This year, two colleagues are celebrating special anniversaries at IMAGEM: Niels van de Graaf, Government Market Manager, has been with us for 10 years, and Syreetha Bredewout, Operations Specialist and jack-of-all-trades, has been with the company for 5 years. This is a great opportunity to reflect on their work, their growth, and, above all, the people behind these roles.
For this double interview, we opted for a personal approach. No standard questions, but ones that reveal who these colleagues really are: their first days on the job, favorite memories, daily rituals, guilty pleasures, power songs, and even which movie they’d play each other in. The result is a lively portrait of two colleagues who have been making a valuable contribution to IMAGEM for years, and who bring that little bit of extra joy and energy to the office and the colleagues around them.
Can you introduce each other?
Niels describes Syreetha as “our ray of sunshine at IMAGEM.” Whether it’s events, get-togethers, or the Christmas party, she makes sure everything is organized down to the last detail—and that there’s always something tasty on hand. People simply light up as soon as they see her.
Syreetha’s words about Niels are just as warm. She highlights his extensive experience in the industry and in sales, as well as his role as a team builder. According to her, his presence, sense of humor, and friendly nature create a warm atmosphere—a quality that makes working with him special.
You’re celebrating an anniversary together: how did you two meet?
Syreetha began her journey at IMAGEM the COVID-19 pandemic. With face masks on and no real chance to get to know each other properly, it was a somewhat surreal start. “We could only exchange a quick greeting and get right to work,” she says. Fortunately, an opportunity to break the ice came quickly: that very same day, she found herself holding a drink. “That immediately felt like a warm welcome.”
For Niels, that first encounter was very different, but just as memorable. He walked into the ACEC building, which at the time housed a small team: Wouter, Arjen, and the marketing department. Before long, lively discussions and brainstorming sessions began about how things could be done better and more efficiently at IMAGEM. “I came from the world of large corporations and knowledge technology, but I really wanted to experience what it’s like to make a real contribution to growth and development at a smaller company. That challenge appealed to me enormously.” His start coincided with the launch of a groundbreaking innovation: M.App Enterprise. “It was a combination of BI and GEO, and actually the first time a technology was launched that linked dynamic and interactive maps to BI information. That made quite an impression, even outside of IMAGEM.”
What is your favorite shared memory from the office?
It’s hard for Syreetha to choose. “Actually, every day is a gift,” she says with a smile. Still, there are moments that stand out as especially special. Like the Christmas celebrations at the office. “When Niels isn’t there, you notice it right away. He’s a real life of the party.”
They also appeared together on camera for a welcome video for new colleagues. It was an experience that, in addition to being professional, was above all a lot of fun. Then there are those unexpected personal conversations—the moments when work takes a back seat. “Those conversations are valuable, especially since we don’t see each other every day. Niels is often on the road, so I really cherish those moments.”
And then there’s that one memory neither of them will ever forget: Niels’s impromptu performance as Darth Vader. A deep voice suddenly came from inside a trash can: “Hello, Syreetha.” It sparked a fit of laughter that people talked about for days afterward.
What little ritual or habit makes your day a little brighter?
Sometimes it’s the little things that make a workday just that little bit more enjoyable. For both Syreetha and Niels, the day always starts with a greeting. “I always greet my coworkers first,” says Syreetha. “When I see them, it instantly makes me happy.” Niels nods: “I say hello to everyone.” It may sound simple, but it’s precisely that personal touch that gives the day a positive start.
Still, they each have their own quirks. Niels, for example, has a very specific end-of-day ritual: “I clean the coffee machine every day.” To which Syreetha replies with a laugh: “Well, hello, I do that too!” Immediately, a lighthearted discussion ensues: who actually empties the dishwasher on Mondays? (Answer: practically no one.)
Niels also has another ritual. For years, he would walk into Arjen’s office with a cheerful “Buongiorno, come stai?”, a little Italian moment before the workday began. In recent months, they’ve switched to German, since Arjen is now studying German, which adds some variety and is just as much fun.
An anniversary is also a time to look back: what have you learned over the years that you’ll always carry with you?
Syreetha says that her differences from most of her colleagues have taught her a lot. “It hasn’t just taught me a lot about our work at IMAGEM, but also about how my colleagues approach life and view things. That has shaped me into who I am today.” She always felt supported, even though she knew very little about the industry at first. “There was always patience, and the attitude that if you don’t know something, we’ll teach you. That allowed me to grow, both professionally and personally. What I learn here, I take home with me. It has broadened my outlook on life and pushed me out of my comfort zone. I now know that things can be different, and that you can achieve more than you think.”
