Every month, we put one colleague in the spotlight. This time, it's Rutger de Vries, Head of Sales at Embrace. Within this position, he is responsible for all commerce, account management, business development and marketing. With a good dose of energy, curiosity and ambition, he is always on the go, at home and abroad.
Mandarin, Taiwan and on the road
In his spare time, Rutger likes to delve into other languages and cultures. He learned Mandarin, lived in Taiwan for two years as part of his MBA, and enjoys traveling around Asia. China is his favorite destination. “As soon as you speak the language, it literally opens doors.” He enjoys spending his free time with friends, traveling and planning new challenges. On his bucket list? Learn Spanish and one day live in South America for a year.
From internship to sales lead
Rutger started as a graduate intern at Embrace in 2019 and grew as an account manager to his current role as a commercial manager. He manages a team of twelve people, tries to make Embrace a little better every day, keeps customers (and the team) happy, and introduces new organizations to our software solutions. “The best part? To still visit organizations ourselves as much as possible to tell our story. The enthusiasm of the group is always energizing.”
Product and process impact
Rutger is proud to set up the central support knowledge base and digital e-learning for all Embrace software. “That project affected all departments, from marketing to consultancy, and from sales to support. It immediately helps customers with better services, while reducing the pressure on our people. Win-win!” The use of AI in our products also makes him enthusiastic. “We help tenants and employees go from question to answer more quickly, that makes a real difference.”
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Growing in freedom
What Rutger appreciates about Embrace? Freedom and opportunities for growth. “If you have ambition and you show what you can do, you quickly get responsibility here. I'm only 26 years old and I get the space to give my own interpretation to the commercial organization; that says a lot about the opportunities you get here.”
According to him, Embrace is a flat organization with short lines of communication and room for initiative: “There is always something to improve. And if you have good ideas, you can actually do something with them. Despite the fact that Embrace has grown considerably in recent years, we have maintained the speed of a start-up.”
👉 Do you also want to work in a team where technology, growth and trust come together? Watch our vacancies!
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