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A bit about me

It became clear pretty fast that of the three career options I considered, I lacked the talent to become an actor, and was probably not motivated enough to study for at least seven years to become a surgeon. For the latter, being easily distracted wouldn’t really be helpful either. So instead of a life marred with bad reviews, or patients being operated on the wrong leg, I chose to become a graphic designer.

After completing Graphic and Typographic Design at the Royal Academy of Arts in The Hague, which took me a bit longer than most students, I decided not to apply for a job, but start out on my own. Winning a prize with my final year project helped, as the exposure lead to my first clients.

Some time later the need to expand my horizon first emerged, by wanting to grow my business. OPHIS, office for design, was founded in 1992 and gradually grew from two to a team of 14 people. It was enjoyable to some extend - it is always nice to work for renowned clients, and see your work on display around the country. But growth meant employees, and that required more time lost to managing colleagues, less time to design. It became time to change my horizon again, as I began to lose my passion for design.

2001 marked the first steps towards a drastic shift. Instead of the sometimes erratic and often stressful lifestyle I had become so accustomed to - but didn’t enjoy - I considered living a more balanced and adventurous life, something I thought to be impossible to achieve in the Netherlands. After discussing my ideas with Maartje (my partner) she agreed to pursue a life overseas. It took many talks, tears, trips, an unexpected and definitive farewell, and three years and two days from the actual first step to require information about New Zealand, to the moment we arrived in Wellington to stay.

This transition, and life here, has made me realize what is truly important to me. Not only on a personal level (Maartje, my daughters Claartje, Wiesje, and Coosje, family, several very good friends, an astonishingly beautiful view) but also on a professional level: creating great design for people that are as passionate about what they do as I am about design. Working with people that understand the value and importance of design, how it can help change their product or company, and help the world to become a better place. And at least as important, both on a personal and professional level - learning while having fun.