Allied Forces is growing. Not just in clients, programs, and visibility, but most importantly in people. With the addition of six Associate Partners — Ellen van Beemen-Gerretsen, Rik Uiterwijk, Anneloes van Rossem-Vree, Dennis Rigbers, Carmen Altena, and Dennis van Huizen — Allied Forces brings together knowledge, experience, and passion for the long term. Their backgrounds are diverse, ranging from technical business administration and psychology to legal, HR, sales, defense, and finance. What unites them is a shared belief in fundamental change starting with behavior, leadership, and collaboration. That is the essence of Allied Forces.
In love with the mission
Ellen van Beemen-Gerretsen worked as a lawyer and later as an HR director in the Zuidas district. “We help teams and organizations improve, and make people happier.” Naturally, that also improves business results. “And who wouldn’t want that?” Ellen brings energy, vision, and clarity. “Leadership isn’t about telling others what to do, but showing how it can be done.” “Being on time as a leader, for example, isn’t a minor detail; it’s role-model behavior.”
From sales to development
Former commercial director Rik Uiterwijk deliberately made the switch to Learning & Development. “People in exactly the same circumstances can achieve completely different results. That fascinated me.” What has stayed with him ever since is the power of the collective. “When things don’t go as planned, there’s always a team to rely on.” “You feel supported, and there’s always a backup plan.”
Psychological depth and systemic thinking
Anneloes van Rossem-Vree worked for years in specialized mental health care and became a clinical psychologist. “In mental health care, we work with systems such as families, relationships, and broader contexts.” She sees the same layers and interdependencies reflected in organizational structures. The move to Allied Forces therefore felt like a natural next step. Instead of helping people go from -1 to 0, the focus is now on strengthening what’s already working from +1 to +2, or even +5. “It’s no longer about solving problems, but about realizing potential and achieving ambitious growth.”
More than a collaboration
Financial expert Dennis Rigbers has been active in the financial sector for quite some time and now works closely with Allied Forces. “We uncover behavior, eliminate noise, and create space for movement.” For him, the strength lies in the combination of expertise, impact, human focus, and transformation.
Head, heart, and gut
As a Technical Business Engineer, body-oriented therapist, and energy therapist, Carmen Altena combines analytical skills with a sensitivity to what lies beneath the surface—often still unnoticed. She sees it as her strength to align head, heart, and gut, both within individuals and between people, to get the energy flowing again. “I make the invisible visible or tangible, often using a systemic lens.” “And I work with the field of not-knowing, which is essential for meaningful growth.”
From elite unit to leadership development
Dennis van Huizen served twenty years as an officer in the Royal Netherlands Marine Corps, including seven years with the special forces. “What appealed to me was the focus on potential and trust in the approach — that’s something I recognize from the marines.” “You can only achieve results by working together and trusting each other blindly.”
Connected by trust, diversity, and direction
Ellen calls Allied Forces “perhaps the best-kept secret in the Netherlands.” But that needs to change “because everyone deserves access to this.” Dennis van Huizen links it to a well-known truth: “Start with the end in mind.” “If you’re starting together, you need to make the goal explicit.” “That’s when movement begins.” Rik puts it succinctly: “When we clarify our shared and individual strengths, the organization naturally grows.”
Six Associate Partners, each with a unique background, but united by one belief: real impact arises through collaboration, diversity, and a human-centered approach. They take responsibility where it fits — for their own role, for the effect they have on others, and for the collective goal. Some bring calm and reflection, others clarity, sharpness, or perspective. Each has their own style, but all are driven to contribute to something greater than themselves.
The magic of Allied Forces lies in the blend of different backgrounds, talents, and styles. “Trust in each other’s qualities makes collaboration feel natural.” “That’s when things start to flow, and results emerge that amaze both us and our clients.” As Carmen puts it: “There’s space for who you are — and from that, something larger than yourself can arise.”
This comes to life in our shared ambition: by 2030, we aim to reach 100,000 people — team members and their leaders — so they can perform better and collaborate with more joy, trust, and connection. Not an empty promise, but a clear direction. Through our approach and professionalism, we create lasting impact: results improve, people grow, and lives change for the better.
Founder and co-owner Armand van Velzen: “We’re not just bringing these people in — they were already with us.” “Our collaboration goes back years, has proven successful, and is built on deep trust.” “We’ve made a shared commitment to grow Allied Forces further — in innovation, internal organization, and with clients.”
Because that’s what drives Allied Forces: developing people, teams, and organizations that achieve more together than they ever thought possible.
