In the dynamic world of finance, accuracy, strategic thinking, and leadership are paramount, and we are excited to introduce Jordi Vredenburg, our Director of Finance, who is owning all this. His career journey is proof of his persistence in knowledge and professional growth. At the age of 19, after completing his first year of university, Jordi decided to further his professional journey at Mazars in 2006 to become a chartered accountant. He committed to a four-day workweek, dedicating every Friday to his studies at Nyenrode Business University. During this period, one of his audit clients was CLIQ. After a decade at Mazars and achieving his goal of becoming a chartered accountant, Jordi’s hunger for knowledge was still unquenched. Consequently, he chose to learn more about IT auditing at Deloitte in 2016. Nearly two years later, our board member Ben Bos extended an invitation for him to join CLIQ in 2017, where he took on the responsibility of heading the Finance department. Here you can read more about his career path and personal life.
What did you want to become as a kid?
I almost applied to the Dutch Air Force as I wanted to become a fighter jet pilot. However, during the open day, I realised that after a few years of training, the Air Force decides whether you can fly an Apache helicopter or an F-16. I found the risks associated with flying a helicopter a bit too big – so I decided against it, haha.
What is your biggest strength and what is your biggest weakness?
My biggest strength lies in my ability to break down complex (financial) problems into smaller, comprehensible pieces, enabling effective communication and collaborative problem-solving. An aspect I strive to improve on is my tendency to seek complete information before making decisions, which can sometimes result in a delay.
What does a regular workday look like for you?
After I made the lunch boxes for my kids I cycle to the office on my super fast e-bike. I have learnt that my best hours to concentrate and get my focus work done are either in the morning or late at night. That is why I have blocked the first 3 hours of the day to work on individual tasks I need to focus on. The remainder of the day usually consists of meetings with my team, project teams, external advisors and other colleagues.
At the end of the work day, I cycle back home which I find the perfect way to clear my head.
What was the biggest challenge you have overcome so far?
This is a difficult one because once you have overcome the challenge it does not seem as big anymore. But something I am very proud of is the significant improvement we have achieved in terms of timing and quality of our external reporting. The first annual report (2017) I worked on at CLIQ was published on April 6th whereas the latest annual report (2022) was published on February 21st. This is an amazing 31 days sooner than before and almost twice as fast in the same high quality. We have not only become faster, but better in general as we now publish more financial information to the market and are doing so every quarter instead of twice a year. Of course, this has only been possible with the help of the entire Finance team and the other departments who assist us every time.
How do you define success?
Solving your challenges and enjoying yourself, preferably with other people.
What do you enjoy most about working in finance?
The diversity. When people think about Finance, they usually refer to numbers, excel spreadsheets and money. But working in Finance is much more than that. Almost everything the company is doing (eventually) ends up in (financial) administration, which means the Finance department is connected to all other departments. This allows me to collaborate with people from different departments on many different subjects.
And, since we are a stock-listed company, we have quarterly external reporting deadlines that we need to meet. Meeting these deadlines every time with the help of the Finance team, Investor Relations, and the other departments makes me very proud!
When was the last time you changed your mind about something important?
I change my mind regularly on smaller things. But when it comes to truly important matters, I usually seriously think about it and, therefore, also stick to my initial decision.
What makes you truly happy?
Seeing my kids be proud of something they have achieved.
Describe how you envision a regular Monday in 5 years.
I don’t envision it very differently than it is now. My kids will then be 12 and 14 years old, and I guess they will still find it difficult to get out of bed and get themselves ready for school. Plus, usually, my Monday is about planning the week and setting things in motion, I don’t expect this to change.
