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Who are the people behind ARV Group? In this series, ‘In conversation with …’, colleagues talk about their roles, motivations, and contributions to improving supply chain and operations in the manufacturing industry. This time, we speak with Angelique Bovee (manager and senior consultant) and Peter Hunse (senior consultant) of ARV Consulting about what appeals to them about the consultancy profession and their vision on large-scale ERP projects.
1. How did you end up at ARV Group?
Angelique: “After completing my degree in Food Technology in Wageningen, I started at TNO, where I led several teams and worked on projects related to food quality and safety. During my studies, I met Jeroen Verheijen, founder of ARV Group. In 2002, he asked me if I would help strengthen ARV Group’s position in the food industry and further professionalize the company. That seemed like a great challenge to me and it turned out to be exactly that.”
Peter: “I’m a chemical technologist by background. After graduating, I held various line management positions in the chemical industry, including production manager and logistics manager. Through a former fellow student, I got in touch with Jeroen. One conversation led to another… and before I knew it, I was sitting at the table with ARV Group. The rest is history. I still enjoy working there tremendously.”
2. Why did you choose to commit to ARV Group?
Angelique: “The consultancy profession immediately appealed to me, as did the move from a large organization to a smaller firm. The pioneering aspect, helping to build something that was still very much developing, gave me energy. I was able to combine consultancy work with a role within the firm itself. That mix suited me perfectly.”
Peter: “I really came from the client side. Consultancy was new to me. But at ARV Group, I was given trust: ‘Just go for it.’ That trust felt right, so I dove in. What appealed to me straight away was that we don’t stand on the sidelines. When we work with a client, we truly become part of the operation. No visitor badge around our necks, but wearing the company jacket. We become part of the team. People quickly see us as colleagues rather than consultants. And that’s exactly what makes this profession so rewarding. And yes, in the early days, it was really about building and professionalizing together. By now, we’ve grown into a strong firm with fantastic clients. Something to be proud of.”
3. What connects you as consultants at ARV Group?
Angelique: “We started almost at the same time and both have extensive experience with large-scale ERP transformations. From preparation to implementation and optimization. Such programs often have multiple phases and evolve step by step. We don’t just look at the system itself, but at the bigger picture: organization, processes, systems, and people. That means you work closely with everyone in the organization. From board and management to the shop floor, and from strategy to day-to-day operations.”
Peter: “We are essentially the connectors. Between data, software, processes, and people. Between the executive team, IT, suppliers, and the rest of the organization. In an ERP program, it ultimately comes down to support, commitment, and ownership. After all, it’s the people who have to work with it. Implementing a new ERP system is really like open-heart surgery. While you’re ‘operating,’ the business still has to stay ‘alive.’ That requires knowledge, experience, and above all, stamina. And that’s what we bring.”
4. Tell us something about each other.
Angelique about Peter:
“Peter is a great colleague: always enthusiastic and positive. He’s a true perseverer and knows how to achieve results, even when there’s resistance. And let’s be honest: change always brings resistance. Guiding people through such a process is essential, and that’s exactly where he excels. With his background, he also brings a great deal of technological expertise, especially in production optimization.”
Peter about Angelique:
“What Angelique says about me also applies to her. She’s great to work with, driven, persistent, and not easily discouraged. With clients, she truly becomes part of the team. She feels responsible and does what needs to be done. On top of that, she’s knowledgeable, experienced, and a real people person.”
5. What does the future of ARV Group look like?
Angelique: “What I see is that organizations are increasingly struggling with growing complexity. More locations, more systems, more data and more pressure to work faster and smarter. The question is no longer just: how do we set up one factory properly? But rather: how do we ensure everything works together seamlessly? With our different labels, we have everything under one roof to address that effectively. And precisely because we do it together as ARV Group, we can truly help clients move forward, across the full breadth of their operations.”
Peter:“We originally started with a strong focus on operations and gradually expanded toward supply chain. That aligns perfectly with what Angelique says: organizations are looking for clarity and coherence in growing complexity. You can clearly see that companies need a partner who understands the bigger picture and helps connect all the pieces. And that’s exactly where we excel. I look to the future with great confidence.”
“Implementing a new ERP system is really like open-heart surgery. And for that, you need knowledge, experience and perseverance.”