After working in finance at Procter & Gamble, Matthijs Visch held leadership roles in France, Turkey, Japan, and the US, managing teams for Nike and Patagonia. Most recently, he was the CEO of luxury department store De Bijenkorf. He feels privileged to have been part of companies that feature in the Champions League of their sectors. This experience has convinced him that people across the world share a set of universal values.
‘From a young age, I was interested in investing. As a high school pupil, I would visit investment fairs and the occasional shareholders’ meeting. Economics was a natural fit, but when I started to work, I learned that I enjoy working with people more than working with numbers.’
Can you tell us how this manifested itself during your career?
‘I had a pivotal experience when I was CEO of Nike Turkey. Two months after moving there, I read Half the Sky by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl Wudunn. It puts the spotlight on the terrible circumstances of women across the world, while also providing stories of courage and inspiration. The book made such an impression on me that I decided to ask people in my own organisation to send me an email if they believed this issue was also prevalent in Turkey. Out of the 100 employees, 70 sent me a message indicating that there was indeed a huge problem. We set up a small team to investigate what we could do.
After speaking with various NGOs and other relevant players in the field, we concluded that we could have the highest impact by supporting an NGO that helps girls between 12 and 18 stay in school. Many families keep their daughters at home after they leave school for just a few years, which obviously makes them vulnerable. The reason the families do this is because these young women are needed to help in the house or work elsewhere. By supporting their families, we offered these girls a chance to become well-educated citizens. We organised fundraisers and got Nike to chip in as well so that after six months we had reached our target of ensuring the education of 20 girls. Encouraged by this result, we agreed that for every employee in our organisation, we wanted to send one girl to school. Within a year and a half, we met this goal, securing an education for 120 girls. Emboldened, we decided to aim for a thousand. I left after four years, so that number was not achieved in my time, but it was eventually. Some of these young women even went to university, partly supported by our initiative.
‘I have always aimed to connect with my teams based on universal values while remaining humble and respectful of the culture in which I worked’
The experience confirms the power of setting ambitious goals. If you raise the bar high, you often surprise yourself by managing to accomplish things you never thought would be possible. Apart from that, it gave me another important insight. Soon after my appointment as CEO of Nike Turkey, I introduced employment satisfaction surveys. After the start of the female education initiative, employee engagement scores went through the roof. Instead of costing energy, the scheme created extra commitment. We were chosen as the best place to work in Turkey for several years in a row. Since then, I have always sought to find topics that were close to the heart of local staff whenever I started in a new country. These might not be things that would have a direct effect on the bottom line, but it would make a real difference in terms of the passion and energy people brought to work.’
Can you describe the companies for which you have worked?
‘I have been involved with American organisations most of the time. They all shared the fast pace, self-awareness, and ambition that many of us associate with the US. Part of the reason I enjoyed working at Procter & Gamble was that they are one of the top companies in the fast-moving consumer sector. Nike is the pinnacle of professionalism in sports. They really put their slogan “Just do it” into practice. Both feature in the Champions League of their sectors and after a while I wanted to work for a company that would have a similar profile in the area of purposeful entrepreneurship.
Patagonia definitely does have that profile, I consider myself very lucky to have had the chance to be their CEO for Europe. During the forty-plus years of their existence, they have been adding three or four new steps annually to live up to their mission “We are in business to save the planet.” An example was that my management team included a Director of Environmental Activism who together with a staff of about 15 people would support developments such as the energy transition. It takes time to build the necessary expertise and several years before you start making an impact. That is very different from developing a new running shoe for next season. I have met many companies that wanted to become like Patagonia, but it is not something you can realise overnight. Unfortunately, I left earlier than I wanted for family reasons.’
Can you share some of the cultural lessons you learned?
‘The most important example is probably something I experienced in Japan. During the preparation for the move, I read that Japanese office culture has several unwritten rules and rituals. For example, the hierarchy is not always reflected by the organogram, since the oldest person in the organisation has a certain role to play. These more or less secret customs made me a bit nervous. The fact that only two people in my team of twentyfive spoke English didn’t help. I was always accompanied by an interpreter and in the beginning, I would often ask her whether I had expressed myself correctly without offending anybody. When she told me to stop doubting myself, the penny dropped; the feelings and values we bring to work are universal regardless of culture. People everywhere would like to be respected at work, have opportunities to grow, and appreciate honesty. From that day I have always confidently entered new situations, aiming to connect with my teams based on these universal values, while remaining humble and respectful of the culture in which I worked.’
