What shaped Jos?

After completing secondary school (Atheneum, B), Jos initially chose to pursue a degree in Business Economics, but after being selected out through a lottery system, he decided to enter military service early. At the age of 19, he completed training as an officer, taking command of a group of around 12 soldiers. This was a multicultural team, ranging in age from 24 to 28, most of whom had technical (MTS) or higher professional (HBO) education backgrounds. With an energetic and positive approach, he succeeded in motivating the team to make it an enjoyable and educational experience together.

After his period of military service, Jos began his career in accountancy at a firm focused on government institutions. As a team member within the audit and advisory practice, he became familiar with various public sector organizations. It soon became clear to him that he preferred to work on the other side of the table and collaborate with a team to achieve tangible goals. In 1989, he made the transition to the Breda City Region, where at a young age he led a financial team of eight people. This was a time when bookkeeping machines were being replaced by the first computer systems—a revolutionary period of change.

In the years that followed, Jos gained experience in various (semi-)public organizations in the waste management sector in the Brabant region. Transfer stations, composting facilities, recycling companies, and eventually an incineration plant in Moerdijk were developed. With major high-tech investments, the dynamics of the waste management industry changed significantly.

After 15 years in the waste management sector and completing several international training programs, Jos decided to move into the private sector. In early 2002, he started as CFO for Europe at the publicly listed scale-up company Össur, which at that time employed 275 FTE globally, including 36 in Europe. Over the next 21 years, Jos held various management and board positions, further broadening his experience and enabling him to understand the different languages and cultures across all business functions. In his final five years at Össur, he was responsible for all finance and tax functions, totalling 175 FTE within an organization of 4,000 employees. He oversaw approximately 10 acquisitions, from M&A through to full integration.

At the beginning of 2023, this successful 21-year collaboration came to an end, and Jos quickly determined what he wanted to focus on for the next decade: independent entrepreneurship as an Interim Financial professional.

The dynamic nature of interim management closely resembles his final 10 years at Össur: the ability to switch quickly, form a clear picture with sometimes limited information, and act decisively. This proved immediately valuable in his first interim assignment at a well-known food company, where two recently acquired businesses needed to be merged and operational processes standardized and optimized. Within a short time, Jos worked with management to translate business strategy into a concrete operational plan and implement it together with the teams, thereby laying the foundation for further growth.

Satya Nadella (CEO van Microsoft)

“The notion of empathy, and the idea of listening and learning, is critical. Leadership is not about being the smartest person in the room; it’s about bringing out the best in people.”

Jos’s vision is to support companies and their employees and empower them through his accumulated knowledge and experience. His motto, “Inspire and motivate people to develop themselves and achieve their personal goals,” is central. This is achieved by creating a positive and energetic work environment in which everyone feels valued and supported.

Change is a constant factor in business. With his experience in numerous transformation processes, Jos can help executive teams successfully implement necessary change programs. His motto, “What we achieve today will not be good enough tomorrow,” emphasizes the importance of continuous improvement and innovation. By involving people from the very beginning of the change process, resistance can be reduced and a culture of continuous progress can be fostered.

The speed and quality of change are determined by the knowledge and drive of employees. Strong leadership facilitates this process by providing direction and creating the conditions needed to realize the desired change.

Character

A true people person with an energetic and positive approach. Someone who strives to bring out the best in others without losing sight of goals and results. Jos acts as a connector between all functions within an organization and its management team. He considers a strong connection with the CEO essential—both to serve as a trusted sparring partner and to engage in open, transparent confrontation when necessary. Under all circumstances, Jos remains calm and composed, enabling him and the team to set the right priorities. He builds strong teams centered on collaboration, focused on achieving shared business objectives.