Cor's professional journey began with an eight-month stint as a construction worker, followed by a decades-long career in offshore oil and gas. His first role in the energy industry was at Schlumberger where he spent 24 years working his way up from operator to technician, specialist, and eventually foreman.
This was followed by a complete change of industries as he spent the next four years working as part of a special response team, helping with the management of prison incidents. “It was an exciting job and every day brought something different,” he grins. “The camaraderie was incredible, and there's really nothing that compares to the feeling of heading into the unknown, fully equipped, and knowing you'll need to make split-second decisions.”
He then transitioned to another company where he worked in logistics and as a technical specialist in explosive materials in North Africa and Europe. "Working with explosives was something special, I traveled all over the world and visited the factories where they make the charges. It was highly specialized work with a meticulous quality control process". His experience transporting dangerous goods globally laid the foundation for his deep understanding of complex logistics operations.
Cor started working for Strohm a decade ago, drawn in by the company's ambitious plans to innovate the subsea industry. What he values most about his current work is the autonomy. “We are granted a lot of freedom to take initiative,” he says. “But if you have freedom, you must also be able to cope with it. What energizes me more than anything is the fast-paced nature of the job, having to sort out all the documents and logistics for a quick delivery and managing it in time brings such a great feeling of accomplishment.”
Sea freight operations hold equal appeal, though for different reasons. "It takes months to arrange, and to bring all the different sides together. That's what I like". The complexity of managing multiple moving parts across international borders is where his decades of experience truly shine.
One of his favorite memories at Strohm was working with the Field Service Group in India. “It was all new and exciting to me as I haven't worked in pipe completion before. Being abroad, with only one job to do and to focus on was great, it felt peaceful,” he explains.
Cor is planning to retire in November, the same month when he celebrates his ten year anniversary at Strohm. Retirement, however, comes with its own adventures. He and his friend Den are set to take on the Amsterdam Dakar Challenge.
Driving under the team name CorandDen , they'll embark on a three-week charity rally covering 7,000 kilometers from the Netherlands to Dakar, Senegal. "It's not about speed, it's about ending up there in good health. You and the car, hopefully" he laughs.
The route will take them through Gibraltar, across to Morocco, through Mauritania, navigating sand and beaches in a two-wheel-drive vehicle.
Participants at the event buy and upgrade their own cars which are driven to the destination and auctioned off, with all the profits going to local charities in Senegal. Previous editions have funded a girls' school and brought solar panels to a remote village. “I like that the money goes to smaller local charities that can make a bigger impact in their local communities,” Cor explains. "There's a sense of pride as you see something meaningful coming out of your work. We got a drone to document the entire adventure, and we'll show the journey on YouTube and TikTok. Everybody who supported us will be in the pictures. It's really exciting!". Cor is already securing company sponsors and also welcomes donations from friends and colleagues.
After three weeks of desert driving, he'll fly back to the Netherlands, pack up, and move to Valencia, Spain. "I want sun every day. I want a swimming pool" he says with a grin. "A little village off the coast. I can see myself sitting with the locals, having coffee, playing cards. Then go to the harbour, pick up my boat...just have a relaxed life".
It's a fitting next chapter for someone who's spent decades coordinating complex movements across continents.