ABOUT ME

Back in 2017, I felt the need to do something different. I had a wonderful 14-year career at Logitech, where I grew from Forecast Analyst to S&OP Manager, Supply Planning Lead, and eventually Customer Supply Chain Director. That time took me around the world, with leadership positions and assignments in Singapore and Tokyo. It allowed me to work with some great people, build friendships, sharing achievements, failures, and laughter.

But after all those year, a few things started to itch. I began to miss being close to the real action on the work floor instead of being in meetings. I wanted to step into unfamiliar environments and feel uncomfortable again. So I gave myself a few months to clear my head, enjoy the freedom, and create space to think. As I didn’t know exactly what I was looking for, I focused on staying open and being flexible. In the end, I took a chance and started my own company, focusing on interim roles, projects, and consulting.

What I’ve come to appreciate most about this path is the variety, the chance to walk into new places, meet new people, and quickly figure out how I can add value. There’s something exciting about the steep learning curve and making an impact from the very beginning. I also value the freedom to have time to do other things.

In addition to the various assignments I’ve worked on over the past few years, I also serve on the Professional Field Committee for Logistics Management at the HAN University of Applied Sciences. I have earned certificates in several psychology courses from the Open University in the Netherlands and I attended an extensive Lean study tour in Japan.

how i work

With over 20 years of experience in supply chain and a background in psychology, I’ve come to realize that the biggest challenges and breakthroughs often come down to people and culture. I’m quick to understand both processes and people, and I’m able to build personal connections fast. That helps me to move quickly, but with enough care to create lasting results.

Sense.

Sensing can relate to the valuable process of demand sensing, to spot demand shifts as they happen so your supply chain can respond instantly. However, it also describes how I approach an assignment. I sense what your needs are, beyond what’s being said, how culture and history have brought you in the current situation, and how the chosen solution fits your company’s unique characteristics. This is different from just implementing best practices or focusing on plain KPIs.

Simplify.

If you want a complex solution, there are many books and theoretical models available. I focus on what works in practice, what fits the maturity of your teams, and which building blocks help you to advance one step at a time. I will advise you to not just implement a process if it does not add value. In planning language: better be approximately right than precisely wrong.

In my own supply chain career I hardly had to work overtime because I was able to focus on the most important tasks and cut waste out of my days. This is also how I approach a process improvement.

Go.

Just do it. Such an obvious and well-known phrase but often forgotten when it matters. I strongly believe in the PDCA-cycle. Plan, Do, Check, Act. And again. Do not try to implement everything at once but focus on what matters most. Make it work and move on to the next part. Not only does it create faster results, it also boosts motivation if your people see things are moving and stuff actually gets implemented.