Abhijit Das grew up with substantive discussions at the dinner table. He was brought up with the idea that life is not only about himself and his own well-being, but also about others. As a result, it was clear to him to choose studies and work with societal impact. In his current job as program director at the Democracy and Media Foundation, he adds a business mindset.

Abhijit’s engaged perspective of society was instilled in him from an early age. He heard stories of family members who had been involved in the anti-colonial resistance against the British when India was not yet a democracy. His Indian family also includes many journalists, in a country where freedom of the press is once again under pressure.

Leading with purpose

Looking for a socially relevant study, Abhijit ended up studying law. After completing his master's degree in criminal law, he worked as a lecturer and researcher at VU Amsterdam. He was also a policy advisor to the Council of State and deputy judge. As he worked on completing his dissertation, he wondered what he wanted next. 'I didn't have a good answer. That's why I decided to do the Executive MBA Leading with Purpose. I was looking for broadening disciplines, was curious about other people and other environments and also wanted to know more about management. I wanted to step out of my comfort zone and that's what you do in an MBA. In addition to the usual MBA courses, the programme was specifically focused on the impact you can make on society.’

Peeling back the layers to core issue

In daily life, Abhijit regularly falls back on the Executive MBA: ‘For example, I have taken into account that when it comes to decision-making, you have to be aware of the different perspectives and you have to understand them, without getting lost in details. No matter how complex the situation is, you have to peel it back to the core issue and make a decision. At the same time, you have to create support for this internally and among other stakeholders. I still benefit from this every day. This complements the legal way of thinking, where the central focus lies on independently constructing and presenting an analysis from a specific perspective.’

Democracy and Media Foundation

During the Executive MBA, Abhijit became interested in fields outside of science. By chance, he came across a vacancy at the Democracy and Media Foundation (SDM). Since September 2022, serving as program director, Abhijit has been responsible for the financial and non-financial support (partner support) that SDM provides. SDM has its own capital and therefore invests in independent, critical journalism and in a strong, honest democratic rule of law in the Netherlands, and also abroad. SDM is the successor of Stichting Het Parool, founded in 1944 by the founders of the illegal resistance newspaper Het Parool.

Strategic thinking

‘What attracts me to this position is that it aims to have a societal impact in areas that I find very important. Universal access to independent information and the same rights is crucial for equality and equal opportunities in society,’ explains Abhijit. ‘I also find the strategic level of thinking interesting; we approach possible projects with a rational, systemic view. We look not only at the quality of the work of the initiatives and the people behind them, but also at the financial position. Whether they can develop into an organisation that sustains itself. With a business perspective, I look at the social impact that initiatives can have. What I also like about my role as program director and what's new to me is managing a team. You are only as good as your weakest link and that motivates me every day to create the conditions in which everyone comes into their own.’

Litigating for human rights in the Netherlands

When asked about a typical example of an initiative in which SDM invests, Abhijit finds it difficult to choose. In the end, he cites two. First, the Public Interest Litigation Project (PILP), which focuses on strategic litigation for human rights in the Netherlands. Abhijit: ‘PILP files lawsuits when citizens' rights are threatened. Think of climate and environmental issues. For example, their court case about the ethnic profiling of the military police gained a great deal of publicity. PILP is innovative because it is a new way to strengthen the democratic rule of law. SDM has been supporting it from the start. In the meantime, PILP has grown into a highly relevant player.’