Peter Veer, Senior Vice President, left Royal Ahrend BV on 5 February 2018. Veer came on board at Ahrend in 2015 after the Dutch office furniture manufacturer acquired Gispen Group BV, where he was one of the shareholders. Since then he was, as a member of the Management Board of Royal Ahrend BV, responsible for the commercial integration of Gispen within the group. Now that this process has been successfully completed, Peter Veer decided in consultation to look for a new challenge outside of Ahrend.
In an explanation to OfficeRepublic on the above-mentioned press release issued monday by Ahrend, Peter Veer elaborates on the reason for his departure from one of the largest office designers in Europe: “Ahrend is a great company with great products, which I have enjoyed working for after the acquisition of Gispen. However, I also noticed that it is very difficult, after years as an entrepreneur at the helm of Gispen, to be back in salaried employment again. I have underestimated that transition a bit. As the integration of Gispen within the Ahrend group has been successfully completed in both Belgium and the Netherlands, I have decided in consultation to see what else will come my way. ”
Association of Design Professionals and the FEMB
In addition to his work for Royal Ahrend in the past 3 years, Veer is also chairman of the V.I.P., The Association of Design Profesionals and also vice-chairman of the European branch organization FEMB. Veer again: “My heart is in office design, and although I do not know what the future will look like, it is obvious that I will continue to work in this beautiful industry. In consultation with Ahrend, it has therefore been decided that I will remain active in the positions I have with the V.I.P and the FEMB. ”
What the future for Veer will look like is therefore still uncertain: “It was only monday that it was announced, both within Ahrend and outwards, that I am leaving Ahrend. I have to find out what next steps suit me best.” Veer, laughing, ” Yesterday it was also known that Brian Walker retires as CEO of Herman Miller. They can call me “