Muriël Thijssen

With more than 30 years of experience as a medical doctor and occupational health physician, Muriël has worked across sectors including business services, government, education, construction and the chemical industry. In 2014, she became Director of DSM’s internal occupational health service in the Netherlands, transforming it into the DSM FIT/Worklife Center: a center of expertise for vitality, health and sustainable employability. In 2017, she was named National Vitality Manager of the Year, and under her leadership DSM was recognized as the Most Vital Company in the Netherlands in 2019.

Muriël is passionate about prevention, lifestyle and the role of leadership and culture in health. Her vision is that vitality is not a one-off intervention, but “leadership in action, shaped by behavior and company culture.” She believes that a positive company culture strengthens intrinsic motivation and helps people make healthier choices from within.

For Muriël, prevention is both a professional priority and a societal responsibility. In March 2026, she travelled to Africa for the second time in support of Orange Babies, contributing to projects that help prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV and support mothers, children and families through care, nutrition, education and empowerment.

At dsm-firmenich, she is committed to creating a true culture of health, where the healthy choice becomes the easy choice. In 2026, her focus includes the global BoostYourVitality program and the further promotion of mental health across the organization.

Personally, Muriël is a Dutch national, married and the mother of three adult children. In her free time, she enjoys HIIT training, cycling and golf.

Motto: “You don’t have to be sick to get better.”