Contact Koen
"My favourite things about my job are being able to make a real impact on my clients’ businesses, helping them successfully land their strategies and forming true personal connections as a trusted advisor."
At a glance:
Joined Baringa in
2016
Works across
Consumer products and retail
Job in another life
Architect (or the front of house of my restaurant)
In detail:
Koen loves talking about the projects he’s worked on and the companies he’s helped. Not just because of the facts and figures, deadlines achieved and savings earned, but because of the people his team was able to help along the way. When you work on global transformational projects, as Koen has done for over 25 years, success becomes quite personal. For every person involved, their professional success is entwined with the project’s and the client’s success. And the thought of all of those individual success stories puts a smile on Koen’s face every time.
Koen leads the consumer products and retail practice at Baringa, where he has worked with some of the world’s largest consumer goods companies, such as Reckitt, Coca Cola Europacific Partners, and Haleon. His specialty is helping clients realise their transformation ambitions – the more complex the better. From strategy and planning to piloting and industrialisation, Koen guides his clients through the entire change journey, connecting with people while he helps the business.
Which helps explain one of Koen’s proudest moments. Just before the COVID-19 pandemic, Koen was working with a retailer looking to become a digital business. Board discussions were intense, and Koen was there, asking the tough questions: What type of business do you want to be? Digital-first or digital only? What is the role of the store? What is the role of your people? Difficult questions for a business that prides itself on its stores estate and the quality of their people. But when the pandemic hit, they were ready. When their physical stores were closed, they knew how to go digital. The result? Their best business performance year ever – during the pandemic. And Koen has a standing invitation to Portugal, where the retailer’s headquarters are located, because as the client puts it, ‘you’re part of our family’.
In another life, Koen would either be an architect or the front of house of his own restaurant. An architect because they get to be creative, taking a brief and bringing the client’s ideas to life. And the front of house, because he loves the interaction with customers, giving them a fantastic experience around family, friends and food. When he’s not working, he likes to spend time at his favourite place – wherever his family is.