Dirk Vannieuwkerke

Q: Where is Dirk based?

Dirk is based in Gavere, Belgium .

Q: What languages does Dirk speak?

Dirk speaks the following languages: Dutch (Native), German (Advanced), English (Advanced), French (Advanced) .

Q: How many years of experience does Dirk have?

Dirk has at least 37 years of experience. During this time, Dirk has worked in at least 10 different roles and for 10 different companies . The average length of individual experience is 3 years and 5 months . Note that Dirk may not have shared all experience and actually has more experience.

Q: What is Dirk's latest experience?

Dirk's most recent position is Owner at DVNco / Herbathee .

Q: What companies has Dirk worked for in recent years?

In recent years, Dirk has worked for DVNco / Herbathee and ELO Digital Office GmbH .

Q: Which industries is Dirk most experienced in?

Dirk is most experienced in industries like Information Technology , Manufacturing , and Energy . Dirk also has some experience in Food and Beverage , Space Exploration , and Chemical .

Q: Which business areas is Dirk most experienced in?

Dirk is most experienced in business areas like Sales , Marketing , and Strategy . Dirk also has some experience in Information Technology , Supply Chain Management , and Sustainability Management .

Q: Which industries has Dirk worked in recently?

Dirk has recently worked in industries like Information Technology , Energy , and Food and Beverage .

Q: Which business areas has Dirk worked in recently?

Dirk has recently worked in business areas like Sales , Marketing , and Strategy .

Recommended expert

Gavere, Belgium

Check rate

Experience

Mar 2015 - Present

11 years 4 months

Owner

DVNco / Herbathee

Global IT consulting based on my experience.
Consulting and advising role on renewables (e.g. biogas, storage, solar, wind).
Retail and distribution of own made tea mixtures for health and pleasure.

Jan 2012 - Present

14 years 6 months

Sales Director Benelux

ELO Digital Office GmbH

Setting up and managing partners and projects for the ELO Document Management Solutions.
Defining with the management the international strategy.
Deploying the strategy and the creation of subsidiaries.
Responsible for the Benelux bureau on all levels (administration / HR / marketing).
Turnover from scratch to 1 000 000 Euro.
From scratch building up the Benelux market.
Implementation of an automatic classification system for the accountancy market.
Created the biggest market for ELO outside DACH region.
Opening of the ELO Benelux bureau.

Jun 2011 - Dec 2011

7 months

Ghent, Belgium

International Sales Manager

Actonomy

Setting up and defining of international markets especially DACH region and France for the HR market.
Selling and supporting the own developed software for searching and matching of vacancies to resumes and vice versa (software based on an ontology).
Deploying a partner network.
Finding customers: jobboards, staffing and recruitment companies.
Portfolio turnover of 500 000 Euro.
One of the biggest jobboards decided to implement the total solution.

Jan 2006 - May 2011

5 years 5 months

International Manager Western Europe & Middle East

ELO Digital Office GmbH

Setting up and managing partners and projects for the ELO Document Management Solutions.
Defining with the management the international strategy and changing the culture of a typical German company to a more international one.
Deploying the strategy and the creation of subsidiaries.
Turnover from scratch to 1 000 000 Euro.
From scratch building up the Benelux market, France (first steps to implement a subsidiary), Scandinavia and the Middle East.
Implementing at one of the biggest warehouses in France a complete document classification environment.

Jun 2004 - Dec 2005

1 year 7 months

Ghent, Belgium

Manager Sales & Marketing

VARTEC NV

Manager Sales and Marketing for 3D en VAR and document and content management software on a thesaurus based search engine.
Manager Sales and Marketing for ELO Document Management.
Turnover went up by 250 000 Euro.
Setting up the distribution for ELO Digital Office in the Benelux and North of France.
3D virtual room a building constructor.

Apr 2002 - Jan 2004

1 year 10 months

Jabbeke, Belgium

Sales & Marketing Manager

ATYS Electronics

Sales and marketing manager in the distribution of electronic components and total solution projects.
Glue selection computer for BISON glues.
Subcontracting for MEDEC (medical).

Aug 1998 - Apr 2002

3 years 9 months

Gavere, Belgium

International Sales Co-ordinator

CLICKTOUCH N.V.

Sales of membrane keyboards (own production) and HMI total input solutions.
Coordination of external sales group: 5 external salesmen (2 for Germany, 1 for Great Britain, 1 for the Netherlands and 1 for France).
Responsible for Belgium, Luxembourg and the rest of Europe (distributors and agents, key accounts).
Active member of the general management.
Responsible for the marketing plan together with the Marketing Manager.
Total turnover of the company went up from 3 500 000 Euro to 4 750 000 Euro a year (own turnover: 2 500 000 Euro a year).
Reorganisation of the total sales division.
Implementation of ISO9002 and Balanced Score Cards in the sales division.
Redesign of the HMI of the PICANOL weaving machines.

Jul 1996 - Aug 1998

2 years 2 months

Asse, Belgium

Field Sales Engineer Intel Industrial Division Belgium and Luxembourg

Koning & Hartman

Consultant and salesman for industrial clients (especially OEM).
Turnover went up from 1 750 000 Euro to 2 250 000 Euro a year in cooperation with the Field Application Engineer.
Project for Alcatel Space (now Thomson CSF) based on industrial PCs (1 000 000 Euro).
In-design industrial PC board (brand Radisys) for Xeikon.

Feb 1996 - Jun 1996

5 months

Brussels, Belgium

Field Sales Engineer Intel Industrial Division Belgium and Luxembourg

INELCO N.V.

