Renzo Akkerman

Dr. Renzo Akkerman serves as Associate Professor in Operations Research and Logistics at Wageningen University & Research, bringing extensive experience from previous roles as Professor at Technical University of Munich and Associate Professor at Technical University of Denmark. After completing his MSc in Econometrics and Operations Research and PhD in Operations Management from the University of Groningen, he has built an impressive career spanning food supply chain management and sustainable operations. His research focuses on integrating food quality considerations into supply chain decisions, with his most cited work addressing quality management in food distribution and supply chain optimization. As a key instructor for the MicroMasters Programme in Business and Operations for a Circular Bio-Economy, he helps students understand the operational challenges in transitioning to sustainable business models. His expertise spans multiple areas including food supply chain design, resource utilization optimization, and sustainability in operations management. Through his work examining food-specific characteristics in supply chain planning, he has significantly influenced understanding of quality, safety, and sustainability considerations in food operations. His research has garnered over 4,000 citations, with particularly influential papers on managing fresh food quality throughout supply chains and quantitative approaches to food distribution. Currently, he leads research initiatives on circular business models and sustainable supply chain management while contributing to the development of decision support tools for biobased supply chain operations.