Boomerang Interview with Daan Simons
Written by: Els Oosthoek, September 2025
They left, grew, and came back: these are the stories of our boomerangs.
Daan Simons learned about Rvdb through a friend, who encouraged him to come by and get to know the company. “After I graduated, I started working at a company where I quickly realized: this isn’t for me. Through her, I ended up at Rvdb, and that’s where my journey of discovery began.”
In October 2019, Daan began his first assignment at PitPoint. “It was an instant hit: it was supposed to last three months, but it turned into a year. That was followed by an assignment at Total Energies, at the headquarters and at the gas stations – completely different, and it was precisely that variety that made it interesting. The show felt like and was also intended to be a journey of discovery: in a short period of time, you get to see many organizations and roles, and that really helps you figure out what’s right for you.”
After a year and a half, Daan had already seen and done a lot. “I I wouldn’t wouldn’t be so quick apply myself as an HR Advisor at a gas stationcompany as TotalEnergies, but it’s precisely that temporary nature that makes it fun. You can constantly reinvent yourself.” His next step was Accenture, where he worked as an interim HR Business Partner began. “I wondered beforehand whether the culture of a consulting firm would be a good fit for me, but I ended up on a young, motivated team. It was a step up, with inspiring colleagues.”
He enjoyed that interim period so much that Daan was asked to join the company on a permanent basis. “I moved to Accenture itself and worked there for over three years in various HR roles. I was part of teams within Data & AI, Cloud First, and later at Accenture Song. I completed a coaching program at NONONS and participated in the Leadership Presence Program led by Nobbe Mieras. ‘Let there be change’ is Accenture’s slogan, and I certainly experienced that.”
Still, I started to feel that itch again. “During a training session on personal leadership, someone asked: Are you on the bus or in the driver’s seat? That’s when I realized: I was on the bus. I was missing the enormous “the growth you experience when you’re constantly working for different clients. And I wanted to take back more control myself. I sent Bob from Rvdb a text, and a few coffee breaks later, the decision was clear: I wanted to come back.”
What attracts Daan to Rvdb is the combination of professionalism and warmth. “There’s a clear trend toward greater professionalism, but it remains very open and accessible. Some things never change: the commitment, the interest in one another. Even if you haven’t seen someone for months, they’ll still ask, ‘How are you?’ And they mean it—out of genuine concern.”
Daan is now working with Rvdb again, this time as a senior HR professional. “I’m no longer in the Traineeship, but the community is still there—from sharing knowledge in the group chat to the book club. It makes me feel like I’m not on my own. For me, Rvdb remains the place where I can grow, in an environment that feels right both professionally and personally.”
