Meet our inspiring keynote speakers
At the JDR Festival 2025, we present an impressive lineup of experts who will inspire, challenge, and surprise you. From scientific pioneers who laid the foundation for the JDR model to innovative thinkers and trailblazers in workplace happiness, engagement, and proactive behavior.
Discover more about the speakers who make the JDR Festival an unforgettable experience!
Arnold Bakker
Arnold Bakker is a Professor of Work and Organizational Psychology at Erasmus University Rotterdam. He is the most cited psychologist in the Netherlands and is internationally renowned for his groundbreaking research and practical contributions to topics such as workplace well-being, motivation, engagement, flow, job satisfaction, and living a productive life.
For over ten years, he has been listed among the world’s most influential scientific thinkers, ranking first in the category of “Business & Management” in 2020.
Arnold is a sought-after speaker worldwide, inspiring a diverse audience ranging from scientists and managers to professionals and students. Together with Professor Evangelia Demerouti, he developed the Job Demands–Resources (JD-R) theory, one of the most influential models in psychological and management literature.
“If you want to be engaged, you have to work for it!”
In addition to his academic work, Arnold develops various interventions, training programs, and innovative methods to make employee surveys more effective. He is renowned for his remarkable productivity and his unique ability to connect the “soft” and “hard” aspects of organizations.
His vision: “Enthusiastic people excel at their work because they maintain a balance between the energy they give to their work and the energy they receive from it.”
Evangelia Demerouti
Evangelia Demerouti is a Professor in the Human Performance Management group at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e). Over 25 years ago, she co-founded the Job Demands–Resources (JD-R) model. Since then, she has made a crucial contribution to what we now know about workplace well-being and motivation through hundreds of highly cited studies.
Eva has provided groundbreaking insights into burnout, including the development of the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory, which has made this complex issue more measurable. She has also conducted extensive research into job crafting and developed innovative (online) interventions. Her pioneering approach has resulted in various forms of job crafting, such as optimizing demands, seeking resources, and seeking challenges. These strategies offer employees practical options to reduce stress and increase their motivation.
Thanks to these contributions, Eva is one of the most cited scholars in work and organizational psychology worldwide. She also serves as the President of the European Association of Work and Organizational Psychology and as Chief Diversity Officer at TU/e.
Wilmar Schaufeli
Wilmar Schaufeli is an emeritus professor of Work and Organizational Psychology at Utrecht University. From the early years, he has made significant contributions to research on the JD-R model.
Internationally, he is recognized as one of the most renowned scientists in areas such as work stress, burnout, engagement, workaholism, and absenteeism.
In addition to his academic work, Wilmar has developed various interventions focused on workplace well-being. He also advises organizations on HR policies and employee surveys.
Sharon Parker
Sharon Parker is a Professor of Organizational Behavior at Curtin University in Perth, Australia. She is one of the world’s leading researchers in work design, proactive behavior, mental well-being at work, and productivity. Her motto is: “It’s time to talk about good work,” referring to the quality of work experiences. Her vision is to “transform work” so that it creates better lives for working people, stronger organizations, and a thriving society.
A significant part of her work, both in research and practice, revolves around proactive behavior: what can individuals do themselves to improve the quality of their work experience? This aligns closely with the Dutch concept of “eigen regie” (self-management). A question Sharon often asks is: “What do I need to do right now to make this possible?” She frequently emphasizes: "Making it happen!"
One of her most notable contributions is her approach to proactivity: what can organizations and professionals do to help employees create better work experiences? Helping people to make things happen!
Yuri Scharp
Yuri Scharp embodies his own theme and he is Mr. Playful Work Design! With his engaging presentation style, full of enthusiasm and joy, he truly lives what he preaches. He approaches everything playfully—with humor, imagination, and by continuously challenging himself in fun and unexpected ways.
Yuri is currently an Assistant Professor in the Human Resource Studies department at Tilburg University and a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Organizational Dynamics in a Digital Society department at Erasmus University Rotterdam. Together with Arnold Bakker, he developed the concept of Playful Work Design, creating measurement tools for this new form of proactive work behavior and conducting multiple studies on its effects.
The question that drives him most is: “How and when can we effectively harness the power of play in organizations?” His mission is to conduct research that answers this question. As a pioneer, Yuri has applied new ideas about play at work, combining insights from disciplines such as sociology, philosophy, and cognitive psychology to enhance work satisfaction and motivation.
Adrian Medhurst
Adrian Medhurst is arguably the most charismatic researcher and consultant in this field. He is the founder of Benny Button, an Australian company that develops innovative solutions to enhance workplace well-being and performance. The company has created several technological tools that integrate well-being, focus, and productivity, empowering employees to better manage their work-related balance.
One of their latest innovations is the JD-R Tracker, a tool designed to conduct employee surveys based on the JD-R model without relying on endlessly long questionnaires. The tool maintains the scientific integrity of the JD-R model, ensuring reliable results and clear insights into their meaning.
In addition to all this, Adrian is a former elite athlete (he runs like a rocket!) and a true mindfulness guru. Attending one of Adrian’s presentations is an experience in itself!
