I have lived in The Hague, where I feel more and more at home.
After studying chemical engineering in Groningen, the Netherlands, and control engineering in Manchester, UK, I obtained my PhD in Manchester on the mathematical modelling of the dynamics of multi-component fractionating columns. I then served as an officer at a Dutch military laboratory as part of my compulsory military service. This was followed by several functions in what is now AkzoNobel.
I then became a management consultant. This turned out to be my calling; I started a consultancy that grew to sixteen people after which I sold it in a buy-out. Most of our assignments came from companies that wanted to be optimised by the methods I had designed and presented in publications. Since the buy-out, I work freelance, with most of my assignments abroad.
Parallel to my consultancy work, for 25 years I had part-time chairs in Delft, Rotterdam, Nijenrode and again Delft. I particularly enjoyed the graduation and PhD projects.
Every person has talents that want to be developed. Encouraging that is part of both loving and leading.
– Hans Wissema
Over time I have written a good number of scientific/professional books and hundreds of articles. The books can be found below and some of the articles under Articles. Some books have been translated into up to 12 languages, and seen up to 20 reprints. I have received invitations from all over the world to give presentations and advice. My last book in the non-fiction genre is about New Learning and came out in October 2022.
Since my student years I have also been writing fiction, mostly columns and short articles, hundreds of them. I am mesmerised by human relationships, which I want to explore by writing novels. My first novel is about a journey made by the abbot of a Russian monastery and a young Englishman with the Trans Siberia Express – from Moscow to Vladivostok. This journey is interrupted in various places to allow the abbot to answer questions from local believers. During the trip, the two protagonists experience personal growth under the influence of the abbot’s teachings. The life lessons, in particular, have resonated with many; some have said that they have changed their lives. I had the idea for this book when I was on the train from Novosibirsk to Krasnoyarsk, a 24-hour ride through a breathtaking wilderness that turns out to be only a small distance on the map.
After these Siberian Lessons, I wrote a book about Bulgaria, a country I often visit and where I know many people. Then, along with a three-year-old grandson, three children's books; these have not (yet) been published. I am currently working on a novel, Through You, that has as its theme how we become who we are through the loves of our lives. In it we see the main character, Irene, grow from a shy girl to a celebrated painter. The book is set in the Green Heart of Holland, The Hague, England, Kenya, and finally Argentina. It is an exciting book that keeps its secrets till the last pages.
The common thread in both my personal and professional life is that people should be given opportunities to develop their talents. You can find that in my scientific work and in the novels.
