Customer experience and human-centred innovation strategy expert
Senior professional and strategic consultant specialised in customer insight and customer-centred innovation strategies.
- I work alongside management to develop products, services and experiences that better meet the needs of people (customers, internal users and stakeholders), by integrating customer research, design and business objectives.
- Over twenty years of experience in project management for Italian and multinational companies, grounded in customer insights, a human-centred design approach and behavioural sciences.
Former CEO of Experientia Srl, an international user research and service design consultancy.
Now independent consultant with 20+ years of experience.
Contact:
vanderbeeken@me.com
+39 333 194 9545
What I can do for your company
Identify new opportunities for improvement and innovation
by analysing the needs, behaviours and experiences of customers, users and employees
Define the requirements for new products and services
translating customer research findings into project proposals that foster long-term satisfaction and trust, while remaining aligned with corporate objectives
Verify the effectiveness of solutions prior to implementation
through user analysis, behavioural modelling and user testing, in close collaboration with internal business teams, to reduce the risk of ineffective investments
Methodologies, approaches and tools
Human-Centered Design and Strategy Development | Design Thinking | User Research & Behavioral Analysis | Customer Journey Mapping | Personas | Service Design | Co-Creation | Prototyping & Usability Testing | Data-Driven Platforms
My added value
Entrepreneurial experience and business vision
founded and lead a consulting firm, managed with full strategic, financial and organisational responsibility
International and cross-sector leadership
managed complex projects for multinational groups across diverse markets and business environments
Strategic and design-oriented approach
integrating research, behavioural analysis and the development of concrete solutions, aligning customer needs with business objectives
Clients, sectors and projects
Key clients
UniCredit, Intesa Sanpaolo | Samsung, Sony, Intel, Midea, 3M | Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone | CVA, Repower | Tarkett | Changan Automotive, Stellantis | Takeda, Roche
Areas of focus
Financial Services | Consumer Electronics & Technology | Telecommunications | Energy & Utilities | Industry & Building Materials | Automotive & Mobility | Healthcare & Pharma
Project examples and results
Since 2005, numerous projects and assignments for Fortune 500 clients. See examples below:
UNICREDIT [financial services]: Digital Customer Experience Innovation
Redesign of the ATM interface through customer research, prototyping and usability testing
→ solution implemented on over 6,000 ATMs, with transactions 33% faster, a 25% increase in non-UniCredit customers, and an error rate of less than 1%
INTESA SANPAOLO [financial services]: HR Digital Transformation
Support in defining the HR digital transformation strategy through the engagement of 105 internal stakeholders
→ identifying priorities and courses of action for the redesign of HR services, as part of a program involving over 80,000 employees
INTESA SANPAOLO [financial services]: Evolution of Consulting
Creation of behavioural models on how clients approach the management of their investments and expenses, based on 60 interviews
→ a new advisory model allowing Intesa Sanpaolo to become the first Italian bank to engage with clients in a way that addresses their actual aspirations, practices and needs
TARKETT [settore materiali per la costruzione]: Experience Transformation
Analysis, modelling (e.g. customer journey maps) and redesign of the customer experience in the interactions between a multinational industrial company specialising in flooring solutions and its various stakeholders (installers, architects, and end customers) across European, U.S. and Russian markets
→ identification of over 150 innovation opportunities and key priorities for the evolution of the Tarkett services
DEUTSCHE TELEKOM [telecommunications]: Customer Service Innovation
Research across five countries into new behaviours and needs related to home internet connectivity
→ redesigning online services for home Internet networks based on the value they bring to people’s lives
CVA ENERGIE [energy]: Improving and expanding the retail service
Reconceiving the retail user experience for a sustainable energy service
→ designing an integrated service offering capable of attracting customers from outside the company’s primary target region
DIRECT FERRIES [travel]: Improving the purchasing experience for passengers on Italian ferries
Analysis of the reasons behind the low conversion rate of Italian purchases on the international platform
→ interface changes enabled the company to achieve a rate comparable to that of other countries
CHANGAN AUTOMOTIVE [automotive]: European research project on the customer experience of electric vehicles
Studies conducted in Sweden, France, Germany and Italy regarding lifestyles and behaviour, aimed at helping the Chinese company better understand potential customers, develop superior products, and promote its brand more effectively
→ identifying innovation opportunities to support the company’s Design, Marketing and Innovation functions
MIDEA [HVAC]: Analysis of heat pump installer requirements
Interviews with heat pump installers in France, Germany and Italy to gather information on their practices and needs
→ complete redesign of support services for installers, which is the decisive factor for installers when choosing a particular brand
Professional experience, education and languages
2025-now | Independent strategic consultant [IT]
International customer insight, market research and innovation expert
2005-2004 | Experientia Srl [IT]
CEO & Senior Partner 2014-2024 | Founder & Senior Partner 2005-2014
2001-2005 | Interaction Design Institute Ivrea [IT]
Head of communications
1999-2001 | WWF International – European Freshwater Programme [DK]
Director of communications
1996-1999 | Gwathmey Siegel & Associates Architects [USA]
Head of Marketing
Other professional achievements
Business leadership: management of Experientia, an international consulting firm with a workforce of up to 30 people and a turnover of approximately €2.8 million
Business development: development and management of relationships with multinational clients, including Samsung, for whom Experientia has carried out over 35 strategic projects
Education
Cognitive Psychology
Master, Columbia University, New York, USA
Baccalaureate, KU Leuven, Belgium
Languages
Dutch (mother tongue) | English, Italian and French (advanced) | German (professional)