Cees Wijnnobel - Partner

After several years of studying history and sociology at the University of Amsterdam, Cees made a switch that changed his life. The need to support himself combined with pure chance to land him a position as a trainee in the market research department of the Westland/Utrecht Hypotheek Bank. At this point, the bank was going through a turbulent and somewhat haphazard growth phase. There was clearly a need for more structure in the institution's marketing activities. Over the course of five years, Cees was able to contribute in many ways to making things better. First as a market researcher, then as a Product Manager for Mortgage and Insurance. During this period, Cees was also able to deepen his understanding of the field of marketing, studying at the Netherlands' Institute for Marketing (NMA) and INSEAD at Fontainebleau.

Once he had a taste of marketing, he was hooked. The next logical step was in the fast-moving consumer goods market. Opportunity presented itself with the former Agfa Gevaert, where Cees took on the function of Marketing and Sales Manager, giving him valuable expertise in both sales and marketing. Agfa, at that time a division of Bayer, the German company, was based in Leverkusen. This added an international dimension to Cees' career. And certainly, for fast- moving consumer goods, international advertising is an essential component of a commercial strategy.

This focus on international advertising lead Cees to his next important career move: Account Director at the global advertising agency, McCann-Erickson. Here he was responsible for several national and international clients, including Martini & Rossi, Aegon and the National Sport Totalisator.

After five years of serving as Client Services Director, Cees discovered his true calling as an entrepreneur. With four other partners, he took the leap and started his own agency. It was a fantastic time, filled with energy and enthusiasm. There were no boundaries at work, and they all had unlimited support from the home front. Within three years, Cees and his partners had created an agency that produced impressive work that not only got the industry buzzing but also delivered results for the clients. It was an exceptional learning experience, one in which (to use management terms) they could try to realize their dreams without any frills or guarantees.

After five successful years, opportunity knocked again for Cees. This time it was the chance to join one of the world's largest international advertising networks, as Partner and CEO of Bates Not Just Film. Over the next twenty years, Cees continued to lead as CEO of an agency that may have changed its name many times, but never altered its true essence. During that time, Cees proved his value as a manager, a reorganizer and a client advisor in many boardrooms in the Netherlands. As a Management Consultant, Cees' true specialty lies in identifying and enhancing the communication aspect of the leadership of a company, a brand or an individual.

Cees was born just after the big Flood of 1953.