The first 100 days of TOPIC’s new CEO Ronald van Gerwen

Ronald van Gerwen has been CEO of TOPIC Embedded Systems for well over 100 days. How has he experienced this initial period? And what are his plans for the Brainport based technology company and its talented engineers? “We have a lot to be excited about.”

It was just before he left for a holiday that Ronald received a call from TOPIC: would he consider taking on the role of CEO? At the time, Ronald was CEO of a Dutch engineering company and open to new opportunities. After meeting then-CEO Rieny Rijnen, Ronald received a call back the same afternoon. “Rieny said he had a good feeling about me. I felt the same—I was excited about the road ahead. But Rieny had one condition: he wanted things settled before the end of the following week. So, the next Monday, I flew home for the day to meet the management team. We had great conversations, and within 24 hours, I was back drinking sangria at the beach, telling my wife I probably had a new job.”

Meeting the Team

In the fall of 2024, Ronald began as COO, working alongside Rieny to get to know the company. On January 1st, he officially stepped into the role of CEO. “I found it incredibly important to get to know every employee at TOPIC—that meant 140 meetings! It was fantastic to hear all the stories and recognize the similarities among colleagues. The number of people who enjoy tinkering with motherboards, software and electronics in their free time is remarkable; our team has a lot in common.”

Ronald feels a special sense of responsibility for the company’s international colleagues. “Many of them have come from far away, leaving behind their family and friends. That’s a big step. I consider it my personal responsibility to ensure they also feel at home here and have a positive experience.”

Creating a Clear Picture

In the interviews, the management shared their goal for extensive growth. Now, after six months with the company, Ronald has a clear vision of how to achieve that. “We’re in an industry where size matters. There’s a lot of market consolidation happening, and to align effectively with large international customers, we also need to scale up.”

The first step toward reaching that goal is offering the ultimate career path for employees. “To some, this might sound surprising, but I genuinely believe that growth begins with the people we already have onboard. When we provide them with ample opportunity, they’re more likely to stay, grow, and create space for new talent. Combine that with exciting high-tech projects, and we’ve got a golden mix.” The HR team has already begun designing those career paths and recently introduced a special personal development program to support our employees.

Another key focus is maintaining the cultural fabric while scaling. Ronald explains, “Our core value—‘family’—is truly embedded in the company. But how do we preserve that sense of connection when we’re twice the size? I firmly believe that feeling connected, having a sense of belonging, and the freedom to speak up when necessary are essential to building a successful company. We’re currently working on an organizational plan to keep our culture strong as we grow.”

A third area of focus is refining TOPIC’s proposition. “When I ask three colleagues what sets us apart as a company, I get three different answers. I think having a crystal-clear proposition will really help us to stand out even more. We’re working on that right now. From there, we can increase our visibility. There’s so much to be proud of—as developers, we sometimes think what we do is ‘normal,’ but our capabilities regarding embedded software, hardware and board development and the results we deliver for customers are incredibly impressive. When no one else can solve a technical issue, TOPIC can. That deserves to be in the spotlight.”

Many Opportunities Ahead

“We’re already doing very well as a company,” Ronald concludes. “My goal is to help us thrive even more. What excites me most is the abundance of opportunity ahead. I feel fortunate to have the Technology & Strategy Group as our parent company, with its technical expertise, extensive recruitment infrastructure and broad client base. I’m confident this partnership will help accelerate our growth. It’s a great honor to lead the TOPIC team, and I’m incredibly excited about the road ahead!”

Pictured: Ronald van Gerwen, CEO TOPIC Embedded Systems