Augusto
de Campos Neto.

Profile

Augusto de Campos Neto is a speaker, strategic adviser, trainer, conference chair and author. His work centres on polarisation, social cohesion, diversity and how people continue to collaborate when beliefs, experiences and interests diverge. As founder of Het Meervoudig Perspectief, he helps public bodies, organisations and professionals understand social tensions and respond thoughtfully. He combines over twenty years of experience in government and society with a broad background in media, music, spoken word and sport.

Background and education

Augusto grew up in Amsterdam's Bijlmer, with Portuguese, Angolan and Cape Verdean roots. Its diversity of people, stories and lived experiences is an important foundation for his work. He is interested in what happens between people: how trust develops, why people do or do not feel heard, and what it takes to move forward together despite differences. These questions recur in his advisory work, on stage and in his books.

He studied Communication Science at the University of Amsterdam, specialising in Information Studies and communication structures within organisations. His studies included political science, organisational studies, social psychology and cultural anthropology. He later deepened his knowledge of governance and strategy through the Bestuursacademie, a professional development programme at SIOO and the Strategy Learning Atelier at the Netherlands School of Public Administration. He also completed a management development programme focusing on leadership, communication and personal effectiveness.

City of Amsterdam and public sector experience

His early career included work in business services, focusing on recruitment, consultancy and training for managers and suppliers. In 2005, he joined the City of Amsterdam. As an Arts and Culture policy officer in the Zuidoost district, he worked on cultural policy, projects and partnerships with cultural institutions. From 2008, he was a senior Public Order and Safety adviser, working on safety policy, youth crime, radicalisation, polarisation and collaboration between public leadership, police, civil society partners and residents.

Those years brought him close to the everyday realities behind public policy challenges. He advised public leaders and management, led projects and worked with parties viewing the same situation from different responsibilities. He was also chair of the Zuidoost district works council and a member of the central works council. There, too, his work centred on representation, balancing interests and facilitating conversations.

Social Stability Expertise Unit

From 2017 to 2026, Augusto worked as a senior adviser at the Social Stability Expertise Unit of the Dutch Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment. He supported municipalities, professionals and communities in recognising and managing social tensions, polarisation and radicalisation. His work included strategic advice, knowledge development, training, network building and support in complex or urgent situations. He contributed to practical guidance and connected local experience with academic insights and questions of governance.

During this period, he further developed his work as a speaker on polarisation, social cohesion, diversity and inclusion. He delivered talks and workshops and joined public discussions, including a SPUI25 event on the Zwarte Piet debate. His contribution drew on his experience of the tensions that public debates can create within municipalities and communities.

Het Meervoudig Perspectief and original thinking

Through Het Meervoudig Perspectief, Augusto brings his knowledge and experience together in his own advisory and training practice. He works with organisations where conversations stall, trust declines or differences become increasingly difficult to discuss. His approach begins with careful observation and understanding: what is happening, which experiences and interests matter, and what does this situation require of those involved? From there, he helps clients make concrete choices and develop an appropriate approach.

His thinking took shape in the book Het Cohesieveld – De kracht van het midden (The Cohesion Field – The strength of the middle). It explores the people, relationships and everyday practices that hold a society together. He focuses on the strength of the middle and on people who make connection, recognition and stability possible, even when they have little visibility in public debate. The book provides the foundation for talks and training on social cohesion and engaging with differences.

To make these insights practical, Augusto developed the Cohesiekaart (Cohesion Map) and the Cohesieveld Framework. These help teams and organisations explore where their cohesion is strong and where support is needed. He also developed the ContextKompas, a tool for viewing real situations from multiple perspectives. It helps professionals examine their initial judgement, explore alternative explanations for behaviour and adapt their actions to the context. His Polarisation workshop is certified by Registerplein.

Multiple traditions of thought

Another area of interest is the place of non-Western philosophies in thinking about governance, leadership and living together. Augusto seeks to give these traditions a more prominent role in education, conferences and public and governance debates. He explores how they can broaden the dominant Eurocentric perspective and what they offer on community, responsibility, interdependence and good governance.

Media, spoken word and music

Alongside his public sector and advisory work, Augusto has a long history as a creator and presenter. In Amsterdam, he developed and presented local radio programmes, including the multicultural hip-hop programme 2Fresh and the social affairs programme Crossroads. At MOSA Radio, he co-presented and mentored young radio producers. On television, he presented SchoolTV Actueel, connecting current affairs with learning materials for young people. Episodes featuring him are held in the Netherlands Institute for Sound & Vision archive.

As a spoken-word artist, he is known as BLACKGOD. His work moves between rap and poetry, addressing social themes from a personal, critical perspective. He has performed at the Breathing Bijlmer festival, Melkweg and Paradiso, and appeared with spoken word on the youth programme Moccah on The Box. He published two spoken-word books: Als ik GOD was and Met de wetenschap van nu.

His writing also includes fiction. In 2024, he published Fantasieloos – De eerste strijd, a fantasy novel set in a world where imagination is forbidden. The story centres on the struggle for imagination, creativity and freedom, giving literary expression to his interest in different ways of seeing.

Music is another important part of his stage work. Augusto is the lead singer and frontman of Liquid Sun Orchestra, a band combining afrobeat with funk, jazz and soul, among other influences. He performs with the band for diverse audiences, including at Zwarte Cross in the summer of 2026. Its combination of rhythm, socially engaged lyrics and direct audience contact connects with his background in spoken word.

Sport and coaching

Augusto also works with groups through sport. He has taught spinning for over twenty years and coaches basketball at Almere Pioneers. Motivation, individual development and teamwork take practical shape there. His experience as an instructor and coach contributes to his ability to energise groups and actively engage participants.

Publications and public conversations

Augusto regularly publishes articles and the HMP Newsletter, exploring current developments through polarisation, social cohesion, trust and living together. He writes in Dutch and English. His work has featured on the front page of Het Parool, in Burgemeestersblad, the journal of the Dutch Association of Mayors, and on the cover of C, the magazine for communication professionals.

As a speaker and conference chair

As a speaker, Augusto delivers keynotes and talks that make complex issues accessible through practical experience, stories and incisive questions. He presents webinars and chairs and moderates events bringing different perspectives together. His background as an interviewer helps him probe deeper; his advisory experience helps him recognise the sensitivities and interests behind a conversation.

His different experiences come together on stage. He brings an adviser's knowledge, a writer's sensitivity to language and a performer's energy. His aim is to help people examine their assumptions, better understand what is happening between them and see possibilities for action. One question keeps returning: how do we stay connected when we experience the world differently?