Royal Jaarbeurs: the inspired, sustainable and innovative host for the whole of the Netherlands. A place where you meet, inspire, learn and grow. We'd love to tell you what's going on at Royal Jaarbeurs and the way we do things. How? By getting to know our strongest point: our people. Niek Krebbers, for example. Niek is Head of Sales Guest Events and has been working at Jaarbeurs for twenty-five years. Take a look behind the scenes at Niek and how he looks at Jaarbeurs.
The world of Jaarbeurs began for Niek in 2000. With... the newspaper! That's when he responded to a full-page advertisement in the Telegraaf: "Are you looking for Attention and Applause? Jaarbeurs Utrecht offers you the most suitable stage for this!" A headline that stuck. And so did the job, as within a year Niek develops from project manager to account manager. Twenty-five years later, he manages a team of thirty-five account and event managers. As Head of Sales, he is responsible for all guest events at the various Jaarbeurs locations as well as supporting and advising the team of event managers for all events taking place at Jaarbeurs.
An accumulation of elements
Niek feels right at home here and, as he says himself, goes to work with pleasure every day. "Whether it's a multi-day international event, or a board meeting: something happens here," he says. "I think it's super to be able to contribute to that. For us, it goes beyond renting out a space to our clients. It's about the total experience, that's where we want to make a difference. This goes right down to the smallest details, from the temperature in the room, acoustics and technology to the warm welcome, the cup of coffee or surprising lighting. Everything comes into play. Guests are more accustomed so less easily impressed than before. So the challenge is to keep surprising. With creativity, with quality, with experience on all senses. Based on our passion for the profession, we would like to help you with that. From location advice to the right set-up, atmosphere and catering. And when that succeeds, you feel it immediately: something special is created."
Live encounter always wins
What makes that special? For Niek, it is the power of live encounters. This is how he says: "People come here to meet. To learn, to celebrate. And to grow. Everyone has a Jaarbeurs moment. A manager who attended an inspiration session, a doctor who got accreditation points here, an entrepreneur who gained valuable leads and contacts or a bunch of friends who made great memories during a cool event. A moment at Jaarbeurs has meant something. And the great thing: we get to facilitate that moment." And although the world around us is changing - from booking confirmation by fax, to last-minute requests by e-mail - personal contact remains the most important thing. Because, according to him, that always wins. "A smile and a good reception. The feeling that someone is really thinking with you. Personal attention. That's what people keep coming back to Jaarbeurs for."
"You have to be a bit crazy for this work"
Niek loves speed and teamwork. The feeling that comes when everything is right. That requires hard work. "We sometimes say: you have to be a bit crazy to do this work. You have to like peaks. And I love that. Because in such a peak you feel: yes, this is where it happens." He looks back with a smile at his first big event, which happened to take place on his own mother's birthday. It was the Apostolic Society's anniversary event on 7 June 2001, with 26,000 visitors. "I had only been working at Jaarbeurs for a few months and had about six months to prepare the event. There I learnt SO much with my colleagues. That experience is still in my backpack."
Since then, many more unique events, product introductions, conferences, mergers, ID&T parties, internal milestones and own meetings followed. Among other things, Niek was involved in the development of new locations such as the Media Plaza and Supernova congress centres and the MeetUp conference centre. It characterises his growth and that of Jaarbeurs. "That pioneering we do here every day ... that's what gives me energy."
Leveraging more than 105 years of expertise
Not only pioneering gives him energy, the continuous search for the ideal balance between growth and deepening also makes him passionate about his work. Of course, he does not do this alone, as he also relies on his passionate team of experts. Every day, the account and event managers work on attracting distinctive events and try to support existing and loyal customers even better. "Scoring and growing together," he calls it. "Because Jaarbeurs is not just a venue, we are the connecting factor in the whole process. From preparation to going live." Niek describes it as "facilitating and inspiring". This is how he says: "We have more than 105 years of experience in this industry. We deploy that knowledge down to the smallest detail. So our customers can benefit from our experience and vision. Jaarbeurs as a thought leader, as an expert in the world of live events."
"I see Jaarbeurs as a hub for knowledge, meeting, work and leisure"
From exhibition hall to vibrant ecosystem
Although he likes to look back at the past twenty-five years during this conversation, he prefers to look ahead. With the upcoming refurbishment and new building of Jaarbeurs and a growing focus on international, sustainable events, he sees great opportunities. "Jaarbeurs is more than a venue. I see it as a hub. A hub for knowledge, meeting, work, leisure. We already have our own theatre and cinema on our premises. Maybe soon there will also be space for living. I see Jaarbeurs as the Central Park of Utrecht: a place you don't come to for one specific activity, but because there is always something to do or experience. An oasis of meeting, rest and learning. All those little ecosystems will make Jaarbeurs even more of a hotspot in the future."
Step on the gas and look ahead
It is a vision that calls for an open mind. And he has that. Smiling, Niek finally adds a few metaphors to argue this. "You have to dare to make opportunities succeed. That means being gutsy and entrepreneurial in varying degrees. As long as you have a course with your car, you will go. Your rear window is smaller than your front window for a reason. I always tell my team that too. I do make sure there is a guardrail left and right, as long as we are moving forward together and pushing the accelerator. But, never forget: it's all about focus, making impact and putting the customer first. That's the human touch. That's what makes Jaarbeurs a place you want to come back to again. For an event, a memory or just for something beautiful."
