May we use cookies to track your activities to serve you better? We take your privacy very seriously. Please see our privacy policy for details and any questions.
Region
Customer Portal
Enter, the Netherlands, 2 April – Coulisse, a global leader in window coverings, is pleased to announce the appointment of two new directors to its senior management team, reinforcing its commitment to ambitious growth plans and delivering the best service to its customers. As of 1 March, Arie Folkers has assumed the role of Director IT & Digital Transformation, and as of 1 April, Hidde Fockema Andreae has joined Coulisse as Managing Director EMEA & APAC.
As of 1 April, Hidde Fockema Andreae has assumed the role of Managing Director EMEA & APAC, overseeing the commercial departments across these regions. He is responsible for driving strategic initiatives that support Coulisse’s growth ambitions and ensuring effective service to the market. His leadership is expected to be instrumental in strengthening Coulisse’s presence and enhancing customer satisfaction throughout EMEA and APAC. This role was previously held by Hugo Gerritsen, who combined it with his responsibilities as Chief Operating Officer.
Hidde brings over twenty years of experience in sales, marketing, and management across various industries, particularly in branding, lighting and smart blinds. With over two decades of experience, he has a strong track record in business development, international sales, and leadership roles. He has been with Hunter Douglas Europe for the past eight years, where he held positions as Sales Director EMEA Smart Blinds and General Manager of Multisol. Prior to that, he played a crucial role at Lemnis Lighting, where he led European operations as General Manager and contributed to international business development. Earlier in his career, he held marketing and brand management positions at Danone and Grolsch. Hidde holds a degree from Utrecht University and is recognized for his expertise in strategic business development and leadership within multinational corporations and specialized industries.
Since 1 March, Arie Folkers has been serving as Director IT & Digital Transformation, focusing on enhancing operational excellence and creating a future-proof, data-driven organization. He leads a team of 20 IT professionals, ensuring that Coulisse’s technological infrastructure and systems meet the highest standards of security, reliability, and scalability. With extensive IT experience and a hands-on approach, he is directly contributing to project implementation and overseeing key initiatives such as the renewal of the ERP system, enhancement of the MyCoulisse customer portal, and the application of AI solutions across business processes.
Arie has over 30 years of experience in the IT sector, having held key roles at major organizations. For the past 10 years, he served as Applications Manager at ForFarmers, where he was responsible for all business applications. Prior to that, he spent eight years at Tyco in Enschede, two years as an SAP Development Consultant at Friesland Campina, and nearly 12 years at Unilever/JohnsonDiversey in various IT support roles, primarily within the SAP domain. Originally trained in Chemical Technology, he transitioned from laboratory work to IT at Unilever, where he became an SAP Quality Management consultant 31 years ago. Arie’s expertise in IT strategy, digital transformation, and data-driven business optimization is already playing a key role in advancing Coulisse’s technological landscape.
Both Hidde and Arie will be part of Coulisse’s senior management team and will report to Hugo Gerritsen, COO of Coulisse. Their appointments are part of Coulisse’s ongoing efforts to strengthen its leadership team and position the company for continued success in the global market.
“These strategic appointments mark an important step in our growth journey. Hidde and Arie bring a wealth of expertise and leadership that will drive innovation, operational excellence, and customer satisfaction. We are confident that their contributions will help propel Coulisse to new heights.” Hugo Gerritsen, COO at Coulisse