SKIM celebrates 45 years of innovation and growth: From start-up to global powerhouse

ROTTERDAM – September 23, 2024

This year marks a significant milestone for SKIM as it celebrates 45 years of pioneering work in the field of elevating pricing, innovation and communication strategies. What began as an insights agency in the home of founder and chairman, Dirk Huisman, has grown into a global consultancy that partners with the world’s most influential companies.

Founded in 1979, SKIM started as a small, data-focused company rooted in advanced analytics. Dirk’s vision was clear: to help businesses create better strategies by understanding human choices and behavioral change. Over the years, SKIM has evolved from its technical roots and grown into a trusted partner for decision makers at leading companies worldwide.

The journey from home start-up to global powerhouse is a testament to SKIM’s ability to stay ahead of the curve – anticipating market trends, adapting to changing needs and constantly innovating. The company has consistently been at the forefront of industry trends, adapting its services to meet the evolving needs of clients. It is with this transformational mindset that SKIM anticipates the next 45 years, according to co-CEO, Joris Huisman:

“While we don’t claim to predict the future, we do strongly believe that data will be democratized in organizations and mined by specialist teams as and when they need it for decision-making. These teams will include experts from various fields like revenue management, user experience and sustainability, rather than insights experts as they operate today. These teams need greater certainty in decision-making to elevate their marketing strategies, to survive, and to succeed. It’s our goal to help them realize that ambition.”

Alongside SKIM’s strategic and entrepreneurial spirit, its highly collaborative and inclusive culture has been a key factor in its sustained growth and success for almost five decades. But culture is not just about values; it’s about ways of working, as co-CEO, Karin Lieshout explains:

“At SKIM, everyone has a voice, from junior staff to senior leaders, and we value the unique strengths, skills and expertise that each person brings. This collaborative spirit extends to client relationships. We work as one team with our clients, prioritizing their challenges and understanding their needs to create tailored solutions that address specific business goals and identify relevant opportunities. This partnership approach has succeeded through open dialogue and mutual trust.”

SKIM has taken pride in navigating complex business challenges to provide guidance on the strategic and tactical questions of stakeholders. As these questions change in the future, so too will SKIM’s areas of expertise, just as it has in previous decades, according to Joris Huisman:

“Expertise has always underpinned what we do at SKIM. We started as methodological experts, then market experts and today we add value as business experts too. By combining these areas of expertise, we can support companies looking to elevate their marketing strategies with greater precision and certainty.”

As SKIM celebrates this milestone, its leaders have expressed a deep gratitude to clients and colleagues for their trust over four and a half decades, as Karin Lieshout, concludes:

“Our success is built on the strong relationships we’ve cultivated over the years, and we value that loyalty and partnership above all else. We are equally thankful for our team, whose expertise, passion and critical thinking help drive our growth.”

Eagle-eyed readers might spot the evolution of SKIM’s branding in line with this milestone year. It’s not the first time the company has repositioned its offering to meet the needs of clients or redesigned its visual branding to showcase its evolving focus.

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