Sjoerd Dijkstra
International Account Executive
- 37 years old
- Nedapper since 2025
- Studied Corporate Communications, graduating on Corporate Social Responsibility
- Sporty, curious, and ambitious
- Once dreamed of becoming a professional tennis player and played field hockey for two years at a high level in Italy
“At Decathlon, I was spoiled when it came to RFID. That’s why I now know how it can be done and where retailers need help.”
A new step in retail
At the beginning of 2025, I decided it was time for something new. I had worked at Decathlon for 10 years in different roles, from the shop floor to strategic partnerships. But I started to feel restless. The organization was changing, which for me was the right moment to take a new step. I still wanted to stay in retail, it’s such a dynamic and fun world. There’s always movement and challenge. That’s when Melanie from Nedap’s recruitment team called to ask if I’d like to come in for a chat. And I did.
I already knew Nedap from my time at Decathlon, but mainly from the Nedap Sense side, the gates at the store exits. During the application process, I became genuinely enthusiastic about everything Nedap does—not only in retail but in other markets too. And there was a mutual click, which is very important. I had also always kept in the back of my mind that one day I’d like to do something with my Italian language skills. At 19, I played field hockey for two years as a striker in Italy and became fluent in Italian. This came up during the interviews as well, and the idea is that in the future my work for Nedap in Retail will probably extend towards Italy. So, it just felt right to make the switch!
Trust
I live with my family in The Hague. Two days a week I’m in Groenlo and stay overnight there. The other days I often work at our hub in Utrecht (Creative Valley) or from home. What I appreciate is that Nedap allows you to arrange this yourself. I said during the interviews: I’d love to work here, but only if I can partly work from home or the hub. I’m used to traveling a lot from my time at Decathlon, so I don’t mind that, but there has to be a healthy balance.
I’ve committed to being in Groenlo at least two days a week for now. Especially in a sales role, you also need people from tech, implementation, and support. It’s important that you really get to know each other—not just from a photo or a Zoom call.
It’s also strong that Nedap looks beyond just the region around Groenlo. It shows that we’re looking for good people, regardless of where they come from. I was new, they knew I wouldn’t be in Groenlo five days a week, but still they gave me that trust. I find that very characteristic of Nedap. And honestly: I only knew Groenlo because of Grolsch… and because I thought Johan Derksen was from there. But that turned out to be Grolloo.
“I was trusted right away, and to me that’s very typical of Nedap.”
The language of retail
What I bring to Nedap is above all my experience in retail. I know how important technology and simple solutions are for store staff, and how that’s only becoming more important. At Decathlon, I realized I was quite spoiled. What they do there with RFID, how things are organized, is on another level compared to many other retailers. It wasn’t until I started here that I realized how far behind many retailers still are. So, I know how it can be, and that allows me to add real value. I speak the language of retailers and know what store teams run into in practice. Especially now that it’s hard to find enough good staff in retail, good technological support is becoming ever more crucial.
In the short term, I can share my experience with colleagues working in supply chain or on iD Cloud Loss Prevention. I can give them examples from Decathlon, like how we used supply chain solutions to quickly detect faulty products.
“Good technological support on the shop floor is becoming increasingly important.”
Patience and celebrating successes
Large projects require stamina. At Decathlon, I led a major sponsorship deal for an international padel tournament in the Netherlands (Decathlon Premier Padel Open at Ahoy). It was intense and sometimes slow—internally and externally—but incredibly educational. I learned the importance of patience, listening carefully, and involving the right people at the right time. It was one of the most rewarding projects I did there, and I’m proud of it. The second edition is coming this September—it’ll be fun to watch from the sidelines this time!
I’m taking those lessons with me to Nedap. In sales, it can sometimes take months or even years before you close a deal. You need to celebrate milestones along the way and learn to appreciate the process. Luckily, I see that the team here really does that. Small successes are celebrated too. And the energy of working together on something big—that makes me happy.
I see that in my colleagues too. I have a sports background, so I like to win. We work on large projects we call must-win battles, and everyone gives it their all. But we do it smartly, with focus and the right people involved. What I really like is that we dare to say we have the best solution. That fits perfectly with the winning mentality I have myself.
“Nedap has the same winning mentality that I have”
A good start
What I appreciate about my start at Nedap is that there’s real time and attention for onboarding. For three months, I had the space to get to know the organization and the people and really settle in. Everyone is very open, approachable, and genuinely interested.
During onboarding, for example, I spoke with the managing directors of the other markets groups —they made time for me. That surprised me. That human, approachable attitude makes you feel at home quickly.
How do I experience Nedap overall? Three words: ambitious, down-to-earth, and innovative. I already had that impression during the interviews, but it’s proven true.
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