Van Luyken

What Van Luyken does

Van Luyken is an independent Dutch strategic communications consultancy founded in 1978 by journalist Wim van Luyken and headquartered at Media Park in Hilversum. The firm operates as Van Luyken Groep and is organized around three wholly owned labels: Van Luyken Communicatie (strategic communications advisory, positioning, reputation and issue management, and 24/7 crisis communication), De Trainingsstudio (media, presentation, crisis communication and spokesperson training delivered in dedicated studios), and The Smart Engine (interim placement and secondment of communications professionals through a curated network of more than 700 specialists).

Van Luyken serves organizations facing significant public scrutiny, including government bodies (AFM, Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens, Nationale Ombudsman, Schiphol Group, ProRail), large consumer and retail brands (Albert Heijn, McDonald's, Lidl, Zeeman, HEMA), regulated industries (KLM, TNO, KPMG, De Volksbank, Essent), and NGOs and cultural institutions (Oxfam Novib, Keukenhof, Artis). The senior consultant team is composed of former journalists and senior communications alumni of agencies such as Hill+Knowlton, Deloitte, Randstad and Rabobank.

Revenue is generated through fee-for-service professional engagements across three streams: bespoke advisory retainers, customized training programs (Basic and Senior Spokesperson courses developed with Van der Hilst Communicatie), and 'no cure, no pay' interim placements. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. Distribution is exclusively direct via senior consultants, supplemented by referrals from the PROI Worldwide alliance of 85+ agencies across 65 countries and thought leadership through industry media and the Logeion professional body.

Name

Van Luyken

Legal name

Van Luyken Communicatie

Website

https://vanluyken.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Van Luyken is an independent Dutch strategic communications consultancy offering advisory, crisis communication, training, and interim staffing services to public-facing organizations across government, enterprise, and NGO sectors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Hilversum

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Strategic Communications Advisory: Fee-for-service consulting engagements for communications strategy, reputation management, crisis communication, and positioning. Delivered by senior consultants to organizations across sectors.
2. Training and Education: Customized training programs in media relations, presentation skills, crisis communication, and spokesperson training delivered under the De Trainingsstudio brand. Pricing provided through custom quotes.
3. Interim Staffing Solutions: Secondment and interim placement of communications professionals through The Smart Engine brand. Works on a 'no cure, no pay' basis supported by a network of over 750 professionals.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Van Luyken is a Dutch strategic communications consultancy that, through its three labels (Van Luyken Communicatie, De Trainingsstudio, and The Smart Engine), delivers strategic communications advisory, crisis communication, reputation and issue management, positioning and profiling, communications training (media, presentation, spokesperson, crisis communication), and interim staffing solutions for communications departments. Services are delivered by senior consultants and former journalists, with a network of 700+ communications professionals supporting interim placements.

Product overview

Van Luyken is a strategic communications consultancy operating under the Van Luyken Group alongside two sub-brands: Van Luyken Communicatie (core advisory services) and De Trainingsstudio (training). Van Luyken Communicatie provides strategic communications advice, crisis communication, reputation and issue management, and interim solutions. De Trainingsstudio delivers media, presentation, and crisis communication training. The Smart Engine provides interim staffing for communications and marketing roles. The three labels share a unified visual identity following the 2025 Van Luyken Group formation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Positioning and Profiling Strategic advisory service helping organisations achieve clearer positioning and stronger profiling to enhance visibility, recognition and direction. Targeted at organisations that need a sharper story for stakeholders, partners and employees.
• Communications Strategy and Advice
• Reputation and Issue Management
• Crisis Communication
• De Trainingsstudio Training Programmes Customised training programmes covering media training, presentation training, crisis communication training, and Basic and Senior Spokesperson courses, including realistic media simulations in professionally equipped studios. Delivered by former journalists and presenters.
• The Smart Engine Interim Solutions

