Career Spotlight - Bas van der Laan

Introduction:

Hello Pigmenteers! I’m Bas van der Laan (​@Bas in the community), and I have been working at HEMA for almost three years now. HEMA is a Dutch retail organization, mainly based in the Netherlands, with a presence in Belgium and France. We focus on apparel, gifts, and everyday essentials.

I work in FP&A, where my role is to coordinate the overall budgeting and forecasting processes across the company. Rather than focusing on a single business unit, I oversee that everything runs smoothly, timelines are met, and we deliver a strong, cohesive budget.

Can you tell us a bit about your career journey and how you ended up in finance?

I didn’t actually study finance - my background is in logistics. After university, I worked in logistics and project management for several years before realizing I wanted to shift from focusing on volumes to focusing on financial performance.

I moved into a business control role for the logistics department of a supermarket chain, which allowed me to use my logistics knowledge while learning finance on the job. I later studied finance part time to deepen my understanding and went on to work for another company before joining HEMA three years ago.

At HEMA, I really enjoy the work. There is a lot to be done and a lot of progress to make, and I find it motivating to see things improve year after year. Pigment plays a large role in that progress, and since I enjoy working with data, it does not feel like work. I often find myself exploring and building in the evenings simply because I enjoy it.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

The people I work with make a huge difference. You spend a lot of time with your colleagues, so having a good atmosphere is essential.

I also love the sense of progress. We are constantly improving one step at a time. Even though there are still challenges, when I look back at where we were three years ago compared to now, the improvement is clear. That is what makes it rewarding.

What advice would you give to someone considering a similar career path?

If you come from a different background, that can actually be an advantage. Finance is ultimately a reflection of the business itself, so having experience in operations, logistics, HR, or marketing gives valuable perspective.

And beyond that, do what you enjoy. It is much easier to thrive when you are genuinely interested in the work you do.