Projects
and People

A few years ago, a portrait about 30-year-old Maarten Heetla would have read very differently to the portrait you’re about to read. It took him quite a while to move past the taboo and embarrassment that he feels still cling to mental health issues and the act of being open about them. By sharing his story, he hopes to help break down barriers and inspire other people to seek help or speak up too.

Interviewing somebody who’s hesitant to define herself can be challenging. It certainly makes for a captivating conversation. “I believe my views are in a constant change and putting it down on paper feels ‘definite’. I like that people are by nature indefinable.”

This November marks Charlotte van Thienen’s 15-year anniversary at Accenture. Having started as a fresh-faced graduate, she gradually climbed the corporate ladder to arrive in the position she holds today: that of HR Director. “Whenever I started getting a little restless, a new challenge or role would arise within the company. When your employer continuously offers you opportunities to learn new things and challenge yourself, there’s no need to look anywhere else.”

How does somebody with an extensive legal background ultimately find herself in a managing director role in the field of technology? Charlot Jonker Roelants sheds some light: “My career is testament to the fact that you can shape your own path by making the right choices.”

Recently, Roy Ikink was appointed as the lead of Accenture Cloud First in the Netherlands. For the father of three, it’s a dream come true. “Leading this practice gives me the chance to combine the two jobs that I have been doing over the past 17 years and love most: advising clients about technology, and managing large transformation projects for those clients.”

When the world went into lockdown in March last year, 26-year-old Syan Sitalsing and her family were worried they wouldn’t have the chance to see each other anymore. So Syan and her sisters packed up their bags and boyfriends, and moved in with their parents in Groningen. “Although it was obviously also a very strange and confusing time, I have some very happy memories from those months.”

When both your parents were once singers in a rock band, you would think that you would inherit at least a bit of musical talent. Unfortunately, though, neither Sammy-Jo Heijdra nor her older brother did. However, what Sammy-Jo does seem to have in her genes is creativity. “My creativity is one of my expressive outlets. In my work in particular, it’s one of the things that sets me apart and makes me good at what I do.”

‘I was born and raised in Apeldoorn. I had a fantastic childhood and absolutely loved growing up there. Still, once I’d finished high school, I couldn’t wait to broaden my horizons, and so I decided to move to The Hague to study. That said, I felt strongly that one day I would return to Apeldoorn to raise my children there. It’s funny how things change. Even though my husband, Johan, comes from Apeldoorn too, neither of us have any plans to go back now.’ 

Few experiences are more satisfying to Mechiel Wilbrink than driving home after a workshop with a client that yielded a collaborative breakthrough. Unfortunately, in this remote working-dominated age of COVID-19, driving to and from clients is no longer an option. “I miss the real-life connection with clients and co-workers greatly.  Connecting with people is part of what drives my love for my work – so much so that I sometimes find myself wanting to just reach through the computer screen during virtual meetings.