Han Hendriks Initiator & founder

"I believe that you need to do something useful with your talents by combining entrepreneurial and social goals. That's what we're doing with We Beat The Mountain."

In 2009, the idea for We Beat The Mountain was born. A little anecdote on how this idea sprung up. In the summer, I once again bought a Samsonite suitcase. And after only one use, it broke... For the third time in my life! It was just another one in a row of many broken Samsonites, all of them made of "wrong plastic". Because of these emotions of frustration, anger and pure astonishment I came up with the idea to develop a recycled suitcase, to become a social entrepreneur and to build a serious company to beat the trash mountain. A more important reason is that of my beautiful, young daughters Merel and Isa (both unique characters). I am more aware that there is a sense of urgency to change the way we pass the world on to future generations!

A little bit on my background. As a result of my studies Organizational Sociology at Erasmus University Rotterdam and Business at Universidad de Complutense in Madrid I got interested in the field of management consulting and in the years 1997-2000 I worked for two international consulting companies. In 2000 Ivar Davids, Cas van Arendonk and I decided to strike out on our own and we founded Kirkman Company. We had come to believe that outsourcing should be seen in a wider context and approached it strategically rather than tactically. The idea clicked and the company grew rapidly, its independence attracted leading business and public sector organizations, many of them household names. It was in that period that we developed the concept of the Flat World Company, being a lean and mean organization with collaborative partners. Nowadays, Kirkman Company is a successful company where 65 men and women enjoy working. During my studies and work I always conducted other activities such as helping young entrepreneurs to build up companies or being board member of social institutions and organizations.