Letter to Investors from CEO Koen: “I am passing on the torch.”

Dear investor,

When Peter Heijen, Peter Stolze, and I sat down in Maarssenbroek in 2014, we didn’t even try to envision what Lendahand would look like 10 years later. How could we? We only had funds to pay ourselves a bit more than the minimum income for one year. 

Still, as little money as we had, our ambitions were immense. We wanted to use that year to prove that “3 guys with a laptop” can set up a crowdfunding platform that allows everyday people to do good with their money. We never looked back.

Until now, that is. Peter Heijen moved on a few years ago. And now it’s time for Peter Stolze and myself to step down and pass the torch to others. Lendahand is now an established social enterprise in a highly regulated sector.

There is a lot of room to grow, and we announce with complete confidence and enthusiasm that Arno Hoogenhuizen, our current CPTO, will be Lendahand’s new CEO. Daniel van Maanen will remain CFO, and together with the team, they will take Lendahand to the next level. Through our platforms, an astonishing EUR 180 million has been lent to various institutions and companies so that hardworking entrepreneurs can sustain themselves and provide jobs to people who need them the most. Not all funded projects ended well, and although that is inherent to investing in emerging and frontier markets, it’s something that we regret. There is some comfort in the positive impact that has been made nonetheless and the fact that most of the 3,100 projects have shown a decent net financial return.

It is the company’s goal to reach the EUR 1 billion mark in lending volumes. It will require grit, commitment, and smart decision-making from the management and the whole team. In that regard, there is nothing new under the sun. The team has always pushed itself. These are highly talented people who want to do meaningful work, day in, day out. Also invaluable are our supervisory board and shareholders, from the smallest to the largest, we wouldn’t be where we are today without them.

But most of all, it is all of you who have made Lendahand the largest European platform for positive impact in emerging and frontier markets. Lendahand is a community of people who look beyond financial gains and think hard about how they should put their money to work to contribute to a better world. It was an honor to be part of Lendahand as an active team member. I will continue my Lendahand journey as a crowdfunder and hope to keep doing that together with you. Together we can make money make impact!

With warm regards,

Koen The