Arnoud Sulkers embarked on his professional path with one of the Big Four accounting firms, Deloitte. Starting as an external auditor, he soon realised that his true calling lies in the exciting domain of business control and strategy. In 2011, he made a career leap that landed him at CLIQ. Fast forward to today, he has become part of our Operational Management Team (OMT) and has built up an impressive 12.5 years of experience ranging from implementing robust business controls to managing multiple acquisitions and refinancing arrangements.
While Arnoud operates in a challenging business landscape, he always tries to find balance in his private life. Recently engaged, he is the proud father of three kids aged 3, 6, and 8 years old. Outside the boardroom and the fast-paced corporate world, he is a fitness and travel enthusiast with a love for running and cycling.
In this interview, he talks about what makes working in the media and entertainment industry especially interesting and gives us a glimpse into his private life.
What did you want to become as a kid?
Like many young kids, my dream had always been to become a professional football player. From the moment I could kick a ball, I was out in the backyard, dribbling through imaginary defenders and scoring the winning goal in the World Cup final. My bedroom walls were decorated with posters of my favourite players, and my weekends were spent on the local football field. I still love the game, but now I only watch it instead of playing it myself.
What is your biggest strength and what is your biggest weakness?
My biggest strength is transforming complex data into clear and compelling presentations, which helps me and others make important decisions. I really enjoy challenges and can cope well under significant pressure. I always like working on several projects simultaneously, but time is usually working against me. It would be great if more hours could be included in a day so that I don’t run out of time.
What does a regular workday look like for you?
I wake up early! After spending too much time in the shower, I prepare lunch boxes for my three kids. I take my kids to school (which is opposite our home) and cycle 50 minutes to the office when the weather is fine. If not, I use public transport. At the office, I first grab a cup of coffee and start preparing a to-do list for the day. I avoid opening my email in the first hour of the workday to ensure that I’m not distracted by ad hoc questions.
Throughout the day, I try to block several time slots to work on projects. I don’t like having full days completely blocked by calls or meetings. At the end of the day, I hope to have ticked off the entire to-do list and then cycle back home.
What was the biggest challenge you have overcome so far?
When I was 10 years old, my parents decided to move from one part of the Netherlands to another part. I am now very happy that I live so close to Amsterdam, but as a little kid leaving all your friends and starting new relationships was quite hard.
How do you define success?
Success to me means that a plan becomes reality. As a real team player, I really enjoy the process of starting a new project even when it contains some uncertainties and finalising the project with a good glass of champagne after a certain time.
What makes working in the Media and Entertainment industry interesting to you?
The most interesting part of this industry is the scalability. The sky is the limit! I have been part of a journey where we managed to increase revenues from €63m in 2019 to over €276m in 2022. Managing this growth together with all the other departments taught me a lot of valuable insights. Trends are coming fast in this industry, so we have to be on time and manage our KPIs to make it a success.
When was the last time you changed your mind about something important?
That happens frequently. As said before, I am a real team player and open to many suggestions and I really enjoy discussions about several topics. I am not stubborn, so in case someone has some good arguments, I am able to change my mind.
What makes you truly happy?
Spending time with family and friends as well as watching live sports and traveling.
Describe how you envision a regular Monday in 5 years.
I think it will be the same as it is currently. I do what I like the most and hope that will still be the case in the future.
What’s your personal favourite content on our flagship streaming service cliq.de at the moment?
Together with the kids I often play the games. Garfield Kart - Furious Racing and Marsupilami: Hoobadventure are our favourites at the moment.