We Didn't Search for a Host. We Recognised One.

The best decisions are rarely the result of a long search. Sometimes you already know the person. You've seen how they handle a room. How they listen before they speak. How they make others feel capable of saying something true.

That's how we found Myrthe van den Bosch.

Myrthe came into the ORAM network through Bureau Zuidema, one of our members. Long before we started thinking about who would host this festival, she was already doing the work — training professionals in communication skills, moderating sessions, creating & hosting a podcast, building an alumni community that functions because she understands what genuine connection actually requires.

"We didn't need a reel. We'd seen her in action."

ORAM Next Gen Festival exists to give the next generation a real seat at the table. Not a symbolic one. That same principle applies to who stands at the front of the room. We were not looking for a familiar name on a banner. We were looking for the person who can hold a day like this — one built around real challenges, honest conversation, and a room full of people who came to do more than listen.

Myrthe is that person. August 28 is her first stage at this scale outside of Bureau Zuidema. We think that's exactly right.

The best talent doesn't always come with the loudest CV. Sometimes it comes with a track record you've witnessed yourself — in a training room, in a conversation, in the way someone makes a group feel like it can go somewhere together.

That's who we want at the front of this room.

ORAM Next Gen Festival 2026. August 28, UP Events Amsterdam. Doors open at 15:30.