At Cordeo, it’s all about the people. That’s why we’re giving you a behind-the-scenes look with Johan Pienaar, our Managing Director. Johan is responsible for the day-to-day running of many parts of our company: from Operations and Sales to Marketing, Finance and HR. But who is he outside of Cordeo, and what is his mission within the company?
From IT Manager in South Africa to starting over in the Netherlands and becoming Managing Director at Cordeo
Johan’s journey at Cordeo began in 2017, just after moving to the Netherlands, following a successful career as an IT Manager in South Africa. “My first task was a real trial by fire: the air conditioning in the server room had broken, and we had to move everything to Amazon in record time,” Johan recalls. From that hectic first day as a system administrator to his current role as Managing Director, his growth has been nothing short of impressive.
“Ten years ago, I moved to a new country with just two suitcases and a young child. I didn’t know anyone and didn’t speak the language. Looking back, I’m incredibly proud of everything I’ve achieved.” And rightly so, Johan!
Creating impact
“What I enjoy most about my job is making complex decisions and seeing the impact they have, especially when the outcome is positive,” says Johan. He is particularly proud of leading the cloud migration. Back then, working with physical servers was the norm, but cloud servers gave Cordeo far more flexibility. “It also enables the team to stay agile and focus on client needs.”
As Managing Director, he’s responsible for many aspects of Cordeo. “Besides data security and GDPR, I oversee the Operations team, Sales team, MarCom team, finances… and yes, also the coffee machine and our monthly grocery run.”
Cordeo feels like home
To Johan, Cordeo feels like home. “The people make Cordeo special. I love seeing how we grow in terms of impact, while still staying a small, close-knit team.”
Leadership and vision for Cordeo
Johan’s leadership style is based on listening, inviting input, and empowering employees to discover their own strengths. “I don't like micromanaging. Trust and room to grow are essential. As long as we achieve the desired results, that’s the best proof everyone knows exactly what’s needed to reach our goals,” he explains. Short lines of communication, clarity, and flexibility are key in how Cordeo works with clients.
Johan is especially proud of the Cordeo Brand Portal. “We have a fantastic product, and we need to keep it that way. That’s why we’re always working on innovation. Soon, we’ll be integrating AI in much more of what we do.”
Outside of Cordeo
Beyond his busy job, Johan is a real car enthusiast. He enjoys tinkering with his car and going on road trips. He also has a unique collection of pets: a snake, two spiders, a ferret, and a bearded dragon. Photography and World of Warcraft are also among his favourite hobbies.
Advice
Johan’s advice to his younger self? Step out of your comfort zone as early as possible. “You do your best when you follow your heart, but keep your head in it,” he says. “Taking on hard things brings the most growth and the most joy.”
Did you know?
Johan Pienaar is a driven leader with a passion for people and technology. He’s proud of Cordeo and the people who work here, and we’re proud to have him on our team!
Have a question for Johan?