Learning from the best

Joost de Wit, BSc, MBA, can boast a long and successful career, ranging from sectors like construction to top professional sports management. Not too long ago, he delivered a lecture on leadership, stakeholder management and financial management. Additionally, he took students through the differences between the aforementioned subjects, traditional businesses compared to professional football organisations. De Wit has a proven track record in each of these topics. Born in a small village in the Netherlands, his educational background has equipped him with the tools to excel over the years and set an example for Wittenborg students looking to propel their careers to new heights.

“I was born in a small village called Ammerzoden, near the city of s'-Hertogenbosch, in the Netherlands,” De Wit says. Ammerzoden, with a population of less than four thousand, is a somewhat rural town in the Dutch province of Gelderland. Like most Dutch towns, large and small, Ammerzoden is home to many local sports clubs, including a darts club, badminton, cycling and of course football, De Wit's area of expertise. Following his primary schooling, De Wit opted for an education in fields he knew would help him generate success for himself.

“I have a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, and I did an executive master's in Business Administration at the Rotterdam School of Management at Erasmus University,” the lecturer explains. He continues that he has made a career for himself in multiple sectors. For nearly a decade, he worked in international business construction. He also worked as the founder and owner of a project management agency, building retail stores. Impressively, he spent 14 years of his career in the professional football sector, serving as CEO for big Dutch football clubs as well as collaborating with and consulting the Koninklijke Nederlandse Voetbalbond (Royal Dutch Football Association, KNVB) and the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA).

“My professional background is 8 years in international building construction, 8 years as founder and owner of a project management agency building retail stores and 14 years working in professional football,” he says. In his career as a football CEO and consultant, he has found much success and recognition. What is his proudest career feat? “Winning the Dutch KNVB Cup in 2017 with Vitesse Arnhem against AZ Alkmaar and playing four times in the European League against teams like Lazio, Southampton and OGC Nice.” An outstanding accomplishment, which is sure to pique the interest of many of Wittenborg's students, some of whom already play for local sport clubs when not studying.

He closes by saying that he finds it exciting how enthusiastic students are to learn about the sectors in which he has found success. “As football is the most popular sport in the world it is nice for students to know the background of the sport, the activities besides the pitch. I have interesting examples and can share experiences from within this amazing world.”

WUP 27/7/2023
By Olivia Nelson
©WUAS Press