Who we are
ABOUT US
Public Affairs & strategic communications agency
SINCE 2009
We believe in mutual gain
IvCB is a boutique Public Affairs and strategic communications agency based in The Hague (NL). We help organisations in creating an effective message, one that is relevant to society. In this way we strengthen your organisation’s position, as well as helping to make the world a better place.
IvCB was founded in 2008 by Kevin Zuidhof, former VP of Corporate Communications at Royal KPN and chairman of the Professional Association of Public Affairs (BVPA), with the conviction that organisations could realise greater returns through public affairs and stakeholder management. Furthermore, he wanted to take advantage of the needs of a large number of organisations for advice about public strategy at strategic level.
IvCB specialises in public affairs, stakeholder management and public strategy. We help our clients engage in constructive dialogues with government, politicians, society and journalists in order to realise their objectives.
In realising this we ensure the effective management of your interests with long-term stakeholder relations based on trust, while aiming to strengthen your position and improve your reputation. With extensive experience in public affairs and stakeholder management, thorough industry expertise and trust from both clients and our wide network of stakeholders, we understand your issues and are able to help you achieve your goals. Our collaboration with FTI Consulting as a Gold Affiliate partner gives us access to a strong international network that includes major business hubs including Brussels, London, Berlin and New York. In Brussels we work with one of the leading public affairs agencies. IvCB is located in the centre of The Hague, close to parliament and the ministries.
IvCB’s clients
IvCB works for clients in a considerable number of diverse sectors. In this way we have built up specialist knowledge within the areas of healthcare, mobility, sustainability, technology, energy, finance, spatial planning, real estate and the chemical industry. Our clients include multinationals and government and sector organisations, as well as ambitious organisations that are about to conquer the market, and NGOs that want to change the world.
Our team
Our vision goes beyond
what is immediately apparent.
Kevin Zuidhof
Kees van Oosten
Lillian Bennink
Diederick van Rhijn
Patrick de Leede
Fons Cazius
Sjors van Halem
Jolanda van Zwieten
Ida Haisma
Jenny de Jong
Ryan van Osch
What we offer
We anticipate, understand and influence risks, opportunities and upcoming changes for our clients in the areas of public affairs and public strategy.
We provide strategies that work. When required we execute the right actions to obtain the desired results.
We influence positive policy outcomes, by positioning organisations as players in the decision-making process, building networks and partnerships, shifting perceptions among key stakeholders and activating third-party advocates.
We provide insight. We highlight the impact and consequences of policy proposals and political developments. We provide network-based intelligence and issue maps outlining positions and impact assessments. We identify redlines, areas of compromise and highlight potential opportunities.
We are our clients’ trusted advisers. We continually keep them informed about important developments, meet with them on a regular basis and set out the next steps.
We provide clear recommendations. We operate on the basis of well-structured action lists that give clear insight into the status of ongoing activities and the results achieved.
We strongly believe in personal integrity and professionalism. We believe in achieving sustainable results by means of mutual gains. We are transparent about the organisations we work for and support the code of conduct of the Professional Association of Public Affairs (BVPA).
We build too many walls and not enough bridges
– Isaac Newton
How we see things
Successful organisations exist not in isolation but are positioned within society.
That requires interaction; by not just setting down a point of view but by understanding what the other party wants. Translating received information helps us devise the right messages. Those messages contribute to realising social acceptance and achieving impact.
That demands orientation to social compliance. It also needs a vision that is aligned with a party’s own interests but also takes into account the interests of decision-makers, opponents, influential parties, civil society, the media and other relevant stakeholders.
The time in which organisations could just claim legal compliance has passed. It’s no longer just about questions such as ‘Do we comply with certification?’ and ‘Are we operating in accordance with legislation and regulations’? Social compliance is becoming more important. The standards that society imposes are increasingly determining the room for manoeuvre that organisations have. By understanding those standards and acting in accordance with them, an organisation generates legitimacy among its stakeholders. In that way it obtains the room and the freedom for its current and future activities.
We believe in connecting with the interests of relevant stakeholders, because only persuading people who have a different point of view seldom works. A point of view can therefore be compared to the tip of an iceberg. A more substantial proportion is to be found below the surface: the underlying interests, values and standards. We create sustainable acceptance of your organisation and your goals by understanding this, connecting with it, building consistent relationships and forming coalitions.
Partners
As a Gold Affiliate partner of FTI Consulting, we have access to an influential network that includes, among others, Brussels, Berlin, London and New York.
For executive search and selecting public affairs professionals we collaborate with the Nassau Group in The Hague, and with them we have set up the PA Selection label for this purpose.
Memberships
All our staff are members of the Professional Association of Public Affairs (BVPA). We are also a member of the German-Dutch Chamber of Commerce, the Netherlands British Chamber of Commerce, and the American Chamber of Commerce in the Netherlands.
Vacancies
We are always looking for talent
Interns
Do you like to keep up to date with political developments and public debate? And are you looking for an exciting and challenging internship? Then we would like to meet you! We have vacancies in February and August each year for science students who are in the last phase of their education.
As an intern you will play an important role in monitoring news that is relevant for our clients. You will also support consultants in their day-to-day activities, for example developing new communication messages, organising and implementing meetings with stakeholders, or working out a media strategy.
We help government and other authorities, the business sector, NGOs and interest groups to strengthen their positions, make their social relevance visible and realise their plans. It’s interesting for you as an intern to make a contribution here. You can look forward to an instructive and varying internship, in which you will develop valuable consultancy skills and learn the various aspects of the profession.
Are you interested? Then send an email telling us why you want to join us to info@ivcb.nl