Niels can relate to that. For him, learning is all about intellectual challenge and pushing yourself to match the standards of others. He thinks back to a previous employer, Everest, where that feeling was very much present. “I was constantly challenged there, and I loved it. I experience the same thing here: it stimulates me, keeps me on my toes, and helps me grow.”
Do you have a guilty pleasure at the office?
Syreetha doesn’t have to think long about it. “I can’t think of anything off the top of my head.” Niels, on the other hand, does have a few. “Sometimes I come across little things at the office that might not quite meet ISO 27001 standards,” he says with a grin. “Then I take a picture of it and send it to Peter. It’s just silly, but it’s become a sort of running joke.”
He also has another “little pleasure”: challenging his colleagues during meetings. “I like to spice up a conversation by making a certain remark. Or by teasing someone a little. It gets people thinking and often brings a smile to their faces. But never in a mean way, mind you,” he quickly adds.
What’s your ultimate “power song” for getting into the right groove?
Syreetha and Niels agree: music can make or break their day. “I definitely have a thing for music,” says Syreetha. “But what I listen to depends entirely on my mood. It can go in any direction. Right now, for example, I really enjoy listening to Daxlin Veylo, a relatively unknown singer who I think is really cool.”
Niels nods: “I totally get what you’re saying. My music depends on my mood, too. Sometimes tear-jerking country songs that make you want to cry your eyes out, and sometimes hard-hitting rap—like from an amazing new rapper, NF—Nate, to get the adrenaline pumping. Before an important client meeting, I used to put on‘Eye of the Tiger’every now and then, just to get myself in the right mood.”
Niels spontaneously adds a question: “What was the last song you listened to on Spotify?”
For Syreetha, that was Goldford, while Niels was checking out the Hackensaw Boys. They have a Spotify playlist featuring all the artists from the Ramblin’ Roots Festival at Tivoli Vredenburg, so they can choose from about 30 acts. Niels listens and laughs: “The banjo plays cheerfully, then suddenly goes quiet, and then suddenly ‘I wanna kiss you down there.’ Hilarious! So? Are you going to see the Hackensaw Boys too? Definitely!”
Suppose you were to star in a movie together: what genre would it be?
Both immediately picture a romantic comedy: a lighthearted rom-com where sparks fly in the office, but it’s actually “off-limits” because Syreetha is about to get married. The story is full of charm, humor, and subtle tension—exactly what a good office romance should be.
But their imagination doesn’t stop there. Syreetha, always caring, would be perfect for a Western, while Niels plays the tough cowboy on horseback. Or it could be an action or science fiction movie, like a “Bad Boys”-style adventure or a thriller à la Taken. Syreetha gets kidnapped and Niels is the one who rescues her, complete with his favorite Liam Neeson line: “I have a particular set of skills… I will hunt you down, find you, and kill you.”
What advice would you give to a new colleague?
For Syreetha, it’s simple: “If there’s anything, feel free to drop by—my door is always open.” Niels adds: “Exactly—there’s always someone here to bounce ideas off of. There isn’t really one tip that covers everything, but I always say: you’re part of a fun, small company full of potential and innovation. If you run into any issues, just ask.”
The field they work in—GEO—is complex and takes time to fully master. “Take your time,” Niels emphasizes. “You won’t know everything within a year; it’ll take two to three years. Accept that you can’t know everything at once.” And even after thirty years of experience, the field still challenges him. “Even I still can’t fully explain the GIS field in five minutes.”
Where do you see yourself in the coming years—here with us or elsewhere?
“I foresee healthy, steady growth for IMAGEM, particularly in terms of innovating the solutions we provide. My dream is that we’ll truly offer the government the information systems that accelerate and improve their processes,” Niels says with great ambition.
Syreetha wholeheartedly agrees, but also emphasizes the joy of the work itself: “For me, it’s mainly about having a good time with my colleagues. I’m happy with what I do and satisfied with the role I have. I’ve created my ideal job myself. Things are just right the way they are now. I want to get better at what I’m doing, and the great thing is that my tasks are never the same—there’s no routine; every day is different.”
Do you have any fun facts that nobody at the office knows about?
They both laugh when they answer this: they’re basically an open book. So no surprises there.
If you could come up with your own office tradition, what would it be?
Syreetha sees a great opportunity for more time spent together: “I think having dinner together every month would be wonderful. It’s nice when we’re all together, breaking out of the routine for a bit and just enjoying each other’s company. The Monday get-together is already fun, but having dinner with colleagues from your local area really makes it complete.”
Niels agrees and adds an important point: “We don’t have enough IMAGEM. It would be good to do things together more often—for the sake of cohesion, camaraderie, and team building. It really reinforces the feeling that we’re a team.”
