What has your career been like so far?

After graduating, I started working at Makro in the Supply Chain department, a wholesaler with a very diverse product range. That also makes the supply chain very interesting and I have been able to fulfill various roles and projects there. For example, moving our warehouse to a new logistics service provider and implementing the planning tool Slim4 (Slimstock). Currently I lead the planning team where we centrally manage the availability and stock of both our warehouses, our stores and webshop.

Looking back on your career with today’s knowledge, where would you have made another choice?

Honestly, nowhere. Makro has been the best choice for me as an employer, I could not have imagined a more instructive start and the organization fits well with me as a person. Big and dynamic enough that there are all kinds of initiatives and projects running and small enough so that you quickly have a broad responsibility.

Is there a step in your career that has been decisive and if so which one?

I am thinking of two things. The choice to follow my master’s in Eindhoven has taught me to think in a structured way. After my studies I started at Makro and gained a lot of experience there. I have been lucky enough to be able to develop myself broadly within Supply Chain and have gained the possibilities and the confidence to do that, I am grateful for that.

An Industrial Engineering expert often knows how to look closely at the bigger picture. Suppose you can trade for a week with Mark Rutte and the Netherlands is your BV, which 2 things would you find important and tackle?

Nice question! The first thing that comes to mind is the Corona vaccinationprogram. To seek (and follow up) more advice from the logistics experts. For the climate issue, I think it would be good if we invested more in science research and technical innovations. In doing so, assess the total life cycle and duration of solutions. As a small country, we can make a global contribution to this and position ourselves economically in a favourable position.
But oh well, the best pilots are ashore.

What advice would you like to give current students?

Think initially of the industry in which you want to work, only then at which company. Especially if you want to specialize, the choice of an industry often determines the further course of your career. Furthermore, you naturally want to have fun in what you do and you want to learn something there. Finally, make a contribution for the company, even if you may want something different at that moment. Put the interest of the company first and then your own interest and career. Your reward will follow automatically.

You can change a question, which one would you change and why?

I would change “Looking back on your career with today’s knowledge, where would you have made a different choice?”, by “Why did you choose the industry in which you now work?”. The old question is very similar to the one that comes after it. I find it interesting to read why someone chooses a certain industry and what the characteristics of that industry are.

What has your career been like so far?

My career so far consists of roughly 3 phases: After completing my studies, I worked as an employee for 12 years. I joined IBM as a trainee and then as a member of a large accounts sales team that sold mainframe computers to Shell and Akzo. Later I worked at Pink Elephant as a business unit manager in IT services. After that I worked at Randstad for 2 years as a Regional Manager.

At the end of 1999 I moved with my wife and 2 young kids to Curaçao, where we lived for 13 years. I had a wonderful time there both as a business owner and also in personal life. In the Netherlands I was swallowed up too much by my work and I was sometimes too late at the daycare to pick up the kids. In Curaçao I got a much better balance between family and work, I enjoyed both family life and my work as an entrepreneur. I first set up Wereldstage, an agency for internship mediation, together with a partner. Subsequently also an off-shore telemarketing agency (The Talent Factory) and recruitment agency (The Research Factory), both in collaboration with partners in NL. All 3 small companies where we worked with great pleasure and also managed to achieve some success.

Because of the future of the children, I returned to the Netherlands in 2012 and since that time with Blue Ocean Recruitment I have been focusing on services in the field of executive search and career coaching.

What makes you happy in your work?

As a head-hunter, I guide people with the next step in their careers. On the other hand, I help my clients to build successful teams. That role suits me very well and gives me a lot of satisfaction. As a career coach, it goes a little deeper. I challenge my clients to make better choices with new insights, which makes them more successful with much more pleasure. This not only has an effect on him/her self, but also on the relationships around that person. That gives me a lot of satisfaction.

What was the most important moment in your career and why?

I’d like to highlight two really important moments. The first was in 1984 during my studies, when my father died suddenly just before his retirement. Always worked very hard and made a career. That had a huge impact on me at that moment and had a lot of influence on my career choices later on.
The second moment was in 1999 when I handed in my badge and lease car at Randstad and started for myself. That was really a defining moment. I remember standing at the metro station in Diemen, full of energy and feeling that a new period had arrived.

What does your work/life balance look like right now, and are you happy with that?

Since I started working for myself, I am actually always satisfied with the balance between work and private life. On the one hand because I have a lot of fun during my work and I have the freedom to organize my work myself. And also, because there is always room to improve my work, try new things and work together with like-minded people.

As an Industrial Engineering manager, how do you distinguish yourself from managers with a different background? In which aspect is the greatest added value as an Industrial Engineer?

I have always benefited from my technical business background. A study with which you build up insight into all relevant aspects of an organization, in mutual connection, is still quite unique. As an entrepreneur, this is of course essential, but also in conversations with clients that helps me enormously.

You can change one of the questions, which one would you change and why?

I would change “As an Industrial Engineerig manager, how do you distinguish yourself from managers with a different background? In which aspect is the greatest added value as an Industrial Engineer?” by “What knowledge/skills of your studies have proven to be the most valuable for your career? And in hindsight, what knowledge and skills would you have liked to gain during your studies?”. I am curious how my fellow students used their technical business background and also what they would have liked to have learned in hindsight during their studies.