With an impressive 17-year career at Accenture, Sander Vlasveld is making the move to ConQuaestor as of November. We speak to him about his experiences, his ambitions and his vision for the future of the finance function.
Sander (43) lives with his girlfriend Nicole and their three sons in Voorhout, near the beach in Noordwijk. "Regardless of the season, I like to be outside, on the beach, to get a breath of fresh air and unwind," he says. Sander prefers spending time with his family and is also athletically inclined. "I started playing padel four years ago, and I do running and trail running, I like to do that on barefoot-shoes that provide minimal support and demand the maximum from my body."
What was the start of your career like?
"After studying Business Administration with a master's degree in Innovation and continuing my studies in Financial Law at Erasmus University, I did not yet feel the need to start working. That's why I decided to make a trip around the world with Nicole, which eventually lasted 16 months. Then in 2007 I started working at the consultancy branch of Accenture. Through Accenture I worked for several large and small multinationals, such as ASML, Shell, as well as KPN and Leaseplan (now Ayvens), each with their own dynamics and challenges. At Accenture, I developed into an expert in finance consulting. The learning curve was incredibly steep and I really got the chance to look into the kitchen at a lot of interesting companies and get to work helping the CFO and their teams realize the finance function of the future."
After three years, the adventure began to itch and I moved with Nicole to Melbourne, Australia. A great move, both personally and professionally. I joined the Australian branch of Accenture and worked with multinational companies in sectors such as telecom, utilities and mining. It was great to work with clients at a time of tremendous economic growth. Also, our two oldest sons were born there, so Australia will always hold a special place. After six years in Melbourne, we moved back to the Netherlands, where I returned to work for Accenture Netherlands. What I really appreciated, both in the Netherlands and in Australia, was the strength of Accenture's network. If you needed someone with a specific expertise, you had access to global knowledge and expertise in no time."
After 17 years you are making the move to ConQuaestor, why?
"I felt I was ready for a new adventure, outside of Accenture. Not because I wanted to leave there, but because I was eager to see how the world of management consulting outside that company looks like. After years of working within this large network, I wanted to challenge myself in an environment that requires a different kind of entrepreneurship and pragmatism.
ConQuaestor is the ideal place for me to take on this new challenge. What appeals to me here is the integrated offer; we provide strategic advice, help with implementation and adoption, and can continue to relieve the client even after the change has been realized in the combination with interim professionals. That is unique and offers a lot of added value. In addition, at ConQuaestor I get the opportunity to help build a growing team and that appeals to me enormously. I look forward to working with the team to further expand the consulting practice and really make a difference with our clients."
What will your work as a partner look like?
"As Partner Data & Technology I am responsible for building a strong team that helps our clients define and, most importantly, realize the finance function of the future. My focus is on leveraging technologies such as ERP and the broader ecosystem around it, as well as artificial intelligence and machine learning, to further automate administrative tasks and make decision-making more data-driven and also, most importantly, more effective. We not only offer advice, but also help to bring the solutions into the day-to-day operations with the client. The goal is to make data and technology integrated parts of the finance function and to use them to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the business as a whole."
Do you have a goal in mind within ConQuaestor?
"My goal is to forge a cohesive team of individually unique and strong personalities that can rely on each other to deliver the best results for and especially with clients. I enjoy building a team that helps our clients truly embrace new technologies and use data strategically and operationally to its fullest potential. That includes the realization that data and technology are important to make a change toward the ambition successful, but that ultimately it is the mindset and culture that are going to make the result for the customer last. In addition, I think it's important that we strengthen the client and each other by sharing knowledge and, above all, having fun."