On November 1, Auke Dirkmaat will start as CCO of Hyarchis and join the Executive Board. The former Head of Sales at Ockto has a wealth of experience in banking, insurance, and mortgage. In addition, Hyarchis has a leadership role in regulatory compliance in the financial world, so we interviewed Auke about his knowledge and experience before starting his new position.
Auke, in a nutshell
Auke Dirkmaat is married, has two children, and, at the time of interviewing, is Head of Sales at Ockto. Of course, as a sales expert, we didn’t expect anything else, but Auke almost breathlessly explained his background. “For the past twenty years, I have worked in sales positions, especially in the financial world. It all started at DSB Bank, then Allianz came along, and now I have just finished my period at Ockto.”
Head of Sales at Ockto
The name Ockto rings a bell. It’s an app that allows you to quickly and securely share your data. For example, you are applying for a mortgage and need to send income, pension, and asset information. Of course, you can do this through the mail or the old-fashioned post, but that takes a lot more time and could be more secure.
Ockto has grown a lot in recent years, and that’s where Auke comes in: “When I started talking to Ockto, they were still in the startup phase. The focus was mostly on the mortgage market, with outdated hourly-billing revenue models. Ockto has grown into a major player in my years there, with over 40 people working to conquer the market.”
Under Auke’s supervision, several milestones have been achieved in recent years. “At the time, I presented a plan to the CEO of Ockto and was then given the opportunity as Head of Sales to build a sales team and make the offering scalable. I thoroughly enjoyed pioneering in this industry and can’t wait to bring all my knowledge and experience to Hyarchis.”
International expansion
The arrival of Auke marks the beginning of a new period at Hyarchis, and a three-member board will represent the organization. For Auke, there is a considerable task to double the team within a year and increase the annual growth rate by 30%. “For me, the emphasis is on building a successful sales organization, where I will focus on expanding existing markets but also on international expansion. Hyarchis is a wonderful organization with a stable foundation and motivated people, so I’m excited for what’s to come.”