Quantifiable outcome

• 24/7 crisis support availability
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers29 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• PROI WorldwidecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVan Luyken is a partner of PROI Worldwide, an international alliance of more than 85 highly qualified communications and PR agencies in 65 countries. PROI membership is subject to strict admission criteria, with each member operating as a leading agency in its domestic or international markets. PROI offers clients access to a broad range of expertise and experience. As an international or internationally oriented company, clients have access to quickly deployable local support anywhere in the world that meets the highest quality standards.
• Binnenhof AdviesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVan Luyken works with Binnenhof Advies for strategic advice and support in public affairs. This experienced PA agency possesses in-depth knowledge of the political and administrative world and helps organisations operate effectively within this playing field. The partnership enables Van Luyken to help clients with advocacy, lobbying strategies and building relationships with stakeholders.
• Van der Hilst CommunicatiecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVan Luyken and Van der Hilst Communicatie developed two courses for spokespeople: the Basic Spokesperson Course (6 days/3 months) and the Senior Spokesperson Course (11 sessions/22 half-days). Van der Hilst is the Netherlands' leading communications trainer. Together, they strive to professionalise and strengthen the communications profession. The Basic course is taught by Inge Meilink and the Senior course is taught by Youssef Eddini among others.
• LogeionminorGTM or Marketing PartnerYoussef Eddini organises the 'How to become a great spokesperson' workshop multiple times per year for Logeion, the Dutch umbrella organisation for communication professionals. The partnership offers communication professionals the opportunity to develop and strengthen their spokesperson skills in a practical, interactive setting.
• TekstnetminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFor powerful, professional texts, Van Luyken works with Tekstnet, a network of qualified copywriters in the Netherlands. Tekstnet members are experienced specialists who guarantee quality coupled with impactful content. The partnership ensures clients' messages are communicated clearly and persuasively across web texts, press releases, and comprehensive reports.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Hill+Knowlton: Global strategic communications and public relations firm with a long-standing Amsterdam office. Directly comparable to Van Luyken in crisis, corporate and public affairs advisory, but with substantially larger international scale and owned-network reach.
• Edelman: Largest privately owned global PR firm, operating in the Netherlands through Edelman Netherlands. Competes directly with Van Luyken for corporate reputation, crisis and CEO communications mandates, with broader geographic footprint.
• Weber Shandwick: Global public relations firm with significant Amsterdam operations. Competes with Van Luyken across corporate, public affairs and crisis communications, with deeper multinational infrastructure.
• FleishmanHillard: Global public relations and communications agency with Amsterdam presence. Competes with Van Luyken on corporate reputation, crisis and public affairs work, with a wider international network and sector specialisations.
• MSL Group: Public Relations and integrated communications network with Dutch operations. Competes directly with Van Luyken on strategic communications, reputation management and crisis advisory mandates.
• Brunswick Group: Strategic communications advisory specializing in corporate, financial and critical situations communications. Highly comparable to Van Luyken on crisis and C-suite advisory, with deeper financial-communications specialisation.
• Finsbury Glover Hering: Strategic communications and advisory firm focused on reputation, crisis, financial communications and public affairs. Closely comparable to Van Luyken's positioning and crisis advisory work for high-scrutiny clients.
• BCW (Burson Cohn & Wolfe): Global communications agency formed from Burson-Marsteller and Cohn & Wolfe, operating in the Netherlands. Directly competes with Van Luyken on integrated corporate, crisis and public affairs mandates.

Broad incumbents

• Ketchum: Global communications firm (Omnicom) with European presence. Comparable to Van Luyken on integrated corporate communications and crisis, though operating as part of a much larger holding group rather than as a niche advisory.

Regional players

• DRIFT Communicatie: Dutch strategic communications consultancy focused on corporate reputation, public affairs and crisis. A Netherlands-based peer comparable to Van Luyken on positioning and crisis advisory, but smaller and home-market focused.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/van-luyken-communicatie
• Xx.com/vanluyken

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries3 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 Luyken