Warner Philips appointed to the Board of the Philips Foundation

Amsterdam, the Netherlands – Warner Philips has been appointed to the Board of the Philips Foundation, effective October 1, 2026. His appointment further strengthens the Philips Foundation Board as it advances its mission to enable access to quality healthcare for underserved communities.

 

Warner is a seasoned entrepreneur and impact investor who has spent more than 30 years working at the intersection of business and positive change, across Europe, the United States and Africa. As an entrepreneur, Warner co-founded Lemnis Lighting, a pioneer in energy-efficient LED lighting, and has built and exited several sustainability start-ups through Tendris. As an investor, he is a Co-Founder and Venture Partner at Rubio Impact Ventures in Amsterdam, backing scalable companies that deliver measurable social impact.

 

Earlier in his career, he was an Operating Partner at Pegasus Capital Advisors in the US and a venture advisor for FMO, the Dutch Entrepreneurial Bank. He currently advises various international venture platforms. In the non-profit world, Warner was a founding Board member of the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute and of Empowered By Light, which brings clean energy to off-grid communities.

 

Across these roles, his focus has been consistent: sustainability, health technology and digital inclusion. He brings to the Philips Foundation a deep understanding of how innovation and entrepreneurship can drive lasting change for underserved communities.

 

Marnix van Ginneken, Chair of the Board of the Philips Foundation, said: “We are delighted to welcome Warner Philips to the Board of the Philips Foundation. Warner understands the journey from a founder’s conviction to a proven model: he has built companies himself and worked alongside entrepreneurs through the realities of scaling solutions. His entrepreneurial and investment experience will bring a valuable perspective to the Board.”

 

As a Board member, Warner will contribute this experience to Philips Foundation’s continuum-of-capital approach, which uses grant-based projects to test and refine approaches and impact investments to help proven models reach sustainable scale. This supports the work to expand access to quality healthcare for underserved communities. 

 

Reflecting on his appointment, Warner Philips said: “Throughout my career, I have seen that impact lasts only when powerful ideas are led by strong entrepreneurs, paired with the right partners, clear accountability and a route to commercially sustainable scale. Philips Foundation’s approach, combining catalytic funding, healthcare expertise and strategic partnerships, offers a powerful way to help solutions move from promise to practice. I look forward to contributing to its work to expand access to quality healthcare for those who need it most.”