Van de Groep & Olsthoorn

What Van de Groep & Olsthoorn does

Van de Groep & Olsthoorn is a Dutch executive search and interim management firm founded in 1979 and headquartered in the Netherlands (with offices referenced in Katwijk and Soesterberg). The company specializes in placing Directors, Managers, and C-level executives into permanent and interim roles across three core verticals: Technology, Industry, and Food. Its service portfolio is divided between two revenue streams — retainer-based Executive Search (permanent placement) and project-based Interim Management (temporary leadership assignments) — and is delivered through sector-specific teams covering areas such as high-tech & electronics, chemicals & process industry, construction & infrastructure, shipbuilding & offshore, energy & renewables, packaging & consumer goods, and food production.

The firm operates a consultant-led, relationship-driven go-to-market model with no proprietary technology platform. It uses an external candidate registration system (Mysolution) and does not offer APIs, software products, or AI-enabled tooling. International capability is delivered through exclusive Dutch partnerships with the International Executive Search Federation (IESF) for cross-border executive search and Interim Management Worldwide (IMW) for global interim management sourcing; it also holds membership in the Dutch Council for Interim Management (RIM) for DBA regulatory compliance. Customer concentration is spread across multinationals, MKB-plus mid-market firms, family-owned businesses, private equity portfolio companies, and start-ups/scale-ups.

Revenue is generated purely through professional services fees, with pricing not publicly disclosed. The company is privately held and partner-owned, with no external investors, parent company, or stock listing. Headcount is in the 11-50 range, anchored by three Directors & Partners (Wim de Kruijf, Gertjan van de Groep, Bert-Jan de Visser) and supplemented by Senior Consultants, Executive Research Consultants, and support staff. Recent organizational moves include the 2024 introduction of a new management team alongside the firm's 45th anniversary, and the March 2025 onboarding of two senior food-sector partners (Hans Hilbrands and Jakob Jan Verbraak) to deepen vertical specialization.

Name

Van de Groep & Olsthoorn

Legal name

Van de Groep & Olsthoorn

Website

https://vandegroep.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Van de Groep & Olsthoorn is a Netherlands-based executive search and interim management firm founded in 1979 that places Directors, Managers, and C-level executives across Technology, Industry, and Food sectors for Dutch mid-market, family, and PE-backed companies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Soesterberg

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Executive Search Services: Retainer-based placement of senior executives, directors, and C-level positions in Technology, Industry, and Food sectors. Services include candidate identification, assessment, and placement for permanent positions.
2. Interim Management Services: Provision of experienced interim managers for temporary leadership assignments, providing organizations with specialized knowledge and leadership during transitions, reorganizations, or sudden departures.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Van de Groep & Olsthoorn is a Dutch executive search and interim management firm that identifies, assesses, and places Directors, Managers, and C-level candidates for permanent and temporary positions in the Technology, Industry, and Food sectors. The firm operates on retainer and assignment bases, serving multinationals, mid-market companies, family businesses, start-ups, scale-ups, and private equity portfolio companies across the Netherlands and internationally through IESF and IMW partnerships.

Product overview

Van de Groep & Olsthoorn is an executive search and interim management firm founded in 1979, operating as a single unified service offering rather than a software product. The company provides two core services: Executive Search (permanent placement for executive, management, and C-level positions) and Interim Management (temporary management placements). These services are delivered through specialized sector expertise (Food, Private Equity, Family Businesses, High tech & Electronics, Chemicals & Process Industry, Construction & Infrastructure, Metal & Plastics, Shipbuilding & Offshore, Energy & Renewables, Mechanical Engineering, Packaging & Consumer Goods, Services & Engineering, Trade & Construction Materials) and functional expertise (General Management, Operations, Finance, HR Management, Technology, Project Management, Commercial, Supply Chain, Maintenance & Service). The company operates internationally through exclusive partnerships with the International Executive Search Federation (IESF) and Interim Management Worldwide (IMW). The firm specializes in connecting entrepreneurial leaders with entrepreneurial companies in the Technology, Industry, and Food sectors across the Netherlands and internationally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Executive Search

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• IESF (International Executive Search Federation)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclusive Dutch partner of IESF, providing access to international executive search capabilities and a global network of executive search professionals. Enables identification of candidates worldwide for international roles.
• IMW (Interim Management Worldwide)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclusive Dutch partner of Interim Management Worldwide, enabling rapid identification of interim managers across the globe. Provides direct access to international interim management expertise.
• RIM (Raad voor Interim Management)coreOthersMember of the Dutch Council for Interim Management. Stays updated with latest industry developments and ensures all assignments comply with RIM evaluation framework developed in consultation with Dutch Tax Administration, providing certainty for clients and interim managers.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Heidrick & Struggles: Global executive search firm with Dutch operations; serves multinationals and mid-market companies across industrial, food, and technology sectors that overlap directly with Van de Groep & Olsthoorn's verticals.
• Korn Ferry: Global organizational consulting and executive search firm with a Netherlands office; competes for senior industrial and consumer leadership mandates and offers RPO and talent advisory adjacent to VdG&O's interim management line.
• Russell Reynolds Associates: Global executive search firm with European coverage; targets board, CEO, and senior functional leadership in industrial and technology companies that overlap with Van de Groep & Olsthoorn's mandate set.
• Egon Zehnder: Global executive search and leadership advisory firm with a strong Netherlands practice; competes for the same Dutch C-level and supervisory board mandates that Van de Groep & Olsthoorn targets, especially in industrial and consumer sectors.
• Spencer Stuart: Global executive search firm with a long-standing Amsterdam presence; covers board-level and CEO/C-level assignments in industrial, food, and technology — the same core verticals served by Van de Groep & Olsthoorn.

Direct peers

• Brunel International: Dutch-headquartered global staffing and project-services firm with strong presence in Energy, Engineering, and Industrial sectors; a relevant comparable for Van de Groep & Olsthoorn's Technology and Industry verticals.
• Robert Half: Global staffing and recruitment firm with a Netherlands office; competes for finance, operations, and senior commercial placements in the same Dutch mid-market segments that Van de Groep & Olsthoorn serves.
• Michael Page: Global recruitment firm with a large Dutch operation covering professional, technical, and commercial roles; competes with VdG&O on mid-market and MKB-plus mandates in Technology, Industry, and Food sectors.
• DUPP | Executive Search & Interim Management: Dutch executive search and interim management boutique specializing in food and agri-food sectors — the closest direct competitor in VdG&O's newly strengthened food vertical, and former employer of two of VdG&O's recently added senior partners.
• IUC Group: Dutch recruitment and executive search firm with strong food and life sciences focus; directly comparable on Dutch mid-market executive placements and former employer of senior consultants who recently joined Van de Groep & Olsthoorn.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInnl.linkedin.com/company/van-de-groep-&-olsthoorn
• Xx.com/vdgroep
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Van de Groep & Olsthoorn