Johan J. Smit became full professor of High Voltage Engineering and Management at the Delft University of Technology (NL) in 1995 and serves as emeritus since 2015. His research focus is on super/smart/sustainable HV solutions for power grids, in which fields he (co)authored over 400 publications. Earlier he was employed at the Kamerlingh Onnes Lab in Leiden, at KEMA’s engineering company, Arnhem NL, at the supervisory board of the South Holland Power Grid and as CEO at the foundation KSANDR in the field of T&D Asset Management. In CIGRE, the global International Counsel on Large Electric Systems, he chaired the International Study Committee D1 on Materials and Emerging Technologies and he convenes the area Substation Management for SC B3. His standardization activities include the national chairmanship of the board of the Royal Dutch Electrotechnical Committee (NEC-NL) and the international chairmanship of IEC TC 112, Electrical Insulation Materials and Systems.