Edward van den Bergh

I operate Ingenuity as my personal holding and consulting company, through which I hold equity in ventures like The Great Outdoors and Expat Help. I also manage stock investments and deliver consulting services to international companies setting up in the Netherlands—supporting them with location selection, legal structure, staffing, and integration into Dutch business culture.

• Managed day-to-day business operations.
• Developed and maintained strong relationships with clients, resulting in repeat business and referrals.

• Company Overview: The Great Outdoors was inspired by New Zealand's passion for outdoor living. The initial intent was to manufacture high end outdoor kitchens, but with the onset of Corona I made the strategic decision to start making high end garden offices and sleep-outs to meet the needs of people working from home.
• Founded and scaled a high-end design and build firm focused on bespoke outdoor buildings including garden offices, sleep-outs, and creative studio spaces.
• Developed the business from concept to execution, including branding, pricing, operations, and marketing strategy.
• Oversaw all client projects from consultation through completion-personally managing supply chain, construction, and customer experience.
• Built a network of trusted trades and material suppliers across the Netherlands, ensuring consistent delivery on quality and deadlines.
• Achieved 100% year-on-year revenue growth over the first 3 years with consistently high customer satisfaction and referrals.
• Transitioned operations to be largely autonomous, freeing up leadership bandwidth for new ventures and strategic consulting.
• The Great Outdoors was inspired by New Zealand's passion for outdoor living. The initial intent was to manufacture high end outdoor kitchens, but with the onset of Corona I made the strategic decision to start making high end garden offices and sleep-outs to meet the needs of people working from home.
• Established a successful business by identifying market needs and developing innovative solutions.
• Developed strong partnerships with other businesses to allow for collaboration and more significant opportunities for growth.
• Delivered exceptional customer service by addressing client concerns promptly and effectively resolving issues.

• Company Overview: Expat Help specializes in helping with all aspects of life in The Netherlands.
• Co-led the strategic development and daily operations of one of the Netherlands' premier relocation and integration services for international professionals and their families.
• Spearheaded and won the global tender for relocating 900+ employees of the European Medicines Agency from London to Amsterdam following Brexit-a €multi-million, multi-year project with significant international visibility.
• Built and managed a team of 20+ specialists, overseeing service delivery, HR, partnerships, and operational systems.
• Scaled business capacity to handle 3x client volume while maintaining client satisfaction ratings above 90%.
• Led business development initiatives that secured contracts with major multinationals, embassies, and government bodies.
• Introduced scalable processes and digital systems to streamline relocations and boost operational efficiency.
• Expat Help specializes in helping with all aspects of life in The Netherlands.

• Asked to come in and lead Practicus' expansion into the Dutch market, building the entire business from the ground up during a one-year strategic assignment.
• Established full market entry operations in the Netherlands starting from zero-set up legal framework, office infrastructure, staffing, and local compliance within three months.
• Built a profitable operation within 12 months, including securing anchor clients and developing strong delivery partnerships in the Dutch healthcare and professional services sectors.
• Recruited and onboarded the initial local team, defining sales process, client engagement approach, and operational standards aligned with HQ best practices.
• Successfully navigated Dutch regulatory and business norms while adapting a UK business model for local market fit.
• Delivered strategic intelligence and a fully operational business unit to senior leadership, leaving a platform ready for future growth.

• Result Recruitment was established in June 2005, with an initial focus on recruitment within the advertising and media branch. My role will be to set up and implement the Interim Finance division and to help further develop the Finance Permanent division.

• Company Overview: Toyworld is New Zealand's largest co-operative network of independently owned specialty toy retailers, in operation since 1976.
• Toyworld is New Zealand's largest co-operative network of independently owned specialty toy retailers, in operation since 1976.
• Established strong customer relationships through excellent communication and attentive service.
• Achieved consistent growth in annual revenue through strategic planning and execution of sales initiatives.
• Managed financial operations to ensure fiscal responsibility, including budgeting, forecasting, and financial reporting.
• Boosted revenue by identifying new business opportunities and diversifying product offerings.
• Secured long-term sustainability of the business through prudent financial management practices such as cash flow optimization, cost control, and strategic investments.

• Led business development, growing B2B trade accounts through strong client relationships and tailored solutions.
• Oversaw day-to-day operations across manufacturing, supply chain, and team management.
• Streamlined production processes, improving efficiency and reducing material waste.
• Hands-on in fabrication and installation when needed, ensuring quality and timely delivery.
• Managed financial performance, pricing strategy, and customer service standards.