How do you view the Netherlands after living abroad for so long?
‘Amelie, Boaz, and Elias, our three children, were all born in different countries. My wife Adeline and I felt privileged that our family had the chance to live in so many countries, but we also wanted our children to be able to experience the freedom of moving around independently by bike or on foot. This is impossible in countries like Turkey or the United States. People warned us that it would be difficult to settle back in after such a long time, but in our case that was not true at all. The Netherlands is so well organised; infrastructure, health care, and education are all excellent. Of course, there are many things that could be improved, but it is a very nice place to live.’
Can you tell us more about your decision to pause a successful career to care for your elderly parents?
‘When my mother was first diagnosed with cancer, I wanted to support her. Thankfully, she pulled through, but soon after her recovery, it became clear that she suffered from another form of cancer. This awful disease was unrelated to the first one, but it did mean that she had to endure a very tough treatment again.
After she managed to overcome this, the opportunity to lead De Bijenkorf presented itself. The company and its founders have played an important role in the post-war Netherlands. I felt very privileged to lead this organisation with its illustrious past and such an iconic brand. There were a lot of challenges, not only because of developments such as online retailing but also because successive private equity firms had eroded the base. The recovery plan we developed was well received by the employees and I was looking forward to working with them on the execution.
It was not to be. A month after I started, my mother died, much sooner than we had expected. Just as the rebuilding of the company was gathering steam, necessitating six-day workweeks with long hours, it became clear that my father was also in a critical condition. I had to take the tough decision to step down as CEO. Although I left on good terms, I know I disappointed some people. I really regret that, but there was no way I could have continued to combine this job with my family life at that moment.
Many people have a negative association with the last part of their parents’ life, but I can honestly say that sharing it with them is a rewarding experience. Of course, there are difficult moments and things you would rather not do, but I am grateful for the conversations and the laughter I can still enjoy with my father in the time he has left here.’
What are your plans for the future?
‘During my break, I have been involved with charities that support the homeless and help female refugees to find employment. In addition, I play an advisory role in a major M&A transaction. Although combining several future roles on a part-time basis might give me the freedom to make some more time for leisure activities, I enjoy managing a team so much that I might go back to a full-time leadership role. The most important factor in this decision is whether I can wholeheartedly commit to the purpose of the business.’
'Why not start today?'
How do you look back on your time at Erasmus School of Economics?
‘I still have fond memories of my time in Rotterdam. Extracurricular activities, such as organising events at student association Laurentius and the Economic Faculty Association (EFR) have taught me a lot. The study has challenged me intellectually, but in hindsight, it is a pity that the curriculum consisted almost entirely of technical subjects related to profit maximalisation. They provide a good base, but since the majority of alumni are likely to end up in a management role, I feel very strongly that more attention should be paid to leadership skills. This is something companies often overlook as well, which means that managers have to figure it out for themselves. Your early twenties are a good time to discover your identity and learn to reflect in order to create a foundation that you can build on during the rest of your career. I enjoy coming back to campus for guest lectures or brainstorm sessions about the programmes at the economics and business schools. However, on these occasions, I don’t get the impression that the curriculum has changed to the extent that it reflects the shifts that are taking place in the corporate world. Organisations cannot go on running their business as they have always done. This means they have to engage more in stakeholder management and consider new ways of assessing what success looks like. It can and should include much more than financial milestones. Taking into account the priorities of stakeholders such as your staff, the community, and our planet will provide the best long-term results, material and immaterial.’
Could you give some final suggestions for future generations?
‘What is really essential in my view is that young people realise that as they progress in their career, self-awareness and an authentic leadership style become the most determining factors for sustainable success. As such, continue to invest in your personal development, especially around these areas. If you haven’t done so already, why not start today?’
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This item is part of Backbone Magazine (2025). The magazine can be found in E-building or Theil-building for free. Additionally, a digital copy is available here. Backbone is the corporate magazine of Erasmus School of Economics. Since 2014, it is published once a year. The magazine highlights successful and interesting alumni, covers the latest economic trends and research, and reports on news, events, student and alumni accomplishments.
