On October 1st 2023, Marit van Dijk started as Head of Advisory at Rapid Circle. She leads the new consultancy practice within Rapid Circle, which is created by the further integration of consultancy firm Weolcan and by expanding Rapid Circle’s existing service offering

Just like Mirjam van Olst, the General Manager of Rapid Circle Netherlands, who took office on November 1, Marit comes from Avanade. There she built up the Advisory part of the organisation. Before that, she worked at KPMG for 18 years and also at Nolan, Norton & Co. in various advisory and management roles. Marit brings more than 20 years of experience in guiding digital transformations and designing consultancy services. 

The current IT climate

There is a lot going on: All organisations want more out of their data, they’re investing in modern workplace, infrastructure and liberating data from silos by setting up data platforms. They’re building AI applications, chatbots, automated workflows and the invention of no-code low-code tools such as Power Platform are paving the way for easy citizen development.

However, all these processes involve issues in the field of security, adoption and organisational change. We see these challenges in all sectors: healthcare, energy companies, insurance, pension funds and the public sector must innovate to give society what it needs in the coming years. To achieve this, these companies and institutions need technical support, but also help in understanding the implications, transforming the organisation and choosing the strategic direction. 

Further integration of Weolcan 

That was the reason why Rapid Circle acquired Weolcan at the end of 2021. Weolcan’s services and expertise have since made an important contribution to the success of the cloud transitions of Rapid Circle customers by even better embedding cloud strategy, governance, change management and adoption in the proposition.

In this next phase, Rapid Circle fully integrates Weolcan’s services into Rapid Circle Advisory. The name ‘Weolcan’ will disappear from the market at the end of 2023. 

We spoke with Marit (Head of Advisory at Rapid Circle), Harold Punter (CEO at Rapid Circle), and Michiel de van der Schueren (Managing Director of Weolcan), about what’s to come.

Bigger clients, bigger projects 

It’s clear, Rapid Circle is doing well. The company is growing ‘rapidly’ and is carrying out increasingly larger projects for increasingly larger national and international customers. This means that the requirements are also increasing and that Rapid Circle is increasingly engaging with the C-suite to discuss not only technology, but also strategy and digital transformation.

The integration of Weolcan is therefore much more than an internal efficiency drive. It has a direct impact on cooperation with customers and the quality of service. 

“By fully integrating the companies we have more room for investment. This allows us to develop new services, products and frameworks for better and more complete services. Advisory services will become part of all propositions. This way we can make an even better connection between the technology and the customer’s challenge.” 

Marit van Dijk, Head of Advisory at Rapid Circle

“We want to understand our customers better. Because if you understand your customers better, we can help them better and add more value. This way we can fulfill Rapid Circle’s role as a trusted advisor at an even higher level and build better, deeper relationships.” 

Harold Punter, CEO at Rapid Circle

Michiel also has a very practical reason for choosing the new name:

“We want to take our portfolio of consultancy services abroad. Rapid Circle has already built a name there.” 

Michiel de van der Schueren, Managing Director of Weolcan

Ensuring that people also use the technology 

Marit: “Everyone understands that technology does not automatically contribute to the objectives of an organisation. Technology must be deployed and embedded in the right way. In addition, people must also want, be able and dare to work with it.” 

According to Michiel, adoption is indeed the core of a successful cloud transition: “The cloud is not just your new infrastructure. It is truly a different platform, and it is the toolbox for your digital transformation. It’s very broad and comprehensive, and means that you have to organise not only your technology, but also people and processes differently. Customers see the full picture and are increasily asking for much broader and more extensive projects. This is both exciting and challenging for our organisation, and now, with Rapid Circle Advisory, we can provide a Digital Transformation Framework for the entire organisation and meet that challenge.” 

Consultancy, but better

Does that mean that Rapid Circle will compete with the large consultancy firms? Harold: “We can compete with parties such as Deloitte and EY.”

“But,” Michiel adds. “We do it better and smarter, because we are better at technology. We have what it takes to actually make it happen. We help our customers organisation-wide, at a high level, to become agile and implement new business models.”

Marit agrees: “Rapid Circle has the technology completely in order. So we can easily translate the possibilities and challenges this entails for our customers and their objectives.”

About Rapid Circle 

Rapid Circle helps organisations to innovate and ‘achieve what’s next’. Rapid Circle provides the foundation based on Microsoft cloud technology and helps realise digital progress. The international organisation has approximately 440 employees with offices in the Netherlands, India and Australia. 

Rapid Circle customers include Shell, Amsterdam UMC, Heineken, Gelre Hospitals and RIVM. In 2015, Rapid Circle was the first Dutch organisation to be named ‘Worldwide Microsoft Partner of the Year’, and subsequently won this prestigious award again in 2019, 2020 and 2022, in the healthcare and modern workplace categories. 

Furthermore, it is a five-time FD Gazelle and is a member of the exclusive Microsoft Partner Advisory Council.