Dennis Hogendoorn already had a decade of accounting and finance behind him when he joined Carrier Transicold’s Netherlands operation as a finance manager in 2006. Perhaps it was his “spirit of adventure” that lured him to the operations side of the business two years later when he became assistant branch manager in Rotterdam.
That spirit runs deep for Hogendoorn.
An outdoor recreation and fitness enthusiast who enjoys cycling and snowboarding, Hogendoorn’s venturesome inclinations also led him to the peak of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania in 2008. He followed that in 2009 living temporarily on a tropical-jungle island in Malaysia as a participant on “Expeditie Robinson,” the Dutch version of the American reality television show “Survivor.” Selected from a field of 5,000 applicants, he was a top-five finalist out of 21 competitors.
“I am always looking for new challenges,” he said.
So to step out of finance and into a more commercial and operational role “seemed like an excellent opportunity.”
Earlier this year, he started wearing two hats as both the Rotterdam branch manager and as the Performance Parts Group’s regional manager for Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA). That, once again, led him on an adventure, but this time the destination was customers.
“My first goal was introducing myself to as many customers as possible and getting to know them,” he said.
“I travelled to customer locations in the Middle East and also within Europe to understand their businesses. We try to keep the communication very open to be able to anticipate and respond to customer needs.”
Back in Rotterdam, Hogendoorn today applies financial skills honed during prior positions at PricewaterhouseCoopers and a business sense developed at Exel Group Holdings in the Netherlands to achieve results for Carrier. “In any function, you can benefit a lot from a finance background,” he said.
In addition to focusing on meeting the needs of Carrier’s customers in the region, Hogendoorn is responsible for the financial, operational, logistical and commercial aspects of the Performance Parts business in EMEA, and the electronics repair and rebuild operation based in Rotterdam.
As to the success the Rotterdam operation has enjoyed this year, Hogendoorn credits improved efficiencies, programs such as the PartsNet web-based ordering system and an exceptional team.
“We have a good group of people with the right mentality,” he said. “Customer focus is important. I am very proud of them and their accomplishments.
“My biggest challenge at Carrier is, of course, realizing the goals that are set for the Performance Parts Group EMEA business and looking for opportunities to expand the business. Achieving this in an environment in which our customers are happy and all employees feel valued, honored and challenged is very important.”
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