After five years in accountancy and then five years as a sustainable business consultant, Aldert Holwerda decided to make the move to ConQuaestor in June. Here he works for a variety of clients, where he can fully utilize his expertise in sustainability, operations and governance. "At ConQuaestor I can use my entrepreneurship and contribute to the growth of the organization. In addition, the focus on topics on the CFO agenda makes it the right place for me to develop further."
More depth at ConQuaestor
Early in his career, Aldert was involved in a variety of audit assignments, from insurers to companies in heavy industry. He then went on to work as a sustainable business consultant. "I worked on short consulting assignments in countries such as South America, Africa and Southeast Asia," says Aldert. "But after five years in such places as secure hotels in Nigeria, safari tours through Uganda and eight-hour travel from A to B in India, I wanted to focus more on topics such as data management, finance and process optimization in the Netherlands and Europe. I now have that opportunity at ConQuaestor."
On top of that, the dynamism at ConQuaestor appeals to Aldert. "Because it has a different dynamic than the big consulting firms, we can move quickly and respond to changes. It's not a big oil tanker that you have to pull over to turn left or right," he says. He also appreciates the room for entrepreneurship and the opportunity to help build the further growth of the team: "Here I can not only use my expertise, but also contribute to the development and training of a strong team."
His work at ConQuaestor
In recent months, Aldert has focused on two major projects. First, he conducted a comprehensive review of the organization for a jeans brand. Within a short period of time, he mapped out how the organization was functioning at the strategic, operational and tactical levels. Based on the Business Maturity Model, he formulated recommendations for the next steps and is working on their implementation.
CSRD project manager
He is also closely involved in the value proposition for CSRD from ConQuaestor and Team EIFFEL, of which ConQuaestor is a part. "CSRD touches so many different parts of an organization, and the multidisciplinary nature of Team EIFFEL means we can offer a lot to organizations."
As project manager of the CSRD implementation at a large service provider, Aldert is responsible for all project governance. "My role revolves around setting timelines, onboarding people and making sure that there are solid plans of action that can be implemented by others," he explains. An important part of Alderts work is securing the training of new CSRD experts, both within ConQuaestor and with clients, while at the same time preparing employees to deliver policy papers and quantitative data.
In addition to his operational duties, Aldert serves as the link between the implementation and those in charge, such as the CFO and the quality manager. "My job is to keep an overview and set priorities: what do we do now and what can be done later? This ensures that we are always right on track, despite the various streams running simultaneously."
Development and culture at ConQuaestor
Within ConQuaestor, Aldert gets plenty of room to develop himself further. "As a manager, the knife of development cuts both ways," he says. "By sharing my experiences with senior consultants, I reflect myself and learn each time. Sometimes I realize in retrospect how I could have handled things better, because I talk to others about it." In addition to these learning moments, he can take various courses. "I am especially interested in courses focused on content, so that I can improve myself in areas such as CSRD."
He describes the culture at ConQuaestor as dynamic and personal. "We have a young team, with many new associates providing a breath of fresh air. What I find important is that there is always an eye for the person behind the professional. People are encouraged to think and bring in their own ideas," says Aldert. For him, entrepreneurship is a key concept within ConQuaestor: "It's about not avoiding challenges, but rather tackling them. You get the space to do what you're good at and apply it off the beaten path."
Entrepreneurship and exposure at ConQuaestor
What makes ConQuaestor unique is that it is fully engaged in bringing its unique proposition back to the market. "You have to step outside your comfort zone to take steps forward," Aldert explains. "What's special here is that top consultants with experience from reputable companies join us, each with a wide range of backgrounds. Because we offer services that connect directly to the CFO's agenda, you get to deal with many different topics. Whereas at larger organizations you only deal with a small part of the CFO agenda, at ConQuaestor you find much broader exposure."
Like Aldert, would you also like to get started with CSRD at ConQuaestor? Then please contact us or view our vacancies! For questions or more information please contact our recruiter Imke Brommer. You can do this by e-mail: imke.brommer@conquaestor.nl or by phone at 06-173 934 62.