I'm a marketer, online and off, by trade and currently work in sport. Most of my job comes down to knowing your audience: who they are, what they care about, and how to get them moving. In sport, that last part is usually meant literally.
Outside of work, I've always put my energy into clubs and causes. During my studies I founded a non-profit, and today I sit on the board of my local swimming club and lend a hand to other foundations and initiatives. I know how much it matters to be free to be yourself, which is why equality is a big part of everything I get involved in.
I've been in the water since I was little: swimming, then water polo, and now refereeing
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it at national and international level.
Mostly, I just like being useful and getting things done.
Socials & content
Marketing
Water polo referee
Board & community work
LGBTQ+ inclusion
hi, i'm mark
also answers to “ref”
i like traveling
and taking pictures
oh, and i've also got an unpaid co-worker
red card, you’re out!
Recognition
A few nice surprises along the way
Awards, nominations, and one very memorable invitation.
“
June 2015
Society is strong because people like you are willing not only to commit themselves to others, but also to get involved in starting new initiatives.
Dutch Prime Minister, in a personal invitation to discuss social initiatives and entrepreneurship.
September 2015 · Award
Start-up Contest Winner
Most innovative student start-up, Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences.
April 2016 · Award
Randstad Talent Award
For combining entrepreneurship with measurable social impact. The €25,000 prize went straight back into Oma’s Pop‑up.
October 2016 · Nomination
Job Dura Award
Nominated for the Job Dura Award, celebrating promising young entrepreneurs from Rotterdam.
January 2017 · Award
MaatschapWij Award
National recognition as a social entrepreneur creating meaningful, sustainable impact.
February 2017 · Award
Social Marketing Award
Strongest strategic Social Marketing minor project, Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences.
October 2026 · Jury
John Blankenstein Foundation Awards
Asked to join the jury for the JBF Awards 2026, judging people and organisations making real impact on LGBTQ+ inclusion in sport.
Stories
Highlights, not the whole story
Content, community involvement, and a few unexpected TV appearances along the way
Career
Back in time
Starting fresh, ending wise
Role
2018 - Present
Sportbedrijf Rotterdam
From social media specialist to (online) marketer, shaping digital presence and brand consistency.
Started as Social Media Marketer with responsibility for the social media channels
of multiple sports facilities within the municipal sports organisation.
The focus was on day‑to‑day content, community management, and channel growth.
Over time, the role evolved into Online Marketer with a broader strategic scope.
Responsibilities expanded to online marketing, digital advertising, branding,
website management, and the coordination of strategic marketing projects.
Scope & Responsibility
The role includes safeguarding brand positioning and ensuring consistency
across all marketing and communication channels.
Acts as a connecting link between strategy, execution, and internal stakeholders.
Role
2014 – Present
Board Member
Board member at ZVVS, one of the top 10 largest swimming clubs in the Netherlands (1000+ members).
Roles
2020 – 2024Chair Water Polo Department
Started as chairman of the water polo department, responsible for a division of
approximately 200 members. Led coaches and volunteers and strengthened both the
sporting and organisational structure of the department.
I stepped into the role just as COVID-19 hit, which meant taking charge during lockdowns, closed pools and a lot of uncertainty. Keeping the department together through that period, with members, teams and volunteers all affected, was a real challenge, and one I'm proud of.
2020 – 2024Board Member
Progressed to a board role within the full association (1000+ members),
contributing to policy development, cross-department collaboration and
long-term strategic planning.
2024 – PresentVice-Chair of the Board & Special Projects Lead
Currently active as a Vice-Chairman of the Board and Board Member with responsibility for special projects,
including the development of a new swimming facility by the Municipality of Vlaardingen. In this role, I apply my
knowledge and experience in sports, swimming facilities and governance in complex
projects involving municipalities and external partners. Read more
Role
2010 – Present
Water Polo Referee
Active as a water polo referee at national and international levels, officiating
matches in top competitions and international tournaments.
