Youri is an econometrician, entrepreneur, and youth participation advocate. After his studies, which featured little to no links to sustainability, it took an entrance into the energy sector to spark his interests. Shortly after that he joined the board of the Jonge Klimaatbeweging as treasurer. Currently he is the chairman of JongRES, which aims to accelerate the climate and energy transition by getting youth a seat at the table at a regional level, and by increasing awareness and funding of regions in general. Youri believes that open dialogue grounded in shared values is crucial, especially amid the many current societal transitions.