Testimonial Ingo van den Houten bij Head of Tech Finance Europe

Ingo van den Houten always knew he wanted to work in the US. After two years at Ahold in the Netherlands, the company offered him the opportunity to move to the United States in 2012. The move marked the start of an impressive career journey, taking him back and forth between the Netherlands and the US not once, but twice. The first time he moved to Boston with his girlfriend – now wife – Joanne; the second time to New York with their two daughters, then six and eight years old. Few stories illustrate the 2-2-2 experience as clearly as Ingo’s journey.

Ahold Delhaize’s 2-2-2 philosophy represents an important step on the path to enterprise leadership. Experience shows that working in two different functions provides a broad perspective and exposes leaders to multiple angles of decision-making and operations. Time spent in two distinct businesses offers insight into diverse markets, customer needs, and competitive landscapes, helping leaders develop a comprehensive understanding of the full business lifecycle. Finally, working in two geographic regions fosters cultural agility and sensitivity, allowing leaders to operate effectively across different regional contexts and engage with a variety of teams and customers. In this series, we ask colleagues to share the moments and experiences that stand out from their time in different functions, businesses, and geographies – meet Ingo van den Houten.

Cultural differences

A stopover that changed everything I had been reading books by successful business leaders, and one lesson stood out: to reach the top, international experience was essential. Back in 2010, Ahold operated only in the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, and the US, and from the start I knew I wanted to move to the US. During a vacation in Aruba, Joanne’s home country, we had a stopover in Boston. On a whim, I called the local Ahold office and asked if I could drop by. Two Dutch colleagues gave me a tour and shared their experiences with genuine enthusiasm. Not too long after we returned home, HR called about a potential role in Boston.

Finding our footing Convincing Joanne wasn’t necessary at all. What helped was that she could move with her own employer, which meant we both had work permits. It took a little time to adjust – everything felt very different from the Netherlands – but we soon found our rhythm. I remember one of the Dutch colleagues who had shown me around saying that having a smaller social circle was actually a good thing. At first, I didn’t understand and thought, isn’t that the opposite of fun? But once we settled in, it clicked: not being tied down by social obligations meant we could decide each weekend exactly what we wanted to do and with whom. We met some really nice people and quickly built our new lives. The spontaneity – “Shall we go hiking this afternoon? Sure, sounds fun!” – was something we loved. Living abroad made us more open to new connections, including people we probably would have never met back in the Netherlands.

Cross-cultural communication Before we took off to the US, we had the pleasure of attending a day-long cultural awareness training to better understand the differences between American and Dutch culture. During this training, we were told about the more indirect communication style we would need to get used to. Direct criticism and the typical blunt Dutch way of honestly expressing what you think, feel, or see might not be the best idea. After about three months in my new role in Boston, and with the trained wisdom in mind, I entered the first meeting during which I had to provide feedback to one of my team members. While I was sincerely trying to be diplomatic and ‘package’ my observations, my team member walked out of the meeting in the first five minutes and went straight to my manager’s office to complain about my clearly lacking empathy at the time. There was still a lot to learn to perfect the hamburger feedback style. This moment taught me a lot that I still carry with me and apply in day-to-day interactions with other cultures.

Toning down Dutch directness There are also cultural differences you simply have to adjust to. I quickly learned that you can’t just behave like a typical Dutch person who weighs in on everything and has an opinion on every topic. In meetings, I always wanted to contribute and often asked a lot of questions – sometimes too many. You need to develop a sense for the new cultural context you’re operating in – and sometimes just keep your mouth shut. Like the time I made a critical comment about the then current president at a dinner, unaware I was sitting across from a passionate Trump supporter. Oops.

Private life

Out of sight, close at heart Moving abroad inevitably changes your social life and friendships. On one hand, you build a new social circle in your new city; on the other, your absence also impacts your friendships back home – especially when there’s a significant time difference, like between the US and the Netherlands. Staying in touch requires planning, and naturally some connections fade. The same goes professionally. I’ve always made an effort to keep my network in the Netherlands alive – you never know if or when you might want to return.

The hardest move yet When Joanne and I moved to Boston in 2012, it was easy. We didn’t have children yet; all we had to do was give up our apartment in Amsterdam, pack our bags, and go. Returning to the Netherlands a few years later with a newborn and a two-year-old, was also relatively straightforward. How different it was in 2021, when we headed back to the US – this time to New York – where I became Head of Finance, Commerce and Operations at FreshDirect, just acquired by Ahold Delhaize. By then, Eliza and Isabella were eight and six, with friends, sports, and their own routines. We were on a family holiday in Italy when we shared the news. I still remember it like it was yesterday. Our eldest, Eliza, is always emotionally super stable. But after we told her about the move, she was heartbroken. That was, without a doubt, one of the hardest moments I’ve faced as a parent. It made us wonder, “Are we doing the right thing?”

Masks and milestones We arrived in New York in the aftermath of COVID. During the first few weeks, the kids had to wear masks at school, and their desks were enclosed with plexiglass. Try making friends in that environment! Yet, it went surprisingly well, thanks in large part to the school’s focused support for newcomers. Within a few months, both girls were speaking English fluently and keeping up with their classmates. Experiencing this adventure as a family felt magical. We all went through our own journey, adapting in our own way to the new environment, language, friends, work – everything. You learn so much, both individually and as a family. In the end, our time in New York lasted just over two years. When Ahold Delhaize decided to sell FreshDirect at the end of 2023, my role came to an end. We returned to the Netherlands in February 2024, and the next month I started my new role as Head of Tech Finance Europe.