What was your first ever
job?
At university, I was a nutrition
assistant in a hospital, working early on Saturdays to serve meals
to patients. It made me realise some people are less fortunate than
me, and helped develop my service orientation.
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Where’s the best place to go if
you want to find out what’s really going on in the
office?
The smoker’s cabin or the company
restaurant. I see people who I don’t frequently run into, and the
environment opens the thoughts of many. In my job, it’s important
to know precisely what is going on in the company.
What time do you usually leave
the office?
Too late, according to my wife and
two kids. More seriously, it depends on the projects I’m working
on. I try to leave the office at 6 o’clock at the latest. The
office is 35 kilometres from home, but takes almost an hour to get
home due to traffic.
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By GlobalDataWhat do you do at
weekends?
A lot – sleep, shop, cook, meet
friends, and manage a football team on Sundays. My team is leading
in the league and I am very proud of the boys.
What’s your favourite
restaurant?
A little, cosy family-owned Italian
restaurant in Amsterdam. They cook really nice Italian-style food.
The owner is an Italian from Tuscany and he imports his own
ingredients direct from Italy. The fine wines and home-made
limoncello are super.
If you weren’t in your current
job, what would you be?
Commercial director at Katja Mali
Photography, my wife’s business.
After a 19-year career in financial
services, she left last year and started her own photography
business. For now, I’ll have to sit on my fingers, but I would like
to help her.
Who is your mentor or role
model?
My father. During his working life
he worked in the Middle East, Asia and the Caribbean, building
water desalination plants.
He taught me to live with and handle people from different
cultures. Before he died I had the chance to tell him that I was
going to move to Germany for Amstel Lease. He was really proud that
I was following in his footsteps abroad.
What is the best thing about
your job?
I am responsible for strategic
development, innovation and internal and external communication. I
contribute directly to building the future of Amstel Lease. It also
gives me the opportunity to travel abroad and to meet industry
leaders. That inspires me a lot.
What has been your biggest work
mistake?
When starting in Germany, to head
Amstel Lease Deutschland, I thought that six years of learning
German at school would be enough to work with German
colleagues.
What a mistake that was! It took me
two weeks of intensive language courses before I could participate
in meetings.
What car do you
drive?
I drive two-and-a-half cars.
Business-wise a Volvo V70, and privately a Jeep Grand Cherokee and
sometimes my brother’s 200+ hp Renault Alpine V8.
What book are you
currently reading?
I like Dutch literature but won’t
bother you with names of Dutch writers. I am currently reading The
Ultimate Question by Fred Reichheld. It is about creating loyal
customers, who refer your business to others.
What is on your CD player at
the moment?
Terra, the new album by Mariza.
Mariza is a Portuguese fado singer but she experiments with new
ways of singing.
On this album there are a lot of
jazz, flamenco and Latin influences.
