Quotes about Koen
“Koen is a time traveller in terms of knowledge. He links insights from earlier times to today’s current affairs, on strategy, organisational development and leadership. Over the past 25 years, I have had the opportunity to work with him several times. In various roles. What typifies Koen is that he always looks for the real question first and only then starts the joint search for answers. He is a master at using his impressive factual knowledge to take the conversation to a higher level. His academic background, erudite appearance and colourful taalgebruiklanguage make him a very valuable partner for me.”
Maarten Ebben, Directeur Winkeloperatie PLUS
“Koen is a European benchmark in consulting and coaching. His core expertise is strategy and innovation in food industry and retail. He shows authentic and creative thinking and has the ability to develop new and challenging perspectives. Moreover, he challenges board management in leadership, organisation and change. Anyone considering important decisions in turbulent times is well advised to work with him.“
Prof. Dr. Utho Creusen, Management School St. Gallen
“Impressive how Koen’s razor-sharp mind reduces complexity to a few simple core issues addressing all relevant aspects. Koen is the master of reducing complex themes to sharp insights!”
Geertrui Klostermann. Global future format development lead BP
“Koen is a sharp thinker and real expert for all topics around the international retail business. Beside this he is a valuable Partner in the implementation of forward-looking projects.”
Simone Krah, Präsidentin MMM-Club e.V.. Aufsichtsrätin HORNBACH Holding, Beirätin Food Campus Berlin
“My collaboration with Koen concerned a strategic issue. We started from a sharp and clear set of questions. Koen knows how to critically approach the case from various angles. Fortunately, he does not hide his passion for retail and positioning issues. In the cooperation, Koen challenges to bring out the best in the team. In doing so, he carefully and realistically takes into account the necessary organisational development. Koen has a keen eye for the related leadership challenges. Trust and confidentiality are a matter of course for Koen.”
Ferry Moolenschot, Managing Director Jan Linders Supermarkets
“I know Koen as a lecturer, speaker, brand strategist, organisational scientist and coach. A passionate man, wonderful to listen to, genuinely committed and driven to the very best. His stimulating questions make you think. This is how he to get brands, organisations and people to move and develop.”
Rian Bouwmans: merkstrateeg, marketeer, JUMBO en van Hutten
“Working with Koen is a real pleasure. Both from a business as well as from a personal perspective. We have experienced Koen in the many years of our professional working relationship as a highly appreciated contributor to a new and unique value proposition for Rijk Zwaan. Koen has the ability to structure complex topics into logical concepts and frameworks with a high degree of professionalism and in-depth knowledge. Furthermore, Koen is a very charismatic personality with a clear vision on his area of expertise. It brought us to a next professional level in our journey to create partnership in the value chain and to provide competitive advantage.”
Jan Doldersum, Manager Chain & Retail, Rijk Zwaan
“I got to know Koen as a consultant who guides the strategic search process for an organisation on the basis of truthfulness. Working co-creatively with organisational members from the understanding that strategy is a continuous process of searching, deciding and experimenting.”
Em. Prof. Dr. André Wierdsma, Nyenrode Business Universiteit.
“Have had the pleasure of working with Koen on a number of projects over the last 10 years, across different retailers in South Africa and Holland, with the aim to openly share knowledge to better the businesses we work in, our teams and ourselves. Koen is a real gem! The rare perfect balance of experience, skill and personability. All projects that we have worked on together, Koen has taken a unique partnership approach, breaking down sometimes complex topics into an easy-to-follow workbook that helped us get to an outcome at the speed needed for the project.
Koen is incredibly well connected, has a broad business skill set, is a pragmatist and is great company over a glass of wine after a long day strategizing!
Would recommend Koen to companies who in a wide context would like to take the business to the next level & create competitive advantage or in a narrower context would like to pinpoint specific actions around a particular challenge or opportunity. Thank you, Koen, for the opportunity to continue to work together,Liz.”
Liz van Niekerk, Head of Produce & Horticulture Pick n Pay, South Africa
“Koen is a very inspiring person. I know him already for more than 10 years. We have done several sessions regarding strategy and leadership. Koen can ask many interesting (and relevant!) questions, making it possible to create new insights in your business. He is able to put things in perspective to your competition, your environment, your trade partners and last but not least to your organization. He is able to exceed the daily details and keep the focus on the end result. Koen has a delicate sense of humor and is a pleasure to work with.”
Piet Dekkers, Managing Director at Yakult Nederland B.V.
“Koen is a sharp and critical thinker who, like no other, is able to see through the hectic and clutter’ of the many business challenges. Together with management teams, he arrives at sharp choices that offer a guiding and challenging perspective”.
Prof. Dr. Laurens Sloot, EFMI Business School en Rijks Universiteit Groningen
“Koen has helped us with our strategic repositioning. A clear strategic framework with sharp choices led to very concrete implementation plans: actionable and realistic. The results of the past four years do not lie. Vomar has been the (autonomously) fastest growing supermarket in the Netherlands for four years in a row”.
Aart van Haren, CEO Vomar Voordeelmarkt
“Koen looks at issues and challenges in an organisation from a broad perspective, he knows how to get a team to come up with new insights and ideas and then make them pragmatically applicable and feasible. In his field, Koen is an innovative thinker who you should definitely keep an eye on”.
Evelien Sanders-de Boer, CEO VRUMONA