Vincent Smit joins Recycling International as Sales Manager

Vincent, what was your background prior to joining Recycling International?

Born in the Netherlands, I was university-educated in German language teaching, so officially I am a German language teacher. But after one year in front of school classes, I decided to expand my horizons and follow another path. I worked for five years in a retail position before heading to Bali, Indonesia. I worked at a UK company involved in the real estate business. I travelled extensively in South East Asia and Australia for sales and marketing. I returned to the Netherlands in 2006 and was active as a project manager for a media company which produced economic reports for both the Dutch and German markets.

What lies ahead for you at Recycling International?

I am currently teaming up with Jan Ypma as a Sales Manager and will take over his job at Recycling International in a few months. This means I will maintain present client relations but also investigate fresh opportunities to serve our readers and advertisers with new products - both in the magazine and through our on-line presence.

Why is the recycling market interesting to you?

Despite its traditional roots, recycling is the future and the recycling market is hot at the moment. There are many new developments, both market-wise and from a technical perspective, which makes this sector both inspiring and innovative. And it will stay this way, so together with Recycling International’s editorial team I am dedicating myself to exploring new possibilities.
The challenge for me is to become knowledgeable about the market in the relatively short term, and of course I hope to be a valuable bridging asset between Recycling International and its extensive global advertiser base.  

You have been working for some time at Recycling International. What have been your early impressions?

My first experiences have been extremely positive. Recycling International consists of a small, global and very professional team - that’s what I like. I have found a place without many layers of hierarchy; I like quick and direct lines of communication. Contrary to many other trade journals I know, Recycling International is a magazine with a great appearance and strong standing in its specific market.
It’s quite exciting to work in a small team and to discover different ways of working, and I am really looking forward to contributing to Recycling International’s success.

And how do you expect to make that contribution to Recycling International and its advertisers?

I think my advantage is that I come from a media business which I assisted in its commercial development, so that’s not new for me. Regarding business development, one example is my knowledge of digital advertising. The Recycling International website has been created to interest companies and organisations in advertising and broadcasting their profile to a specific recycling public. We need to maintain or expand our on-line presence such that it delivers quality and is easy to find.
Another simple contribution I can make is that I’m ‘fresh blood’ and can look at things in a different way to help uncover fresh opportunities.

How about your life outside work?

I am an avid sportsman. For many years, I have played korfball - a local Dutch sport - as a player and as the coach of a youth team. Apart from that, I do training three times a week to keep myself fit and for relaxation. Furthermore, I like the movies and music.

How and where can people get in touch with you?

For the rest of the year, I will join Jan Ypma at all the major recycling gatherings, such as congresses and exhibitions. I am looking forward to attending the BIR Convention in Munich and Pollutec in Paris - as well as several other industry events both in Europe and beyond.
There will be plenty of possibilities to link up with readers and advertisers, and perhaps to share a glass of good wine with them, I guess. I’m really happy to be in a position to be making contact with people and companies in the industry. But for anyone wanting to get in touch with me, the easiest way is to phone me on +31 6 11 773 929 or to email me at vincent@recyclinginternational.com