Working for Barenbrug continues to be an exciting adventure in both my professional and personal life. While working for Barenbrug I have held several different positions which have allowed for extensive travel around the world. These tremendous opportunities are the result of the Management Development Program

 

Christiaan Arends, Turf Product Manager, Barenbrug USA

In 1997 I started at Barenbrug Holland while I was still a student (HBO). I was chosen for a student internship at Barenbrug's Production department. Upon completion of the internship period, I returned to university to finish my degree. Barenbrug offered me a job soon after graduation and I started work at Barenbrug's location in the Netherlands in January 1998. I worked in the logistics department for eighteen months, and during this period I recognized the freedom we are given to develop our careers and activities further.

 

While working for logistics I was offered the position of Product and Territory Manager. I accepted and over the next 4 years I had the opportunity to continue building up the turf market for Barenbrug. This was primarily sales and marketing work and I enjoyed that job considerably.

 

During this period the MD manager and I decided it would be beneficial for me to do a postgraduate course in Business Administration, which I completed two years later.

 

One aspect of my development that was missing, however, was international experience. Once again the MD manager and I decided that I needed to move to a job with more international exposure. Shortly afterwards, I accepted the position of International Turf Product Manager. While in the Export department at Barenbrug Holland, I worked with customers, production, marketing, sales and research. This was a great job that allowed me to travel all over Europe, from St. Andrews in Scotland to Rostov Na Don in Russia.

 

In all my discussions with the MD manager I emphasized my interest (shared by my family) in working abroad. In January 2006, the MD manager offered me a job in Oregon, USA as Turf Product Manager and Assistant Sales Manager. After discussing this at home and visiting Barenbrug USA with my family, we decided to accept the challenge, and we have never regretted it. We moved to the US in September 2006. My wife is studying at the University of Oregon, and Barenbrug arranged an E2 visa allowing her to work locally. She plans to return to work later this year after finishing her course. My job here is fantastic; I travel a great deal both in the US and abroad, meeting all sorts of different people.

 

I think I can say working for Barenbrug has been an adventure. Living in another country and working with so many different people doing different jobs within Barenbrug has helped me both in my work and my private life. Thanks to Barenbrug and the MD program!