Robert Huijgen is a lover of home automation. At home, the curtains open and close automatically. But he does not only automate at home. He also builds and 'repairs' the most beautiful systems in the financial departments of multinationals, so that everything runs smoothly.

Since one year Robert is part of Bart & Partners. Time to put a spotlight on our colleague. How did he end up in the EPM world? What does he find attractive about the profession? And how do you actually like it at Bart & Partners?

How did you come into contact with EPM?

That's a long but simple story. I studied Technical Information, after which I started working as a network and systems administrator. After a number of companies, I eventually ended up at EY. They had acquired an EPM company a year earlier: Partake. And that's how I was introduced to EPM in 2013.

And since then you have remained in the EPM?

Yes, from then on I got "stuck" in the EPM world.

So what attracted you so much to EPM?

It wasn't so much EPM that attracted me, honestly, but the collaboration with colleagues. For example, I spent some time at Akzo Nobel, an EY client. And there I worked very well with people like Bart van Velzen, Martijn Nauta and Marco Vissers. It's no coincidence that they are my colleagues again.

Working together with colleagues and customers on solutions is still the most enjoyable aspect of the profession for me. In EPM, you work towards common goals. Everyone has his or her own expertise, but together you arrive at the best solutions. It's not just about your own part of the work, but about reaching the goal together.

To work nicely together, you do depend on others. Is that one of the reasons you're at Bart & Partners now?

Absolutely. What the people at Bart & Partners have in common is that they are interested, helpful and collegial. They don't need to prove themselves so much; they just want to do a good job.

Bart is very good at bringing people together. He knows exactly how to put people with the same mentality together . That makes for a pleasant working atmosphere. Everyone feels good with the group.

You've been at Bart & Partners for about a year now and seem to be having a pretty good time. What makes it so much fun at Bart & Partners?

Here there is a lot of attention to people. You are not obliged to do anything, at Bart & Partners you are always asked if you want to do something. You are listened to and if you want to do something else, that is also discussed. Here it's all about the people, not about numbers or targets. That makes the work much nicer. Enjoying your work is important here. At other companies I have sometimes experienced that differently.

What are you currently working on?

I am currently mostly working with support customers and troubleshooting problems and questions. It's a lot of switching between customers, but that's what makes it fun.

My colleague Bianca mainly does the technical side, such as installing, upgrading and maintaining software; she is also the driving force behind the PMO. I do more of the content support, such as troubleshooting problems in the applications and integrations between different systems.

Last question, a little different: what do you like to do in your free time?

I enjoy riding motorcycles and I like to walk with the two dogs we adopted from Spain. At home I automate many things, such as automatically opening and closing curtains, controlling heating and lighting. When mail arrives in the mailbox I get a notification on my phone that there is mail. It's technical and creative and feels a bit like a puzzle, but without the pressure of customers, haha.