Shows
UNPLUG WITH US#13 Unplug with Fritz SingerIn this episode of Unplug With Us, we sit down with Fritz Singer - a Canadian-born talent leader whose journey is shaped by curiosity, resilience, and a healthy dose of “let’s just see where this goes.” From growing up in the desert heat of Arizona to building a career across New York, San Francisco, and now Amsterdam, Fritz opens up about the moments that shaped him far beyond the job titles.During the conversation, he shares how growing up in a competitive American culture, where work was always the default, made unplugging challenging for him. Luckily, life i...
2025-12-1036 min
UNPLUG WITH US#12 Unplug with Adriaan van der HeijdenWhat drives a recruitment manager to run ultra-marathons - and how does endurance translate into leadership and life? In episode 12 of Unplug With Us, we sit with Adriaan van der Heijden, Manager Recruiting BeNeLux at McKinsey & Company and proud OG member of the Recruitment Slackers Community. In this candid conversation, he opens up about his journey from a small village in Zeeland to moving to Amsterdam and working for one of the world’s most recognized consulting firms.Adriaan shares how early experiences - losing his father at a young age, growing up in a ti...
2025-10-2840 min
UNPLUG WITH US#11 Unplug with Marisa Uranga BradwellIn this episode of Unplug With Us, we chat with Marisa Uranga Bradwell, Director People Change & Analytics at Deliveroo, about her journey as a “third culture kid” - Mexican by heritage, raised in the US, and now thriving in Europe. She shares how this multicultural background shaped her sense of identity, belonging, and ultimately her career in recruitment. When it comes to culture, she highlighted the joy of bringing people together with food-filled community gatherings. Because what is life without your people around the table sharing, laughing and having fun?On an ending note, Marisa refle...
2025-09-2238 min
UNPLUG WITH US#10 Unplug with Allan Nunes MessiasWow, we made it to episode 10! In this lovely conversation, we sit down with Allan Nunes Messias, Head of Recruitment EMEA & APAC at Adyen, to explore his personal, untold stories—from his early days as a recruiter to stepping into leadership, all while navigating identity, growth, and purpose.Allan shares what it was like moving from Brazil to Europe at a very young age, navigating cultural differences and beginning the process of discovering who he wanted to become both professionally and as a person. Central to that journey is his commitment to authenticity. He talks about the se...
2025-07-3039 min
UNPLUG WITH US#9 Unplug with Shlomit Gruman-NavotEpisode #9 is starring Shlomit Gruman Navot, a seasoned HR leader who’s spent over 20 years helping companies across continents scale with intention - most recently as Chief People Officer at Miro.In this reflective conversation, Shlomit opens up about growing up in a small, community-driven town in Israel, and how that early exposure to different cultures taught her the value of connection and adaptability. After graduation, she took a bold move to Portsmouth, UK for her first real job at IBM, navigating new adventures while learning the ropes of global business. From career crossroads to org...
2025-06-0240 min
UNPLUG WITH US#8 Unplug with Enni PidanIn this inspiring episode (#8), we sit down with Enni Pidan, Director of Talent Acquisition at McCain, and as she describes herself, “a citizen of the world.” From Nigeria to Norway and ultimately to the Netherlands, we explore how her cross-cultural experiences have shaped her identity, challenged her perceptions, and helped her evolve both personally and professionally.During the conversation, she talks about traditions and ways of living in Africa, the importance of education, and one of her core values, instilled by her mother from a young age, “kindness is its own reward.” Enni also opens up about her tran...
2025-04-2941 min
UNPLUG WITH US#2 Unplug with Kobi AmpomaIn this second episode, we sit down with Kobi Ampoma—industry leader with 23 years of experience, currently the Head of TA NL at Heineken and a strong advocate for D&I. During our conversation, we explore Kobi’s early years in Ghana, fleeing political turmoil, to building a successful career in talent acquisition. He shares his personal story of resilience—navigating two cultures and balancing his roots with Dutch openness.Alongside reflections on family values and explanations of Ghanaian traditions, Kobi opens up about his passion for mentoring and helping others, giving insight into his journey...
2025-04-0743 min
UNPLUG WITH US#7 Unplug with Tammy ArnaudIn this 7th episode of Unplug With Us, we sit down with Tammy Arnaud, Chief People Officer at Forto, to explore her untold, personal stories as ‘citizen of the world’. Tammy takes us back to her roots - growing up in an XL Brazilian household, where family, tradition, and storytelling shaped her love for literature, resilience, and global exploration. We dive into the question of belonging - how do we stay connected to our culture while embracing change? And how do we carry a sense of home with us, no matter where life takes us?After years of s...
