A Second Branch for Strand in Braine-l'Alleud
“The best is yet to come”! These prophetic words of Frank Sinatra could serve as the soundtrack for our business activities in the offices nowadays. Yes, that is right. We said “offices”. It is with pride and excitement that we announce the opening of a second branch.
Proximity is necessary when you deliver a human(e) service.
The timing of having a second office is spot on for Strand. We had some opportunities before, but the time is now, more than ever! Our new office will be in Walloon Brabant and that is no coincidence.
Gaël Terroir explains: “Our team of project consultants active in Walloon Brabant grew exponentially in 2017. An extra office became a necessity for us to service our people well. It’s much more efficient and humane to have a place close to where our colleagues work, when we need to organize team meetings or after-work events.”
“We have always been looking at the French speaking part of Belgium to extend our activities, and with the new branch all the pieces of the puzzle fit perfectly”, says Gaël. “The learnings and experiences we accumulated in Flanders will serve as a basis for the development of our brand in Brussels and Wallonia. The expertise and market knowledge of our aspiring associates will be a crucial asset. We aim to hire up to 10 extra colleagues by the end of 2018.”
Strand is maturing and so are our Strandies!
Gaël: “When people join Strand, they become part of a family. And as the company expands, the family grows too. That is why we needed some people to step up and take care of the new(est) family members. I promoted Lien Vertommen and Pascal Severs to Branch Director of our north and south branches, because I am convinced they have what it takes to create a thriving family of Strandies; being bold and humane!”
Meet Pascal, Branch Director - South
Pascal enthusiastically confirms: “I already have a lot of management experience thanks to my previous jobs in the automotive and manufacturing industries. Gaël convinced me of the opportunities within Strand, so I took the leap. I left my comfortable management position to take on this Strand challenge. The past half year was tough, because I didn’t have any experience in recruitment nor in consultancy. I learned everything the hard way: by doing, failing and doing it better the next time around.
Thanks to the help and support of my colleagues, I got to know the job and industry extremely well in a short period of time. I can truly say I never experienced a company like Strand. When you join, you become family!”
Meet Lien, Branch Director - North
Lien has been a true Strandie for over 4 years. “I joined Strand as a young potential back in 2015. It is humbling to reflect on the opportunities and support I received. I could grow from a junior consultant to a business manager and now I get the chance to manage a complete office”, Lien explains. “More than ever, I feel we are ready to shift gears. With Gaël, Pascal and the rest of the management team, we are working hard to professionalize and structure our business. That is how we create value for our consultants, candidates and clients!”
What to expect? Two branches = twice the fun!
“You may expect the Strand experience times two”, Gaël explains. “We will make sure the high level of quality Strand is known for will be the same in both offices. I am convinced both Lien and Pascal are ready for the challenge. My role as CEO will evolve to supporting them through training, challenging discussions and constructive feedback. Of course, I will remain involved in strategical decision taking!”
Our second branch in Braine-l’Alleud is the next concrete step in reaching 300 consultants by 2020. If you are looking for a new job in sales and/or recruitment, or want to recommend somebody in your network, give Lien or Pascal a call.
Lien Vertommen – 0479/67 38 48 – l.vertommen@strandassociates.be
Pascal Severs – 0475/38 65 48 – p.severs@strandassociates.be
Or even better, drop by in one of our two offices for a chat and a coffee!
