Nikie focusses on CEO and senior leadership searches for high-tech manufacturing and industrial companies, and related sectors such as industrial and business services, automotive, retail and food production, agritech and construction — businesses where technology, operations and commercial performance come together in day-to-day execution. These organizations range from production environments to complex, multi-site and international operations — often at the point where scaling requires a different type of leadership.

While his core focus is high-tech manufacturing, Nikie also conducts senior leadership searches for knowledge-intensive organisations — including consulting, legal and accounting firms. Earlier in his career Nikie worked as a consultant and lawyer. Having worked in both operational and advisory environments, Nikie understands how leadership needs to adapt across these contexts.

Before moving into executive search in 2020, Nikie was CEO of his family’s metal manufacturing company. He has run a factory, led transformations and been accountable for results — and has seen how quickly complexity increases as companies scale or professionalize. Nikie has also experienced first-hand the dynamics between family ownership, governance and management, and how these shape leadership decisions.

Nikie works closely with shareholders, boards and investors to appoint CEOs and senior leaders at critical inflection points. Typical assignments include:

- CEOs and CFOs for industrial SMEs and mid-market and private equity-backed companies

- Board and governance roles in family-owned businesses

- COOs and VP Operations in multi-site manufacturing environments

- Leadership roles in supply chain, engineering and transformation    

Nikie holds Master's degrees in Private law and in Public and Company law from Utrecht University and is a member of the Nederlands Gilde van Familiebedrijfspecialisten (NGFB), a network of family business advisors.