b'In early 2023, with the assistance of BHB Dullemond, Havelaar & van Stolk was acquired by Vanbreda Risk & Benefits (Vanbreda). Valentina Visser, CEO of Havelaar & van Stolk, looks positively upon this acquisition, thanks in part to the trust and involvement of her employees. Together with Visser, we discuss the current theme of "engaging, captivating, and retaining" people within Havelaar & van Stolk and the insurance market in general. CULTURAL FITVisser: \'Within Havelaar & van Stolk, people feel strongly connected to each other, and a genuine \'we culture\' prevails. This is perhaps the strength behind our company\'s success. In the Rotterdam area, we are known as a good employer. We often hear from employees that they appreciate the supportive environment they find themselves in and the helpful colleagues who contribute to a positive atmosphere. During the acquisition process by Vanbreda, I paid close attention to finding a good match in organizational culture. Both I and our employees are pleased with the acquisition by Vanbreda. Vanbreda is a family-owned company that, like Havelaar & van Stolk, is characterized by a people-oriented organizational culture. Our people also recognized the need for our organization to continue growing. Together with Vanbreda, we can increase our purchasing power and combine our strengths in the field of risk management in the business market. Therefore, both organizations complement each other well in various business activities.\' ENGAGED ELEPHANTSVisser continues: \'As an organization, we strongly believe in the power of collaboration, because while you can go faster alone, together you can go further. As we aim to further develop as an organization, we work with internal ambassadors. These are a group of employees from all levels of the organization. They are appointed to remain vigilant about our company culture and employee satisfaction, as well as to ensure our customer focus and the quality of our services. This allows us to identify issues that need improvement in a timely manner and further enhance the engagement within our organization. As elephants symbolize good collaboration and communication, they also refer to themselves as \'the elephants.\' Within the integration process with Vanbreda, our \'elephants\' also play a significant role: they express what is desirable and ensure that what is good will not get lost. THE INSURANCE MARKET MUST PRESENT A STRONGER IMAGE TO YOUNG TALENT\'Because the insurance profession is relationship-driven, people are of paramount importance within our company and our industry. Therefore, as a board member of the NVGA (Dutch Association of Authorized Insurance Companies), I advocate for an adequate influx of young talent into the business. The reputation of the insurance market still carries a bit of a \'grey suit culture,\' where one spends long days behind a computer. However, it is a highly commercially driven industry that offers a great deal of substance for newcomers. Recently, in collaboration with the NVGA and several other industry parties, we initiated a partnership with the IVA Business School in Driebergen, with the aim of attracting skilled and commercially oriented young talent to the insurance sector. Students from the IVA or, for example, from hotel schools possess service-oriented qualities that bring welcomed innovation to our market,\' says Visser.ANNIVERSARY EDITION 09'