Out of office, but never out of touch
Curious, driven and determined to make the world a little better. You will find these qualities right across TNO, whichever team you work in. ‘That doesn’t disappear when someone leaves,’ says Jean Bredius, Director HR Business at TNO. ‘Once a TNO’er, always a TNO’er. That is exactly why an active alumni network matters so much.’
A lasting bond
Jean is one of the driving forces behind the TNO Alumni Community. ‘I felt something was missing: a place where former TNO’ers could stay connected with each other and with TNO. For many people, their bond with this organisation does not end on the day they leave.’ Former TNO’ers often remain active in research, technology and innovation
‘For many people, their bond with this organisation does not end on the day they start working somewhere else.’
A network that opens doors
For Jean, a strong alumni community is all about genuine connection. Not ‘out of sight, out of mind’, but showing that TNO values its former colleagues and wants them to stay involved, although they work somewhere else. ‘Alumni continue to grow after TNO, and they take a part of us with them. A community gives them a place to connect with people who speak the same language. If we keep nurturing that relationship, we strengthen not only their network and ours, but above all our shared ability to turn knowledge into impact.’
Rediscovering what makes TNO special
Jean sees every day that this bond can stay strong. In his team, 20% are so-called ‘boomerang employees’: colleagues who left TNO, moved to another company and later came back.
‘It is only natural that, at some point in their career, people want to develop further at another organisation. But for some, after a few years elsewhere, they start to feel the itch again. That is when they rediscover what makes TNO special.’
17 November | Launch event
Are a former colleague or still in touch with one? The first event of the new TNO Alumni Community takes place on Tuesday 17 November 2026. Join the event or feel free to invite them.
The feeling stays
So what, in his view, defines the quintessential TNO’er? ‘TNO’ers don’t just focus on a single detail; they try to understand the whole system, so that their knowledge can contribute to a better society. It is precisely when you bring together knowledge from different fields that you arrive at surprising solutions you could never have come up with in advance,’ Jean explains. ‘Many alumni still recognise that feeling long after they have left.’
Today’s TNO
As well as keeping people connected, the TNO Alumni Community can open doors to new networks, collaboration, inspiration and perhaps even a return to TNO.
After all, today’s TNO is not quite the same organisation it was when people left. Jean adds: ‘Plenty of people have left in the past because they found TNO too slow or not entrepreneurial enough. This is also an opportunity to show them that we have not stood still.’
