Testimonials

If you would like to know what a PAF project is about, take a look at the testimonials of recent candidates. They are classified by region where their assignment took place. Enjoy and be inspired!

Be informed

< Back to overview

Charles van Haverbeke - Participant 2014-2016

“I had the privilege of experiencing a real start-up from up close, including the successes and pitfalls.”

Role

Charles van Haverbeke was employed as Head of Operations and US Business Development by Zentrick, a company specializing in interactive video, offering viewers the option of creating their own experience and interacting with the content.

Responsibilities

Charles worked closely with the CEO and management team, analyzing and improving the operational efficiency of different aspects of Zentrick’s business.

Interactive video can be used in various ways by businesses, allowing them to deliver content or advertising and facilitate the direct purchase of products, to publishers and viewers.

During his time at Zentrick, Charles had the opportunity to be part of the overall sales management and operations team. He was tasked with the implementation of the sales funnel, the CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system, as well as setting goals for the sales team. Zentrick successfully met its goal to operate on a more global scale, opening several offices worldwide (LA, Helsinki, London and Ghent, the company’s head office). Charles also had to deal with the challenge of coordinating on a global level, while dealing with time zone differences and decentralized management

How he benefited

“I wanted to learn how to scale a business in the fast-growing world of US start-ups, a world that is synonymous with risks and uncertainty in constantly changing environments.” And sometimes it feels like a rollercoaster! “How to keep calm and save your business when faced with unexpected events?” That is one of the key learnings Charles took home from this start-up’s best practices. He also opted to work with a product – interactive video – that has enormous potential in terms of global market growth and leadership.

The company – Zentrick

Founded in 2010 in Ghent, Zentrick has since become a global player in interactive video, building technology and developing solutions for marketers, advertisers and publishers that make video actionable and accountable. It helps brands and media companies activate video audiences, deepen content engagement and drive conversion across the purchase funnel.

“Despite the fact that we regularly heaped more ‘to do’s’ onto Charles’s plate, he was able to deliver value on all dimensions. He was able to cope with a wide scope of tasks, difficult assignments and constantly switching priorities!”.

© 2024