A double step forward for Nétive VMS: the company has welcomed Fortino Capital as a growth partner and appointed Mikael Lindmark as its new CEO. “We’ve got big plans,” says Lindmark. “We’re targeting markets where VMS technology is already mature, such as the US. But many other countries are ready for our solution, too.”
Nétive VMS is joining forces with Fortino Capital, a Dutch-Belgian investment firm. At the same time, Mikael Lindmark, formerly of SAP Fieldglass, takes on the role of CEO. A conversation with co-founder Patrick Tiessen (left in the photo) and new CEO Mikael Lindmark (right).
Patrick: “Nétive has grown rapidly – which is fantastic, of course – but it also brings new challenges. We’ve always been fully privately funded, which made us both creative and agile. Now we’re entering a new phase: we want to expand into countries like the United States and accelerate our growth in markets where we’re already strong, like the UK. With a team of 80 people, we’ve come a long way – but it’s time for the next step.”
“I’m taking a seat on the board and will focus on the strategic direction of the company. I’m stepping back from day-to-day operations, but as a shareholder – together with my business partner Chris Neddermeijer – I’ll remain closely involved. The new board includes seasoned professionals from the staffing industry, including Mikael.”
“When we started looking for an investment partner, we spoke with many different parties. But we quite quickly realised that Fortino was the right fit.
We ruled out staffing companies, no matter how strong they were – maintaining our independence was non-negotiable. Fortino stood out. Not just for their focus on SaaS and international growth, but also for something less tangible: the feeling.
They understood who we are and what we value. Our company culture is our strength – it’s why people want to work with us and stay. Fortino recognised that right away. They speak our language, share our values and vision for the future. Everything just clicked.
A key figure in that process was Mikael Lindmark, who advised Fortino during the talks. With his experience and international perspective, we’re confident he can guide Nétive into its next chapter.”
Mikael Lindmark brings over 20 years of experience in Vendor Management Systems (VMS) and workforce management. He previously held senior commercial leadership roles at SAP Fieldglass.
“I’ve worked in all kinds of organisations, and one thing I’ve learned is what truly makes a company strong: a culture that puts people first. Where you feel seen and valued – whether you’re a customer, an employee or a partner. That people-first mindset is something I saw in both Nétive and Fortino.
What also makes Fortino special is that its founders were entrepreneurs themselves. They’ve run companies from the inside – and you notice that in everything. That’s not something you often see in the private equity and venture capital world.
But perhaps most importantly, our values align perfectly. Yes, they want to grow – but just as important to them is doing what’s right.”
“In my experience, growth is always positive – as long as it’s well managed. A growing business gives people the opportunity to develop and discover new roles. I love seeing someone flourish from junior to fully-fledged professional.
That’s why in my first month at Nétive, I plan to have as many one-on-one conversations as possible – to really understand where people are, what they aspire to, and what they need to grow.”
“The UK is already an important market for us, but we haven’t yet tapped into its full potential. The market is three times the size of the Dutch market – so there’s plenty of room for growth.
The US is also particularly exciting. Globally, you see some established VMS players becoming slow and inflexible. At the same time, new entrants are emerging, but they often lack functionality – and stability. That’s where Nétive has a strong advantage.
Because we started in Europe, we had to develop complex functionality from the start – like advanced rate and tenure management. Many of the newer US-based vendors haven’t reached that level yet. As a result, Nétive’s platform is surprisingly complete – giving us a strong competitive position.
What also helps is that we’re built on Salesforce – a US platform. That enables us to innovate quickly and benefit from Salesforce’s expertise, especially in AI. It makes us far more agile than many established players.”
“It’s a major move – and it has to be done right. I’ve worked for US companies expanding into Europe, and also helped European companies break into the US. I know how important it is to have the right network, local partners, and ideally a first client in place. You really need to understand how business works there.
“There are many, even within the US. But the biggest is the lack of regulation. There are no unions like here, no collective agreements. Labour laws vary significantly by state. Hiring and offboarding are handled completely differently.
As a result, US-based VMS platforms are much simpler and more transactional. There’s less focus on rates and compliance – it’s often just about who offers the best price.
That makes the US a relatively easy market to operate in – if you approach it well. And that means working with US-based teams. You can’t just send a Swede or a Dutch person over and expect them to win the market. You need a local team.”
“Absolutely! Take Statement of Work (SOW) for example. The VMS market is currently focused on contingent hiring, but the same organisations spend even more on outsourced work via SOW. That’s still largely untapped.”
“We’re mainly focusing on markets that are already familiar with this kind of technology – where VMS adoption is mature. We haven’t made any final decisions yet. We’re already active in Germany. Switzerland is an obvious next step. The Nordics are also mature markets. Outside Europe, we see opportunities in Australia, New Zealand and Japan. Yes, we’re ambitious.”
“I’ve been fortunate to work at some truly great organisations. Looking back, what stood out most was the power of a people-first culture. When you put people first, success tends to follow. If your only focus is on financial results, you’ll miss a lot. That culture was immediately clear to me at Nétive – and that was a big plus.”
“I’ve been away from VMS since 2019, and coming back, I’m surprised how little has changed. That actually makes it interesting – there’s room for fresh thinking and improvement.
I see many companies still not acknowledging the scale of their external workforce. That awareness just isn’t there yet. So there’s a huge amount of work to be done.”
“We’ve seen outsourcing and nearshoring accelerate. Major tech companies now have more staff in India than in the US. MSPs have opened offshore centres in Poland, Bulgaria and other Eastern European countries – purely due to availability and cost.
Now, new forces are driving this trend: an ageing population, and the growing scarcity of certain skills. This forces companies to think differently about work. Not in terms of job titles, but in terms of skills. Yet the technology isn’t always ready for that.
Take a Dutch company looking for a good machine learning engineer or data scientist. Whether you’re large or small – it’s tough to find them. Not because your company isn’t attractive, but because these professionals want to work where they can keep growing their expertise.
Often, you can still hire them for a project or via a consultancy. But bringing them on as permanent staff? That’s becoming harder and harder. And that’s a fundamental shift.”
“I was born and raised in Sweden, just outside Stockholm. I now live in London with my wife and our youngest daughter – the other four kids have moved out. We live near Heathrow, which is perfect since I travel a lot. I’m in the Netherlands almost every week, and once we’re active in the US, I’ll be there frequently too.
In my free time, I enjoy sports. I come from a sporty family – my mum played handball for the Swedish national team and my dad was always active. I play golf – just like Patrick, by the way. I even came close to becoming a professional golfer at one point.”
This interview is an in-depth extension of the blog found here.
