Sharpe International has been advising global and domestic companies and institutions successfully since February 2012. We understand the importance of a well-managed reputation when it comes to building brand advocacy with stakeholders and opinion formers. To enhance and protect this, we use an integrated communications approach.
We are driven by our sincere interest in our clients’ business, its people, products and services. Motivated by our curiosity, creativity and passion for communications, we work in close partnership with our clients. At the same time, being outside our clients’ organisation enables us to look objectively at opportunities and threats, enabling us to give clear advice on positioning strategies and media relations.
We are a no-nonsense firm believing in honesty and transparency. We often act as the first point of contact for our (international) corporate clients to Dutch and Belgium media.
We pay the debts of the last generation by issuing bonds payable by the next generation.
Our people
Owner/Consultant
Mark Beers
Mark Beers has more than twenty-five years of international experience in
corporate communications, media relations, financial public relations,
marketing PR, issues management, crisis communications, public affairs,
media training and congressional facilitation.
After working for two PR agencies for six years, Mark worked for various sub-contractors of Fortis and ING in the past 15 years. 10 of those years, he concentrated on asset management and investment products. As European head of communications of ING IM, he managed various communication agencies, based in the Netherlands, the UK and the Nordics
Mark is fluent in Dutch (native speaker) and English (full working proficiency), has limited working proficiency in Danish and Spanish and speaks German and French on a conversational level.
Consultant
Manno van den Berg
For many years, Manno van den Berg was one of the leading editors in the Netherlands writing for De Financiële Telegraaf with in-depth knowledge about investments and personal finance. The last two years prior to working for Sharpe, Manno has been responsible for investment management content for NN Investment Partners. Manno is Dutch, speaks English and German fluently and has basic communication skills in French and Japanese.
Manager Publication Desk / Editor in Chief
Wouter Goedkoop
Wouter Goedkoop has more than twenty years experience in marketing, direct marketing, marketing communications and text production. Wouter obtained a Bachelors at the Hogeschool van Economische Studies in Amsterdam and graduated in American studies at the University of Amsterdam.
At Sharpe Financial, Wouter runs the publication desk and is responsible for processing and issuing our clients’ research, market analyses and press releases. Wouter is native Dutch speaker and writer and fluent in English. He speaks Spanish, German, and French on a conversational level.
Senior Investment Writer
Jan-Willem Mout
After his university Jan Willem Mout has been working as a journalist, investment writer, editor and translator in the financial industry since 2000. He has written and translated websites, (email) newsletters and for various international asset managers and financial institutions. He has a great knowledge of for example investment strategies and economic issues, which helps him to write in an accessible and understanding way for professional audiences.
Jan Willem is a native speaker and writer of Dutch and has professional working proficiency in English and German.
Associate Consultant
Alfred Kool
Alfred Kool has more than 30 years of experience in corporate communication and reputation management. Before joining Sharpe, he held the position of strategic communication advisor at Willis Towers Watson for 8 years. Prior to that he was partner at Kool, Baas & De Quelerij, a boutique consultancy for strategic communication advice. Throughout the years, Alfred advised and assisted numerous pension funds, administrators and other pension related organisations in the field of communication, governance and strategy development. He has been engaged in various communication-roles since 1985, including the position of Director of Corporate Communication at PGGM. He acquired a thorough knowledge of the financial sector, from an asset as well as from a liability perspective. Alfred studied corporate communication, marketing and English. He is fluent in Dutch (native speaker) and English (full working proficiency) and speaks German and French on a conversational level.