Thijs Verhees

"I have been commercially responsible for international business development projects at multinationals such as ICL, Burroughs and Ramtek. After this, I as an independent consultant specialized in crisis management for B2B companies. In doing so, I have always had a particular interest in challenges at the interface between production and marketing. In this position, I was able to successfully complete 14 projects in 10 years.

From 1998 to 2012, I owned a modern, financially independent and successful printing company, with a brilliant portfolio - which included both national and international companies. In a challenging market we were able to develop a successful proposition that demonstrably contributed to our customers' goals.

In 2003, with a number of people including Ben Mastboom, I started a trade magazine for the Sales Management Association (SMA). The magazine's ambition was to provide a platform for all commercial decision-makers in the Netherlands in addition to the members of the SMA. From the position of an association magazine, we have managed to expand SalesManagement into by far the largest commercial platform in the Netherlands with more than 25,000 readers per month. Our mission is to contribute demonstrably to the success of all stakeholders: readers, authors and advertisers.

Throughout my career, I have been fascinated by people. They will never bore me, always amaze and sometimes move me. Under my personal motto: 'Lifelong learning,' I enjoy inspiring people in the areas of: communication, negotiation, mediation, conflict management, proposition management and business processing."