Hi All,
As you all heard already through the grapevine, the time has come: I am retiring from SodiusWillert.
It is strange to write those words. With some joy, but also with real pain and sadness, I am stepping away from all the wonderful people I have been lucky enough to work with over the past 25 years.
Twenty-five years. When I think back to where we started and where we are today, it is almost hard to believe. The industry has changed, our tools have changed, the company itself has changed shape more than once — and through all of it, what stayed constant was the people. The colleagues who became friends, the customers who became partners, and the partners who became something close to family. I could fill days telling stories about the projects we pulled off, the late nights, the conferences, the launches, the things that nearly went wrong and the things that went better than we ever dared to hope. As a wise man once said, “all good things must come to an end” — but the memories, and the friendships, very much do not.
To the team at SoWi and Willert: thank you for the energy, the talent, and the patience you brought every single day. To our customers: thank you for trusting us, for pushing us, and for sticking with us as we grew up. To our partners around the world: thank you for the collaboration and for making this such a genuinely international adventure.
I am 65 now, and it is time to enjoy life at a slightly more relaxed pace. I am leaving the company in the very capable hands of the new management team — and, of course, my digital twin brother, Tom Capelle. I have full confidence in where things are headed.
What does retirement actually look like for me? A bit more time with family, a bit more time on the things I never quite got around to, and probably a bit less time in airports — though knowing me, not as little as I should. I will not disappear completely either: I plan to keep doing some freelance work for Willert and/or SoWi, and I will absolutely show up at meetings and events whenever I can. So this is not really goodbye — more like “see you around, in a different chair.”
A few practical things:
- My SoWi email will work until at least the end of the year
- My German phone number stays active as well
- I still have access to Teams and parts of the SoWi IT, so do not hesitate to reach out
For anything more personal, or for after the SoWi address goes quiet:
- Private email: walter at vanderheiden dot org
- Private phone: +31 6 19 09 59 55
Thank you — all of you — for 25 unforgettable years. I will miss you more than I can put on this BLOG
Warmly,
Walter
