"At Finext, everything has a head and a tail. Consultants always work on a project basis with clients; they come and they go," Mark says. "My job is to keep the relationships good even in the longer term." Briefly, he does this in two ways: with content and with social activities. His workdays are therefore quite varied. "I go from lunch meeting to network meeting, and from theme session to the Winter Efteling."

Haarlemmer Oil

So Mark's work consists largely of relationship management and account management. "I'm always looking for new opportunities for Finext," he says. He explains: "We strive to be more broadly active with our clients. I look at where we can add even more value." Mark therefore maintains intensive contact not only with clients, but also with Finext's consultants. "That's an area of tension. To keep the client happy, a consultant sometimes has to take a few extra steps. With a busy schedule, that doesn't always come naturally. You could see my role as the link that keeps everything running smoothly. Finext's Haarlemmerolie, so to speak."

"We strive to be more broadly active with our customers. I'm looking at where we can add more value."

Relaxation is also important

Mark is also working on bringing in new customers. "We do that mainly by showing in different places what expertise we have in-house. For example, we organize theme meetings about a particular tool, or we hold a webinar on a somewhat broader topic, such as forecasting." But not everything is focused on content, he explains. "We also organize social activities. A visit to an amusement park, a padel tournament or going to Feyenoord together. The idea behind it? We work enough, relaxation is also important. And when you get to know each other, the contact after that comes naturally."

Unique culture

What about Mark's own relaxation? "Admittedly, I have a busy job with irregular working hours, and Finext is a flat organization where freedom is paramount. You have to be able to deal with that." He continues: "But I've been working here for over 16 years and wouldn't want it any other way. A nine-to-five job is not for me; I want to be able to organize my own time. Moreover, Finext has been successful for 25 years thanks to that free, flexible way of working. It's a unique culture that you won't easily find anywhere else!"

"I've been working here for over 16 years and wouldn't want it any other way. A nine-to-five job is not for me."