From engineering student to leader in agricultural technology
Sep 6, 2026
Jeroen’s journey with Mooij Agro started 12 years ago, when he joined as an intern while studying Mechanical Engineering.
Mooij Agro develops technology and solutions that help growers store crops under the right conditions, supporting quality and reducing losses after harvest.
He was looking for a way to combine engineering with his interest in agriculture. After his internship and another year of study, he had the opportunity to join the company directly after graduation.
What followed was a career spanning technical sales, account management and leadership. Today, Jeroen is Regional Sales Director, working with customers and teams across different markets.
From engineering to working with people
Jeroen’s engineering background still shapes how he approaches his work today.
“We are selling an engineered solution,” he says.
Every customer and project can be different, which means understanding the challenge rather than simply offering the same answer each time. That combination of technical knowledge, problem-solving and working closely with customers is part of what has kept the job interesting.
Agriculture was never an accidental career choice. Jeroen actively looked for an internship in the industry because it was an area he already felt connected to. Working closely with farmers and distributors means he still hears directly from the people facing the challenges his team is trying to solve.
Growing by helping others grow
As Jeroen moved from technical sales into leadership, his focus increasingly shifted toward people.
“You cannot do it alone,” he says.
For Jeroen, leadership means setting a clear direction and making sure the team understands where they are going together. It also means recognizing what has already been achieved along the way.
One principle in particular shapes how he develops his team:
“I like to put people in their strengths.”
Rather than expecting everyone to follow the same path, Jeroen looks at what people enjoy, where they are strongest and how they can develop those skills further.
Mentors have played an important role in his own development too, helping him see the bigger picture, recognize his strengths and understand where they could take him.
His advice to people beginning their careers is similar: have a goal, but don’t rush to reach it.
“Make sure you make your steps achievable and then look forward to the next step.”
Growing with a changing business
Jeroen’s career has developed alongside the company itself.
He started in a relatively small organization where people often took on many different responsibilities. Over the years, the business grew, became part of Munters and gained access to more colleagues, expertise and perspectives around the world.
That journey continues with Speria, which Mooij Agro is now part of, bringing its expertise into a broader family of companies shaping the future of food production.
For Jeroen, that growth has brought the perspectives and possibilities of a global organization while retaining the closeness of a team with roots in a family-owned business.
Trust remains essential as that network grows.
“Building up trust is a way longer process than losing it,” Jeroen says.
For him, openness, transparency and making sure actions match words are what help build that trust – whether with colleagues or customers.
Staying close to agriculture
Although Jeroen’s role has changed considerably since his internship, his interest in agriculture hasn’t.
He sees technology creating new possibilities for the industry, from making better use of data to helping farmers manage increasingly complex operations. For example, technology can help growers monitor and control storage conditions more precisely, protecting crop quality and reducing losses after harvest.
But for Jeroen, the purpose behind the technology is what matters: helping people solve real problems and make better use of what they produce.
Agriculture has always had a special place for Jeroen. Becoming a farmer was once a dream of his, but his career took a different path – one that has still allowed him to stay close to the industry.
“In another life, I would be a farmer,” he says with a smile.
Twelve years after joining Mooij Agro as an engineering intern, Jeroen may not have become a farmer himself. Instead, he has found his own way to contribute to the future of agriculture.
About Jeroen
- Jeroen is Regional Sales Director and started his career with Mooij Agro as a Mechanical Engineering intern.
- His career has spanned technical sales, account management and leadership.
- Outside work, his family is his top priority, and he loves spending time together — preferably outdoors. He can’t wait to take his one-year-old son skiing when the time comes. He also enjoys korfball, mountain biking and skiing, and finds that staying active and spending time with friends helps him recharge.
