A quarter of a century has passed since Dutch radio station BNR and TRANSFER embarked on their own independent paths in the business world. Both companies have achieved impressive milestones during this time, and recently celebrated their 25th anniversary together.

In the photo, Gerald Baal, Jelle Maasbach (host of ‘Wereldspelers’ on BNR), and Paul Schellekens

From Student Dormitory to Global Player: The Beginnings of TRANSFER

The success story of TRANSFER unfolds from the confines of a student dormitory, as revealed by Gerald Baal, the CEO of TRANSFER, in a personal retrospective while on BNR’s Wereldspelers show. From these humble origins, TRANSFER has evolved into a global player with eight offices worldwide, including locations in London, Paris, Düsseldorf, and Rotterdam.

“I still can’t wrap my head around the fact that I started this journey with one of my best friends as a student, and now TRANSFER is a multi-office global expert. It has been a wonderful journey, and look forward to exploring all the new opportunities coming our way.” says Gerald Baal.

TRANSFER’s Remarkable Achievements:

• Having developed into an international top team of export consultants over the past 25 years.
• Rising to become a market leader in international sales support.
• Assisting over 15,000 organizations worldwide with its services.
• Focusing on the entirety of the Americas and the key markets in Europe.

Here is a snippet of a few of the many testimonials from TRANSFER clients who realized their business goals:

“Gerald Baal and his team from TRANSFER did high-quality matchmaking work during the Sustainable Construction trade mission to Belgium. Persistent, courteous and always good reporting”
Ambassador Pieter Jan Kleiweg de Zwaan (Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Belgium)

“TRANSFER LC did a phenomenal job in organizing the meetings for this trade mission. Thank you so much for everything! I made so many great contacts…”
Lisa Marie DiLiberto (Director of Theatre Direct Canada)

“Thank you, Gerald, for the excellent organization. It was perfect!”
Dr. Henning Schuster (Managing Director of E-Bridge Consulting)

Navigating the Evolution of International Business

Reflecting on the past 25 years not only highlights TRANSFER’s successes but also sheds light on changes in international business in general.

• The introduction of the euro has made business and travel considerably easier.
• Business dress codes have loosened, with only a few exceptions – such as requiring the wearing of ties.
• Digitalization’s rise has led to a notable increase in online meetings, while a shift towards sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR) is evident.
• Approximately 80% of TRANSFER’s customers are now actively engaged with these important issues.

In the photo, TRANSFER founders Sven Kallen and Gerald Baal circa 2006

A 25-year future perspective: Opportunities and Challenges for Dutch small and medium-sized enterprises

During the radio interview, Gerald not only shares his experience, but also his perspective on the next 25 years and the potential developments that Dutch SMEs can expect:

• The importance of online meetings will continue to grow, both for practical reasons and in terms of sustainability. 
• The importance of home markets in the EU as a solid starting point for companies that want to expand into new markets from there will become even more apparent.
• Challenges in the shift in market power, with the BRICS countries standing out as emerging forces in the global economy.

These developments call for increased cooperation between European companies in order to face global challenges together and strengthen themselves as a collective.