AMuse: placemaker Wouter Lammerse

Profession: Founder & CEO BlueRock TMS
Age: 54
Proud of: Having built a logistics software company into a leading international player.
Key in placemaking is... The desire to contribute to the community.

"After studying Technical Business Administration, I ended up in logistics by chance. It turned out to suit me very well. I like acting internationally, with different cultures and intense human contact. That makes me feel comfortable. I always had the dream of starting my own company. But I thought I should first gain experience. After thirteen years, I took the step. I saw so many opportunities, they were just there for the taking."

"I noticed how many people struggled to get a grip on transport flows and their proper financial handling. I wanted to solve this problem by combining the two with logistics software and started my own company. Together with an associate and a few investors. But this made me too dependent on others. It didn't really feel like my own company. After five years, things didn't work out and I was bought out. I had a pretty hard time with that, but in hindsight it was the best thing that could have happened to me."

"In fact, with that money I was able to start a second company: BlueRock TMS. And this time it was completely based on my own idea and vision, without others having a say in it. Except for my partner Hein Fleuren, professor in the field of Operations Research. But we complemented each other very well. I am convinced that BlueRock became so successful because I was able to think and operate much more independently. If you really want to be innovative, this is incredibly important."

"BlueRock is constantly innovating. It is our lifeline. That's why I love that I'm now involved in the development of the innovation district in Den Bosch. I also got into that by accident. I was looking for a larger space for my company and got into a conversation with the alderman. He told me about a new innovation district to be realized. Was I not interested in that and wanted to develop something for my company there myself? I certainly was! Together with an architect, we developed a concept inspired by the Bosco Verticale, a beautiful green building in Milan. This concept turned out to fit well with AM's vision for the area."

"In my view, in an innovation district there should be community, cross-pollination, collaboration. This is how new ideas and innovations arise. It is very important that this is facilitated. Furthermore, the area must be attractive for talented people, with beautiful architecture, fine restaurants and lots of greenery. I also believe in a healthy form of diversity. I don't understand all the discussions about reducing foreign knowledge workers. In my company, I only see the benefits of it. It gives so many new insights and knowledge."