• Masters degree in Economics from the Free University of Amsterdam
• Joined the Secretariat of the Social-Economic Council of the Netherlands
• 1981-1997 – Various positions in the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs: Senior Policy Advisor in the Energy Department of the Ministry of Economic Affairs (1981); Head of the Division for Gas Revenues (1986); Deputy Director for Manufacturing and Heavy Industry (1988); Director of the Policy Division (1990) Deputy Director-General for Industry and Director for General Policy Coordination for the Industry Directorate-General (1993).
• 1993 – 1996 – Chairman of the ESA Council
• 1997 – President and CEO of Fokker Space BV
• 2001-2016 – Various management roles within ESA: Director of Technical and Operational Support (2001); Director of Operations and Infrastructure and Head of the European Space Operations Centre (ESOC) (2004); Acting ESA Director of Resources Management & Industrial Matters (2010); Director of Corporate Reforms (2011); Director of ESA Improvement Projects (2013); Director of Launchers and Head of ESA HQ (2014)
• 2020 – Strategic Advisor for ATG Europe

Winters first became involved with space during his time as Director of the Policy Division of the Ministry of Economic Affairs as he was also appointed Policy Coordinator for Space Policy. In his later role as Deputy Director-General for Industry and Director for General Policy Coordination for the Industry Directorate-General he was concerned with all technological development programmes including those for space, and as Director of Manufacturing and Heavy Industry he was directly involved with aerospace issues. He became ESA Director of Technical and Operational Support in June 2001, responsible for ESA's flight operations and corresponding ground segment facilities.