Engineering leader with a strong product and delivery mindset. Experienced in building and scaling distributed platforms, leading multi-team engineering organizations, and driving technical and organizational change. Currently exploring how AI reshapes team size and delivery. Combines hands-on technical depth with leadership in hiring, coaching, execution, and platform strategy.

Skills

Leadership & Execution

  • Engineering management
  • Team scaling
  • Hiring & performance management
  • Coaching & mentoring
  • Delivery management
  • Product & technology strategy
  • Stakeholder management

AI & Product

  • AI-native development
  • Rapid prototyping

Technology

  • Ruby
  • Python
  • PHP
  • JavaScript
  • React.js
  • MySQL
  • PostgreSQL
  • Redis
  • Elasticsearch
  • DynamoDB

Infrastructure

  • AWS
  • GCP
  • Cloud architecture
  • Kubernetes
  • GitOps (Flux)
  • Infrastructure as code (OpenTofu / Terraform, AWS CDK)
  • Linux
  • Distributed systems
  • Scalability & reliability

Work Experience (6)

Technical Lead (Contract)
Futurewhiz
Mar 2026 - Current

Returned to Futurewhiz to build a new platform for teachers from scratch, as an experiment in how much a minimal team can deliver with AI.

  • Part of a three-person team (design, product, tech) where everyone works across roles, using AI as a core part of how the team builds and operates

  • Responsible for all technology decisions, from architecture to delivery and operations

  • Close contact with teachers, with fast iteration based on their feedback

  • Stack: Python, React.js, MySQL, AWS

Head of Engineering
Agriplace
May 2024 - Aug 2025

Drove engineering leadership, team development, and organizational maturity as Agriplace prepared for a critical growth stage.

  • Represented engineering in the management team and contributed to company-level strategy

  • Led ~20 engineers across 5 cross-functional teams (frontend, backend, QA)

  • Improved delivery predictability by introducing clearer structure, ownership, and processes

  • Implemented DORA metrics to drive engineering health and continuous improvement

  • Built and coached a stronger leadership layer within engineering

  • Professionalized performance management and development practices across the organization

  • Owned the technology roadmap and architectural direction of the platform

  • Stack: Python, React.js, PostgreSQL, Redis, AWS

Head of Engineering - StudyGo
Futurewhiz
Dec 2010 - Apr 2024

Joined Squla as a developer in 2010 while it was an early-stage start-up. Grew from individual contributor to team lead, and later Head of Engineering for StudyGo.

  • Owned development and operations of the StudyGo platform across multiple growth stages

  • Part of the StudyGo Management Team, jointly shaping the product roadmap

  • People manager, responsible for hiring, performance reviews and mentoring of the engineering team

  • Head of Engineering since 2020, Manager/Team lead since 2018

  • Presented Squla’s use of AWS as a customer success story at the AWS Summit, Amsterdam (2015), in the keynote address of Amazon's CTO, Werner Vogels

  • Stack: Ruby, Python, React.js, MySQL, Redis, Elasticsearch, DynamoDB, GCP, AWS

Founder
Slim-IT
Jan 2003 - Current

Started at age 15 as a hobby project: an online CRM and inventory management application for my mother’s company. It has since grown into a business of its own, with the application used by businesses across the country.

  • Responsible for all technology related decisions (choosing the tech stack, design, development, and operations)

  • Designed and operates the hosting platform: Kubernetes clusters (Talos on VMware ESXi) in two locations, managed through GitOps with Flux and OpenTofu, with cross-site replication and DNS-based failover

  • Jointly responsible for product roadmap

  • Stack: PHP, MySQL, Redis, Kubernetes, Talos, Flux, OpenTofu, VMware ESXi, AWS, RouterOS, UniFi

Software Engineer
Tizio B.V.
Feb 2010 - Jun 2010

Internship as part of my Bachelor's studies

  • Developed a flexible UI widget system for the MyM data visualisation tool

  • Stack: PHP, C++, MySQL, AWS

Software Engineer
National Aerospace Laboratory
Aug 2008 - Aug 2009

Internship as part of my Bachelor's studies, followed by a summer job

  • Designed and implemented an automated auditing tool and a budgeting tool for Software Asset Management

  • Stack: PHP, MySQL, MSSQL

Education (2)

2006 - 2010
Bachelors
Software Engineering + System and Network Engineering
Hogeschool van Amsterdam
2001 - 2006
HAVO
Natuur en Techniek
Keizer Karel College

Languages

Dutch

Native speaker

English

Fluent

Interests

Cycling

Technology

Movies