New management at Protinus: building on trust, strengthening with fresh energy

A transition built on trust
The changing of the guard at Protinus did not come out of the blue. Two years ago, the company became part of the Prodware Group, with Hofstra and Verbiesen deliberately opting for a careful transfer.

“We have grown towards this transition step by step,” says Niels. “Over the past period, we have worked intensively with Marcel and Vincent. We feel that trust, both from them and from the shareholders, very strongly. Now it is up to us to build on that trust, together with our people.”

Founders Vincent Verbiesen and Marcel Hofstra also speak with conviction about the new management: “We have always built Protinus with the long term in mind. The new management is continuing along those lines with fresh ideas, but with the same reliable foundation. It feels good to see leadership passing to people who fully understand Protinus’ DNA and can build on it.”

Sarah emphasizes that continuity: “We want to continue on the foundation that is already in place. Everything that makes Protinus strong, our culture, the focus on quality, and the personal approach, will remain. We are just adding new energy and direction.”

Fifteen years of Protinus: from pioneer to professional
The timing of the management change is symbolic. As Protinus celebrates its fifteenth anniversary, the appointment of Sarah and Niels marks the beginning of a new phase. “In fifteen years, Protinus has grown from a pioneering scale-up to a mature organization with a strong position within the government and the business community,” says Sarah. “Over the past two years, we have further professionalized, with rebranding, new HR structures, and improved internal processes. That foundation has now been laid. The next step is further growth, including through the enterprise and international markets, while retaining our own identity.”

That uniqueness, the down-to-earth, people-oriented, and sometimes stubborn character remains at the heart of Protinus. “We’ve always been a bit of an odd one out,” adds Niels. “We do things a little differently. And that works. We want to maintain that within an international group. That’s where our strength lies.”

Three pillars as a course for the future
The direction for the coming years can be summarized in three pillars: customer and partner satisfaction, employee satisfaction, and growth. “Those are the three anchors of our policy,” says Sarah. “We measure everything we do against them. How do we ensure that our people continue to develop? How do we strengthen the collaboration with our partners? And how do we grow in a way that is sustainable, both commercially and culturally?”

Niels adds: “Those pillars have always been in our DNA, but now we are focusing on them more. The foundation is in place, so we can accelerate. Satisfied employees ensure satisfied customers. That principle remains our starting point.”

Trust as a foundation
The theme of trust runs like a thread through the conversation. Trust from employees, customers, partners, and shareholders in the new management, but also trust within the management team itself. “What we really want to show,” says Sarah, “is that nothing is changing with this transition. Customers won’t notice any difference, except perhaps a strengthening of our position. We remain the same reliable partner we have always been.”

Vincent explains: “Two years ago, with the acquisition by Prodware, we took the next step in realizing our growth ambitions. Since then, we have achieved further growth by acquiring a number of large (international) contracts. In order to continue Protinus’ growth path in both the enterprise and international IT markets, we also felt that internal development of the organization was necessary. In this context, it was only logical for us to hand over the day-to-day management to Sarah and Niels. In addition to their many years of experience as members of the Protinus management team and their proven qualities in this field, they share the same vision of sustainable growth and customer focus that has always driven us.”

Collaboration within the Prodware Group
Since the acquisition, Protinus has been part of the Prodware Group, an international player in the field of Cloud Infrastructure and Business Applications. Bertrand Launay, Executive Vice President, acts as the link between the Dutch organization and the Prodware shareholders. “Bertrand is an important sparring partner,” explains Sarah. “He brings over 20 years of international experience from his time at Microsoft in Asia (Vice President) and Europe (General Manager) and helps us connect our local strength with the group’s international ambitions. At the same time, we retain the freedom to chart our own course, which is a conscious choice by Marcel and Vincent, and one that is fully respected.”

Niels: “We learn from each other. Bertrand is getting to know our business and culture, and we benefit from his international experience. For Prodware shareholders, it is interesting to see how successful the Dutch approach is and how that formula can grow internationally.”

Complementary leadership
What immediately stands out is the close collaboration between Sarah and Niels.

Their roles, operational and commercial, complement each other, both in terms of content and personality. Both know the company inside out: Sarah joined Protinus in 2022 as Legal Manager and, as COO, played a key role in the further professionalization of the organization. She has many years of experience in the IT industry at the intersection of legal and operations.

Niels, who has been with the company since 2021 as CSO and is responsible for commercial development and growth in the (international) IT market, has a solid foundation in the public sector. This shared background makes their collaboration not only complementary, but also firmly rooted in the culture and ambitions of Protinus.

“I am really delighted to be able to do this together with Sarah,” says Niels. “We have been working together at Protinus for years and have been working closely together in recent months. We know what we can expect from each other, and we know that we can tell each other the truth when necessary.” Sarah smiles: “We are both quite passionate and sometimes stubborn. But that is precisely why we complement each other so well. There is mutual respect, we challenge each other, and we share the same goal: to take Protinus further.” For them, this collaboration is also an example to the organization: openness, trust, and respect as the basis for growth.

Looking ahead: innovation and service
In addition to strengthening its existing business, Protinus is working on new forms of service. “We are fully engaged in our own innovations, focused on managed sourcing and smart automation,” says Sarah. “Not to change our course, but to better support customers in the challenges of tomorrow.” Niels adds: “We want to continue to distinguish ourselves through our way of working. No massive MSP constructions, but partnership and customization. That’s what our customers value us for, and that will remain the case.”

Both Sarah and Niels emphasize that Protinus’ strength lies in the people who work there. “We have a group of highly committed professionals here,” says Sarah. “They are the face of Protinus to our customers. If we take good care of them, they take good care of our customers.” Niels: “It’s great to see how employees contribute ideas and take responsibility. We want to cherish that culture. Especially in a period of growth, it’s important to stay close to each other.”

A new chapter, the same spirit
With the rebranding, the professionalization drive, and now the change in management, Protinus is clearly entering a new phase. Yet its core remains unchanged. “We’ve put on a new coat, but our heart beats the same,” Sarah summarizes. “Our customers, partners, and employees can rest assured that we will remain true to who we are and continue to do what we do best: building sustainable growth together.”

Vincent concludes: “Protinus has always been built for future growth and market development. That idea remains. Only now with three people at the helm who fully understand that DNA and carry it forward with fresh energy.”