HOBOKEN, N.J. & ROTTERDAM, Netherlands--(BUSINESS WIRE)--SKIM, the global decision behavior experts, has appointed two new leaders for global marketing and human resources, reinforcing SKIM’s commitment to growth both internally and externally. Both executives will report into Karin Lieshout, Managing Director of SKIM, who oversees commercial, marketing and human resources functions.
Shining a brighter spotlight on SKIM thought leadership
Nicole Gardere was named Vice President, Global Marketing, and is based in our Hoboken, NJ office. In this role, Nicole will be responsible for the company’s overall marketing strategy, building on the strong reputation the agency has built with leading companies worldwide over the past few decades.
Nicole joins SKIM with more than 15 years of marketing and communications experience. Over the course of her career, she’s held various digital marketing, PR, events and internal communications roles with B2B and consumer brands ranging from IBM, T-Mobile, Fujifilm, Panasonic, and BD (Becton Dickinson). Most recently, she led content and social media strategy for Panasonic B2B mobility products.
“I’m thrilled Nicole has joined the global marketing team!” said Karin Lieshout, Managing Director, SKIM. “Her diverse content and marketing background, coupled with her passion for collaboration, makes her the perfect person to take on this critical role. I’m confident her leadership will help SKIM propel our next phase of innovation and growth.”
“I was immediately impressed with SKIM’s caliber of clients and innovative approach to market research,” commented Nicole. “SKIMmers have amassed a wealth of marketing and industry expertise and I look forward to sharing our thought leadership with marketing professionals around the world.”
Nicole holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Boston University. She resides in Jersey City, NJ with her husband and two daughters.
Preserving SKIM’s unique culture, while enabling global growth
Marjolyn Oudakker, was named Vice President, Global Human Resources Management, and is based in our Rotterdam, Netherlands office. As a senior, multilingual HR professional, Marjolyn will be responsible for driving the company’s people strategy, including recruitment, talent, development, and performance strategies for 150+ SKIMmers across 10 offices worldwide.
Marjolyn brings deep change management expertise to SKIM, having led talent management initiatives for leading international and fast-growth companies in London and Europe over the past decade. Previously, Marjolyn was a lecturer in human resources for post-graduate students in business management studies. She also is a frequent presenter at global HR conferences on topics ranging from talent management to employee engagement.
“Marjolyn is the ideal HR leader to join the company during this growth phase: she is passionate and strategic, while also being very hands on, plus she has a great sense of humor!” said Karin. “Her ability to connect with people across functions, levels and diverse cultures will be invaluable as we expand globally.”
When asked why she joined SKIM, Marjolyn responded: “This role is like a dream job for me: a small-to-medium sized business with global reach, impressive growth plans, a refreshing approach to its people values, combined with a flexible culture that appreciates life beyond work. I’m able to work 32 hours, so I can spend Wednesday and Friday afternoons with my daughter - how could I say no!” She added, “I’m excited about helping SKIM innovate and grow, whilst preserving the true DNA and values of who SKIM is.”
Marjolyn speaks four languages and holds a master’s degree in strategic human resource management from Nottingham Business School. She resides in The Hague with her daughter.
About SKIM
SKIM people are research heavyweights specialized in customer decision behavior. Bridging the rational and emotional, we partner with leading companies to understand and influence the customer journey across all channels. Clients trust us for our critical, whole-brained smarts – we convert tough business questions into easy-to-grasp reporting and actionable answers.
We are a refreshingly human customer insights agency with offices in Europe, the US, Latin America, and Asia. Call us chic geeks, we love what we do and it’s infectious. Committed to our fanalytical roots, team SKIM is constantly evolving, inventing and innovating to help companies perform better. www.skimgroup.com
