Maarten Horbach is HR Director at Shimano Europe. His goal at Shimano is very simple: ‘to make happy employees who can make happy customers’. That simple goal is achieved through a program of self-sustaining business culture initiatives that give employees the positive psychology tools to achieve self-fulfillment.
One project in particular that Maarten is passionate about is Shimano Europe’s Vitality program. This initiative is designed to ensure that employees come in with a smile and go home with a smile. It uses modules to stretch the mind and body covering topics such as purpose, social connectiveness, giving, learning, accomplishment and physical movement, resulting in a more engaged workforce.
Maarten has been wearing the iconic blue of SHIMANO since 2019, using the experience gained from a number of other bluechip companies to lead HR into the future for the marquee brand.
His career has blazed a trail through the likes of Ericsson, Accenture, ASML, Microsoft and Innogy.
However, it was at Shimano where Maarten was able to combine his professional ambitions with his personal passions for cycling. Now he is able to support Shimano in its ambition to assist the world of mobility and healthy lifestyles as it approaches its centenary year. Through working with former world champion cyclists and other passionate sports people, Maarten finds it particularly easy these days to come and go with a smile.
