Before Elsevier he worked for Wolters Kluwer in a division which is now part of Springer Nature. At the IPA Michiel was President and he now chairs Inclusive Publishing and Literacy.

At Elsevier and across the publishing industry Michiel supports the SDGs, promotes climate change and biodiversity, and pushes for a more diverse and inclusive world.

Michiel is co-chair of the Workplace Pride Foundation supporting LGBTI workplace inclusion. He is the executive lead of Elsevier Pride and was listed two years in a row in the FT’s Top100 ranking of most influential LGBT senior executives.

Michiel studied astronomy at Leiden University and holds a PhD from Columbia University in New York where he studied as Fulbright scholar.