While Heineken, a brand founded in Amsterdam about 150 years ago and known for its green packaging, swears by enjoyment as a value, working toward generating joy for consumers, he said, does not always yield pleasurable experiences.
"On one hand, I might be tough sometimes, because our standards are pretty high and I want to be the best. On the other, there should be room for fun. So, the balance between 'working hard and jointly achieving a result' and 'relaxing and having a good laugh together', is the best balance for me."
His Heineken career graph includes eight years in Europe, and eight years in Africa. In all, he has over two decades of retail experience in various management-level positions across general management, marketing and sales in China, the United Kingdom and Ireland. In the past, he had worked with Nigerian Breweries Plc.
The Dutchman has been traveling since his childhood. He has lived in 14 cities around the world and worked in over 10 countries.
Now living with his wife and two children in Shanghai, he spends most of his spare time with his family. Van der Linden said he is learning the Chinese language in all earnestness and picking up knowledge about the local culture as well.
A sports lover, he likes running and playing tennis to keep fit, and is an occasional beer drinker. He regards drinking beer as part of a healthy lifestyle.
"I want to stay healthy so I drink beer, water, and a glass of wine now and then. Everything should be maintained at a moderate level, but a nice beer on a sunny day would be the best thing in the world."