Consultant and salesman for industrial clients (especially OEM).
Company went bankrupt on 1996-06-21, Intel division group was taken over by Koning & Hartman.

Oct 1990 - Feb 1996

5 years 5 months

Gavere, Belgium

Field Sales Engineer

Velleman Components N.V.

Selling electronic components, finished products and some custom products to electronic shops as well as industry and distributors.
Start-up of the German market.
Complete organization and setup of fairs including the participation.
Turnover went up from 860 000 Euro to 1 400 000 Euro a year.
Five years in a row realizing the greatest turnover of the company.
Exploration and setting up the German market.

Nov 1988 - Oct 1990

2 years

Ghent, Belgium

Independent Assistant

Vannieuwkerke Ets.

Industrial automation: production, design and sale.
Electrical engineering: rewinding and controlling electrical engines.
Total solutions for SMB and industrial companies.
Organizing and setup of fairs.
Turnover went up from 200 000 Euro to 400 000 Euro a year.
Controller for CNC machines.
PC project for the police in Ghent.
Total solutions based on PCs for small and mid-range companies in the industry.

Industry Experience

See where this freelancer has spent most of their professional time.

Experienced in Information Technology, Manufacturing, Energy, Food and Beverage, Chemical, and Healthcare.

Information Technology

Manufacturing

Energy

Food and Beverage

Chemical

Healthcare

Business Area Experience

See which departments and functions this freelancer has contributed to most.

Experienced in Sales, Marketing, Strategy, Information Technology, Supply Chain Management, and Sustainability Management.

Sales

Marketing

Strategy

Information Technology

Supply Chain Management

Sustainability Management

Summary

I have built my career by combining technical expertise and strong sales acumen to grow businesses in IT consulting, document management, and renewables. My experience spans setting up international markets, establishing successful partner networks and driving significant revenue growth in various regions. I enjoy applying my industrial background and hands-on approach to deliver results with practical solutions.

I thrive in roles that require innovative thinking and a passion for technology, whether through consulting on renewables or launching new products. My journey started with electronics and automation, and today I continue to bring value by connecting technical knowledge with effective business strategies across multiple industries.

Skills

Passion For International Sales And Business Development
Pioneering New Markets
Sales Management
Partner Management And Indirect Sales
Passion For Innovation
Solution Selling
Experienced In Setting Up New Markets From Scratch Such As Germany, France, Benelux
Extended Expertise In Software Solutions And Total Solutions
Team Player
Knowledge In Renewable Market
Good Sales And Sales Management Skills
Very Good International Sales Knowledge (Especially Europe)
A Lot Of Knowledge In The Dms And Ecm Market
Iso9002: Implementation, Auditing And Training
Put Into Practice Of Balanced Score Cards In Relation With The Iso9002

Languages

Dutch

Native

German

Advanced

English

Advanced

French

Advanced

Education

Sep 1983 - Jun 1987

IHR – BME

Industrial Engineer division electricity – option electronics – option automation · Industrial Engineer, division electricity, option electronics, option automation · Ghent, Belgium

Sep 1980 - Jun 1987

K.T.A. Lindelei

Certificate Higher Secondary – long qualification – Electronics option automation · Higher Secondary, Electronics option automation · Ghent, Belgium

Sep 1977 - Jun 1980

St. Barbaracollege

Certificate Secondary School · Secondary School · Ghent, Belgium

Statistics

Experience

Total positions 11

Experience in Information Technology 22.5 y

Avg length 4 y 4 m

Longest experience 14 y 5 m

Global Experience

Countries worked in 1 (Belgium)

Primary country Belgium

Expertise

Recent roles Owner, Sales Director Benelux, International Sales Manager

Main industries Information Technology, Manufacturing, Energy

Main business areas Sales, Marketing, Strategy

Qualifications

Profile

Created

June 2026

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Frequently asked questions

Have questions? Find more information here.

Where is Dirk based?

Dirk is based in Gavere, Belgium.

What languages does Dirk speak?

Dirk speaks the following languages: Dutch (Native), German (Advanced), English (Advanced), French (Advanced).

How many years of experience does Dirk have?

Dirk has at least 37 years of experience. During this time, Dirk has worked in at least 10 different roles and for 10 different companies. The average length of individual experience is 3 years and 5 months. Note that Dirk may not have shared all experience and actually has more experience.

What roles would Dirk be best suited for?

Based on recent experience, Dirk would be well-suited for roles such as: Owner, Sales Director Benelux, International Sales Manager.

What is Dirk's latest experience?

Dirk's most recent position is Owner at DVNco / Herbathee.

What companies has Dirk worked for in recent years?

In recent years, Dirk has worked for DVNco / Herbathee and ELO Digital Office GmbH.

Which industries is Dirk most experienced in?

Dirk is most experienced in industries like Information Technology, Manufacturing, and Energy. Dirk also has some experience in Food and Beverage, Space Exploration, and Chemical.

Which business areas is Dirk most experienced in?

Dirk is most experienced in business areas like Sales, Marketing, and Strategy. Dirk also has some experience in Information Technology, Supply Chain Management, and Sustainability Management.

Which industries has Dirk worked in recently?

Dirk has recently worked in industries like Information Technology, Energy, and Food and Beverage.

Which business areas has Dirk worked in recently?

Dirk has recently worked in business areas like Sales, Marketing, and Strategy.

What is Dirk's education?

Dirk attended IHR – BME for Industrial Engineer, division electricity, option electronics, option automation.

What is the availability of Dirk?

Dirk will be available part-time from November 2026.

What is the rate of Dirk?

Dirk's rate depends on the specific project requirements. Please use the Meet button on the profile to schedule a meeting and discuss the details.