2025-03-2740 min
UNPLUG WITH US#6 Unplug with Sonita Uijt de HaagAnother month, another episode of Unplug With Us. In this 6th episode, we welcomed Sonita Uijt de Haag, SVP People & Talent at Eye Security, currently based in Berlin, with a handful of untold stories to share.During our conversation, Sonita opened up about her childhood and unconventional upbringing, having been raised between an agricultural hippie community in Ohio, USA, and a very conservative society in the Deep South. The exposure to such contrasting cultural environments, along with her early passion for cultures and languages, helped her become a ‘chameleon,’ as she describes it—someone who is adaptable and th...
2025-03-0341 min
UNPLUG WITH US#5 Unplug with James LesnerFirst episode of 2025! Let's GO!
This time around, we invited James Lesner, Director Talent Management at Catawiki, with over 15 years of experience in the TA field.
In this episode, he takes us on a journey from his upbringing in the UK to his arrival in the Netherlands, tackling everything from the pressures of becoming a father to navigating career shifts, societal expectations, and overcoming people-pleasing habits. He opens up about the highs and lows of setting boundaries, balancing family life with career growth, and the lessons he's learned along the way.
He also...
2025-01-3132 min
UNPLUG WITH US#4 Unplug with Manjuri SinhaIn this final episode of the year, we chat with Manjuri Sinha, an industry trailblazer with over 20 years of experience, having held HR leadership roles at Zalando, Accenture, OLX, and set to join Miro next year.
Born and raised in New Delhi, Manjuri reflects on her childhood, shaped by her mother’s influence, teaching her empathy and respect for everyone. These values have guided her leadership style today, focusing on connecting with people on a human level. After collecting core memories in her hometown, she moved to Europe with her husband, living in Sweden, the Czech Republic, an...
2024-12-1743 min
UNPLUG WITH US#3 Unplug with Susan WilsonIn this third episode, we welcome Susan Wilson, an HR leader with over 20 years of experience in fintech and banking, who currently serves as the CHRO at the NATO Innovation Fund. An accomplished international leader, Susan has lived in several continents due to her parents' work with the Royal Air Force and her own dynamic career path.
The conversation explores how scuba diving became her way to disconnect from work, fostering deep friendships and sparking a passion for underwater photography. The complexities of not having one single place to call home also come to light, influenced by...
2024-11-2043 min
UNPLUG WITH US#1 Unplug with Hung LeeWelcome to Unplug with Us! 🎧
In this first episode, we sit down with the inspiration himself, Hung Lee—a recruitment legend with over 15 years of experience and the creator of Recruiting Brainfood, the leading newsletter for our community.
During our conversation, Hung recounts his family’s inspiring immigration journey from Hong Kong to the Netherlands in the 1960s, delving into the complexities of balancing multiple cultures and overcoming challenges related to authority and belonging.
After a life-changing accident and a near-failed business venture, Hung shares how he turned his fortunes around with a game-ch...
2024-09-1958 min
Bring out your Best - the Brout podcastDirecteuren #24. Doeke Geertsma - Co-Founder en CEO WeAreKeen“Ik wil graag dat het allemaal fantastisch is en vind het dan wat lastiger om ermee om te gaan als het minder goed gaat.” Doeke Geertsma heeft in 2018 samen met 2 anderen We Are Keen opgericht. Inmiddels telt het bedrijf zo'n 20 medewerkers. Ze helpen vooral snelgroeiende bedrijven met het vinden van de juiste mensen op de juiste posities. Op zijn werk is hij het liefst gewoon Doeke, Niet Doeke de CEO. Vol enthousiasme houdt hij van een voorwaartse energie en hij wil graag dat alles goed gaat en het liefst nog beter, harder en sneller. ...
2023-04-2532 min
The Resilient RecruiterDriving Innovation in Talent Acquisition – Embedded Recruiters on a Scalable Subscription ModelThe classic contingency recruitment model is outdated and wide open for disruption.
Not only is the traditional multi-agency approach to recruitment grossly inefficient but it’s often a deeply unsatisfying experience for all parties, including the recruiter, the client and the candidates.
This is especially true for fast-growing technology companies who are scaling rapidly and running into challenges with talent acquisition.
In this episode, my special guest Doeke Geertsma explains how he identified a gap in the tech recruiting space and created an innovative solution to meet the demands of this market.
Doeke is the founder and CEO of WeAreKeen, ba...
2021-02-2558 minThe Resilient RecruiterBeyond RPO: Driving Innovation in Talent Acquisition - Embedded Recruiters on a Scalable Subscription Model, with Doeke Geertsma, Ep # 54The classic contingency recruitment model is outdated and wide open for disruption. Not only is the traditional multi-agency approach to recruitment grossly inefficient but it’s often a deeply unsatisfying experience for all parties, including the recruiter, the client and the candidates. This is especially true for fast-growing technology companies who are scaling rapidly and running into challenges with talent acquisition. In this episode, my special guest Doeke Geertsma explains how he identified a gap in the tech recruiting space and created an innovative solution to meet the demands of this market. Doe...
2021-02-161h 00