“Growth starts the moment you step beyond what already feels familiar”

Marc believes the foundation for his international career was built long before his first overseas assignment. As a Management Trainee, he learned early that career opportunities are often created by those willing to step forward first.

Beyond his core role, Marc took on initiatives from Red Cross fundraising activities to introducing FrieslandCampina to the “Race of the Classics” sailing competition for young professionals, an initiative the company still joins today.

These experiences helped him broaden perspectives, adapt quickly, and build confidence across different markets and cultures. That same mindset still drives him today, most recently through completing his first HYROX race, continuing to challenge himself beyond comfort zones.

For Marc, each international move reshaped how he understands leadership and collaboration.

A short-term assignment in Dubai became one of the first major turning points in his career. Having recently gotten married at the time, the move was both a professional and personal decision. “International mobility is never only about the role itself,” Marc explains. “The support of your partner and family is incredibly important because you experience the journey together.”

Moving to Hong Kong brought another layer of growth. In one of FrieslandCampina’s fastest-paced markets, Marc learned to operate with greater agility and adaptability. Working across cultures also sharpened his leadership style. While Dutch working culture often values discussion and consensus, Hong Kong challenged him to become more action-oriented and decisive.

“There is no single right way of working,” Marc says. “What matters is understanding different perspectives and learning how to work effectively together.”

Today, Marc brings those experiences into how he develops talent within finance teams.

Having experienced mobility himself, he strongly believes growth happens when people are exposed to perspectives beyond their immediate role, market, or area of expertise. Sometimes that comes through international experiences. Sometimes through cross-functional collaboration, regional exposure, or simply building stronger connections with colleagues around the world.

One initiative he values particularly is “Onefinance Donut Coffee” - informal virtual conversations that connect finance colleagues globally across the company. For him, these small interactions often create the biggest mindset shifts. “Development starts when people move beyond familiar circles,” he says. “The more perspectives you are exposed to, the more you grow, both professionally and personally.”