Welcome Rens van den Broek

At ghSMART, our success is powered by our people, and we are thrilled to introduce Rens van den Broek to our team. His remarkable experience, leadership acumen, and passion for driving meaningful change in organizations perfectly align with ghSMART’s mission to unlock leadership potential.

Let’s take a closer look at Rens’ impressive journey, what led him to join ghSMART, and how he’s gearing up to help our clients and their organizations thrive.

A Career Focused on Transforming Leaders and Cultures

With an extensive background that spans consulting at the highest level, Rens has spent most of his career at McKinsey, where he held various roles over the years, including serving as a partner. His focus throughout has been on tackling organizational challenges, particularly those centered around leadership, culture change, and people. But what makes his story even more compelling is the human-centered approach he brings to every challenge he takes on.

"I’ve always been passionate about helping leaders and leadership teams become more effective," Rens explains. "In my role at McKinsey, I dedicated myself to driving large-scale culture change, whether it was in the context of technology, media, telecom (TMT), or the public and social sectors. My goal is to help organizations set themselves up in a way that maximizes value and creates a positive experience for employees and customers."

It’s this balance of organizational effectiveness and employee well-being that has driven much of Rens’ career. He understands that leaders play a critical role in shaping workplace culture, and that a well-designed organization can help not only drive positive results for society but also ensure that employees thrive. His deep expertise in coaching and mentoring leaders has given him unique insights into how organizations can be structured for both success and sustainability.

His work in enhancing client experiences demonstrates his people-centered approach. At McKinsey, he focused on helping clients develop strategies to improve how customers engage with their products and services. By applying principles of human-centered design, he identified what matters most to customers, creating meaningful, impactful experiences aligned with their needs.

"In every challenge I’ve faced, it always comes down to people," he says. "When organizations succeed in aligning their structures and strategies with the people who lead and work within them, the results are transformative."

The Journey to ghSMART: A Deeper Focus on Leadership

So, what led Rens to ghSMART? After a rewarding and successful career at McKinsey, he found himself increasingly drawn to leadership advisory work—helping leaders not only grow their companies but also grow personally, as individuals and as mentors to others. This shift in focus led him to explore opportunities where he could dedicate more time to developing leaders on a deeper level.

"I loved my time at McKinsey, but I realized I wanted to spend even more of my time working closely with individual leaders—helping them become the best versions of themselves and in turn, helping them help others to do the same," he says. "ghSMART stood out as the best place to do that. The talent here, the work we do, and the clients we work with all allow for real impact at scale."

For Rens, joining ghSMART was an opportunity to refine and expand upon his life's work. His passion for helping leaders unlock their full potential found a natural home in ghSMART’s people-centered approach.

In addition to the firm's mission, Rens was drawn to the values of generosity, gratitude, and kindness that he saw exemplified in the ghSMART team. It was during his recruitment process that these values became most apparent, especially after meeting Geoff Smart, the founder and chairman of ghSMART.

"I met Geoff, and I was immediately inspired by his vision and energy," Rens shares. "It was clear to me that ghSMART is a place where leadership is taken seriously—not just for clients but within the firm itself. That combination of purpose, vision, and values made me realize this was where I wanted to be."

Passion for People, Culture, and Continuous Learning

When asked about his passions, both personal and professional, Rens speaks with enthusiasm about connecting with others on a deeper level. Whether it’s through his work or in his personal life, he finds fulfillment in truly understanding people’s stories and building meaningful relationships.

"At the core, my biggest passion is connecting with people on a deeper level. Whether it’s a client, a colleague, or someone in my personal life, I find that the most rewarding moments are when time disappears, and you’re really in sync with someone," he says.

Outside of work, Rens is an avid tennis player, a reader, and a writer currently working on a novel. His creative side doesn’t stop there—music is also an important part of his life, with Bob Marley being a personal hero.

In everything he does, whether it's consulting, mentoring, or writing, Rens approaches life with the same enthusiasm for understanding and helping others.

A Culture of Flexibility and Respect

One of the standout features of ghSMART that Rens has appreciated since joining the firm is the culture of work-life integration and intentionality. It’s an environment that empowers everyone to prioritize what matters most to them, while maintaining a high standard of professionalism and respect for each other’s time.

"What I love about ghSMART is that no one is apologetic about having a life," he says. "Whether someone is working from a remote location like the mountains in Colorado, or balancing work with family life, there’s an understanding that flexibility and balance are important. That flexibility doesn’t come at the expense of productivity, though—it’s the intentionality in how we work that makes it all possible."

Rens highlights ghSMART’s efficient meeting culture as one example of this deliberate design. Meetings are held only when necessary, and when they do take place, they are focused, productive, and respectful of everyone’s time.

"It’s rare to see such an effective meeting culture. There’s a strong emphasis on being present, prepared, and on time. This kind of discipline not only improves collaboration but also allows us to be fully engaged in the work we do for our clients," he explains.

Looking Ahead: Making an Impact at ghSMART

As Rens embarks on this new chapter at ghSMART, his focus remains clear: helping leaders become the best versions of themselves and helping organizations create environments where people and culture thrive.

"I’m excited about the opportunity to make a difference at ghSMART," he says. "This is a place where I can continue to grow as a leader and as a mentor, while helping our clients achieve the same. It’s an exciting time to be part of a firm that’s not just focused on results, but also on the people behind those results."

At ghSMART, we’re proud to have Rens as part of our team, and we look forward to the leadership, expertise, and passion he brings to our clients and our firm.