Big news! As of 1 September, Pieter Verhoeven has joined Worldpack as our new Sales Manager, and we couldn't be more excited about it. Pieter brings serious commercial experience, a genuine love for the complexity of retail, and exactly the kind of energy and drive that fits right in here.
We sat down with him to find out what drew him to Worldpack, what he's bringing to the role, and what he's already looking forward to building.
You've spent your career in the packaging industry — aluminium, cardboard, plastics. What made Worldpack and the retail world the right next step?
From my side of the supply chain, I was always a few steps removed from where everything actually lands: the store floor, the customer, the real end experience. That gap started to pull at me. I wanted to be closer to where it all comes together.
And honestly? The complexity of retail is something I find genuinely exciting. You're managing hundreds of delivery locations, high expectations, constant pressure on quality and availability. That's the kind of environment I love being in. Add to that the fact that we work with brands people genuinely know and care about, and it's hard not to feel the energy of it. It makes the work feel meaningful in a way that's really easy to get behind.
You've held international commercial leadership roles across different materials and markets. What do you bring from that experience that you'll put to work straight away?
Two things, really.
The first is people. Over the years I've learned to spot where someone's real strengths are and more importantly, what genuinely lights them up. When you build a team around that, when people are doing work that truly suits them, the results come naturally. I've seen it play out again and again across different teams and markets, and it's something I care about a lot.
The second is substance. I know packaging: the materials, the production processes, the technical detail that sits behind what we actually sell. That means I can have proper conversations with clients and colleagues, not just commercial ones. You spot solutions others might miss and trust tends to follow from that quite quickly.
What does a strong client relationship look like to you? What's your philosophy when it comes to sales?
It starts with real listening. Not listening to respond, listening to actually understand. What's the real challenge here? What's the pressure this person is dealing with? What does success genuinely look like for them?
Once you have that, everything else becomes clearer. You're not pushing a product; you're connecting a real need to a real solution. And when that connection is genuine, it sticks.
The other thing I feel strongly about is honesty. If something isn't possible, I'll say so. Clients don't need polished promises, they need partners they can rely on. Transparency builds trust far more effectively than enthusiasm that can't be backed up. I'd rather be straight and lose a deal than overpromise and disappoint.
Long-term relationships have a simple foundation: do what you say you'll do, be honest when things get complicated, and always work from shared interest. That's something I genuinely believe in and it's a philosophy that feels very natural here at Worldpack.
What do you want to build within the sales team over the coming period?
Right now, I'm in listening mode, and I think that's exactly the right place to be.
I've just arrived, and the most valuable thing I can do in these early weeks is pay attention. Talk to the team, get out with clients, understand what's already working well and where the real opportunities are. I'm not walking in with a fixed plan, because a plan built without context isn't much of a plan at all.
What I do know is that I'm a big believer in a growth mindset. Not as a slogan, but as an actual way of working. Always asking what can be better. Always staying open. That's the thread I want running through everything we do together. And once I've got a clearer picture, we'll work out where we want to go as a team. That part I'm genuinely excited about.
Last one — tell us something about you outside of work. What does life look like when you're not in sales mode?
That one's easy: life outside work starts and ends with the people I love most. I have a wonderful partner, Marlein, and two little boys, Vince and Raf. A lot of my energy outside work goes into them, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
I'm also pretty active: crossfit and fitness several times a week. It clears my head, keeps me sharp, and there's a kind of discipline to it that carries over into everything else I do.
Beyond that, I love to travel. New countries, new cultures, new food, new people. That curiosity — the genuine pleasure of discovering something you didn't know before — is something I bring into work too. I don't think you can be great at sales, or at leading people, without staying genuinely curious.
And friendships matter a lot to me. I invest real time in the people around me. Good food, good company, a bit of adventure — that's what recharges me and gets me ready to go again.
Pieter Verhoeven joined Worldpack as Sales Manager on 1 September. Welcome to the team, Pieter — we're really glad you're here! 🙌