Roles
2017 – 2020KNZB Referee (regional & national)
Long-standing referee within the Royal Dutch Swimming Federation (KNZB),
officiating matches at various levels with a strong focus on game management,
communication and consistency.
2020 – PresentKNZB Referee (Dutch Premier League Water Polo)
Since 2020 active as a referee in the Dutch Eredivisie Water Polo (Premier League),
regularly appointed to matches at the highest national competition level.
2025 – PresentEuropean Aquatics Referee (European Water Polo Federation)
Since 2025 also active as an international referee under European Aquatics,
appointed to international matches and tournaments across Europe.
Education
2018
Bachelor of Business Administration
Solid foundation in marketing, research, and business economics.
Completed the Bachelor of Commercial Economics at Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences.
The programme focused on marketing strategy, market research, business economics,
and customer insights.
Practical assignments and applied research played a central role,
with a strong emphasis on real‑world relevance and measurable impact.
Specialisation
Marketing as a future‑oriented discipline, including Google Analytics,
social marketing, and translating data into actionable insights.
Role
2017 - 2019
Digital consultancy · Rotterdam
I've chosen to keep this employer's name off the public site.
Supporting senior consultants with strategic marketing, creative proposals, and research.
Active support for senior consultants and management within a digital consultancy.
Responsibilities include creative concept development, market research, and
contributing to strategic marketing proposals.
Work balances creativity with analysis, translating insights into clear,
persuasive strategies for clients across different sectors.
Founder
2015 - 2019
Oma’s Pop-up
Foundation I founded, connecting generations through food, conversation, and real human contact.
Started as a school project and grew into a registered foundation, focused on
reducing loneliness among older adults by bringing different generations together.
As a Founder I was responsible for strategy and daily operations, including logistics, events,
marketing, branding, web design, public relations, and stakeholder management.
The name Oma's Pop-up is a small tribute to my oma, Oma An, who cooked for me every week. The warmth and hospitality the whole idea was built around.
Oma An, 1935 – 2026
The initiative gained national and international attention, proved its social value in practice,
and successfully scaled beyond its original concept.
Awards & Recognition
June 2015Invitation by the Prime Minister
Invited by the Dutch Prime Minister to attend a lunch at the Catshuis to discuss entrepreneurship and social initiatives. Read more
September 2015Start‑up Contest Winner
Awarded as the most innovative student start‑up at Rotterdam University of Applied
Sciences, including a €2,500 development prize.
April 2016Randstad Talent Award
Awarded for combining entrepreneurship with measurable social impact.
The €25,000 prize was fully reinvested into the further development of Oma’s Pop‑up. Read more
October 2016Job Dura Award
Nominated for the Job Dura Award, celebrating promising young entrepreneurs from Rotterdam.
January 2017MaatschapWij Award
National recognition as a social entrepreneur creating meaningful and sustainable societal impact.
February 2017Social Marketing Award
Awarded by Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences for the strongest strategic
Social Marketing minor project, recognised for clarity, relevance, and execution.
Began a Bachelor's in Commercial Economics, the start of the marketing foundation
everything since has built on.
Began the Bachelor of Commercial Economics at Rotterdam University of Applied
Sciences, the start of the marketing foundation that led to Oma's Pop-up and
everything since.
Role
2006 - 2015
Online community platform
I've chosen to keep this employer's name off the public site.
Building and managing a large‑scale online community platform.
The platform operated as a high‑traffic online community where users could chat and interact
through games, serving over 4,000 daily users.
Responsible for platform management (front‑end and back‑end), marketing,
sales, recruitment, and organising online events.
Foundation
This period provided a strong foundation in digital platforms,
community building, and hands‑on entrepreneurship.
Did you what you saw? There's plenty
more where that came from, get in touch
Contact
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Jury, John Blankenstein Foundation Awards
JBF Awards 2026
Asked to join the jury for the John Blankenstein Foundation Awards 2026, judging
people and organisations making real impact on LGBTQ+ inclusion in sport.
"As an openly gay referee in elite sport, he knows firsthand why being
able to be yourself in sport matters: a story that continues the legacy of John
Blankenstein, who showed that sexual diversity and elite sport go hand in hand.
Alongside refereeing, he's also a board member at his swimming club and works in
sport more broadly, giving him a close view of just how much a safe, inclusive
sporting environment counts."
Sport should clear your head, not burden it with worrying whether you can be yourself.
Mark, on being introduced as JBF Awards 2026 jury member
Portfolio holder for the future of swimming
ZVVS
Portfolio holder for the future of swimming at ZVVS, responsible for the club's
new swimming pool project, acting as the primary point of contact for the
Municipality of Vlaardingen throughout the process.
Fronting the outdoor pools campaign
Sportbedrijf Rotterdam
Presenter on camera for two social media films promoting Sportbedrijf Rotterdam's
outdoor swimming pools, in front of the lens this time, not just behind the
strategy.
Zwembad PernisPresenting Sportbedrijf Rotterdam's outdoor pool at Pernis for social media.
Hoek van HollandFronting the summer campaign for the outdoor pool at Hoek van Holland.
Invite by Dutch Prime Minister
Oma's Pop-up
In June 2015, what started as a school project earned an invitation to the CatshuisCatshuis: the official reception residence of the Dutch Prime Minister, used for government meetings and functions.
to discuss entrepreneurship and social initiatives with the Dutch Prime Minister.
Society is strong because people like you are willing not only to commit themselves to others, but also to get involved in starting new initiatives.
Dutch Prime Minister, Catshuis, June 2015
Pop-up in Rotterdam Centraal station
Oma's Pop-up
For six weeks in September and October 2016, Oma's Pop-up ran a pop-up restaurant
right inside Rotterdam Centraal station, bringing the concept (elderly cooking for
guests to fight loneliness) to one of the busiest spots in the city. This pop-up restaurant in Rotterdam Centraal was in The Week Against Loneliness and was a way to ask attention for loneliness among elderly.
Among the visitors: Hugo de Jonge, then Rotterdam alderman and later Deputy Prime
Minister, who stopped by to see the concept in action.
AftermovieA look back at six weeks of cooking, connection, and community at Rotterdam Centraal.
Keynote speaker in Taipei
Taipei, Taiwan
In April 2016, Social Enterprise Insights (Asia) invited me to Taipei to give a
keynote at their social enterprise forum, sharing how Oma's Pop-up combined social
impact with entrepreneurship.
Taiwanese national TV
Media & speaking
Following the Taipei keynote, an interview on Taiwanese national television (EBC),
talking about combining social impact with entrepreneurship.
CEO for a Month, finalist
Adecco
Made it to the finals of Adecco's nationwide "CEO for a Month" programme in April
2017, finishing 11th out of 50 candidates.
Keynote for Taiwan's Ministry of Labor
Hsinchu, Taiwan
Invited back to Taiwan in September 2017, this time to Hsinchu, for a Ministry of
Labor advisory event on social entrepreneurship, elderly care and aging, the same themes
Oma's Pop-up was built on, shared on an international stage.
Randstad Talent Award
Oma's Pop-up
In April 2016, Oma's Pop-up won the Randstad Talent Award, recognition for
combining entrepreneurship with measurable social impact. The €25,000 prize went
straight back into growing the concept further.
Geer & Goor visit Oma's Pop-up
Oma's Pop-up
Geer & Goor, a Dutch TV show about tackling loneliness among elderly people,
featured Oma's Pop-up as one of their stops! cooking, company, and a shared meal.
Featured on Jan Rijdt Rond
Oma's Pop-up
Featured on Jan Rijdt Rond, a KRO-NCRV segment on Dutch public broadcaster NPO,
about meaningful communication and connecting across generations.
