Meet Louis: From striker to CEO

Over the coming weeks, we’ll be sharing a series of interviews with the leaders of the Novature companies. Who are they? What defines their leadership style? And how does that align with the culture we’re building at Novature? We’re kicking things off with an interview with Novature Group CEO, Louis Rustenhoven.

If you stop learning, you stop leading

That conviction is what guides Louis Rustenhoven in leading Novature, an international group of five specialized companies, active in 75 countries. Together, they employ over 750 people and generate more than €250 million in revenue. His leadership style is far from distant. It is direct, engaged, and built on trust. Louis is the kind of leader who prefers to stand behind his people rather than in front of them. “As a leader, your role isn’t to be admired, but to enable others to excel.”

From striker to CEO

Louis is driven by an incredible amount of energy. “I thrive in complexity. High pressure, lots of moving parts, that’s when I learn the most. I’m competitive. I used to play as a striker at a local football club. A professional football career was tempting, but Sunday games weren’t an option due to my faith.” Even after a long flight from a Microsoft event in Los Angeles, Louis laces up his running shoes and runs 12 kilometers. “My wife thinks I’m crazy, but that’s just how I am. I have six kids, volunteer at the football club, stay active in the church, wake up early, and don’t need much recovery time. I recharge by staying active.”

His career began at KPN, where at just 25 years old, he was leading a 30-person sales team. He eventually became responsible for the commercial arm of the business market, an organization of 1,500 people. “I learned an incredible amount during my 16 years at KPN, from leading product teams to managing complex commercial operations. It was a fantastic school of leadership and business.” In 2016, he made a deliberate choice for a new challenge by joining the much smaller IT Channel Company. “I was ready to apply everything I’d learned in a different setting. IT Channel Company offered the opportunity to help shape and professionalize a growing international company. That felt more meaningful to me at that point in my career.”

A few years later, IT Channel Company evolved into Novature, a broader group structure focused on international growth and collaboration across specialized entities. At its core, Novature built a unified platform around Microsoft Dynamics, empowering partners and customers to scale, innovate, and deliver more value. As CEO, Louis took the lead in building a shared culture while preserving the entrepreneurial spirit of each company in the group.

Mistakes? Bring them on

For Louis, leadership has never been about status, it’s always been about helping people grow. “Everyone has unique strengths. If someone can’t do something, no problem, we help. But if someone doesn’t want to learn, that’s where it gets difficult.” He sees his role as aligning people and purpose, emphasizing feedback, self-reflection, and continuous learning. “I have high expectations of myself and of others in key roles. Mistakes are not just tolerated, they’re welcomed. I'd rather see four mistakes than someone playing it safe. The key is to learn. I ask for feedback and openly share my own mistakes, encouraging others to do the same.”

Shaping the culture you want to see

Louis is a strong believer in open, honest communication. “No ‘hamburger feedback’: don’t sugarcoat. Just say what you see and ask how the other person sees it.” With Novature’s leadership program, leadership is something the organization consciously reflects on. “We launched a leadership journey focused on sharing knowledge, insights, and feedback. The first year was about personal leadership, the second about team dynamics, and next year, we’ll focus on leading across the organization. These aren’t business updates; they’re conversations about values, collaboration, and personal growth. I learn a lot about leadership from others in the program.”

Novature’s leadership journey is built around commitment and continuous development. Leaders cultivate a culture where feedback and reflection are not occasional rituals but an everyday mindset. The goal: real connection between teams and real impact on business outcomes like EBITDA and (e)NPS. It’s about truly listening to each voice, creating clarity in decisions, and ensuring alignment.

Because as the culture goes, so goes the company. And leaders set the tone by providing trust and direction, enabling their teams to discover how to achieve results on their own. This coaching approach is key to building a strong learning organization where people are empowered to do the right thing.

One recurring principle: “Leaders eat last.” Inspired by Simon Sinek, Louis believes real leadership means putting the needs of the team above your own. “That’s the mindset I hope to see more and more across our companies, where people choose the organization over their own department, and the team over themselves.”

Leadership begins with caring

“Leadership starts with loving people, understanding what drives them, and seeing the world from their perspective.” That’s essential, especially in a workplace with four different generations. “I come from a time when work took priority over leisure. Today’s younger generation has a different outlook - one we can learn from, and that challenges us to actively reflect on our own balance. It’s vital to make space for all these perspectives. At Novature, we also want to give more young people leadership opportunities. There’s work to be done there.”

Learning through discomfort

Louis deliberately challenges people outside their comfort zones, because that’s where growth happens. “Sometimes you need to place someone in a role they don’t think they’re ready for. That’s when you see them grow. My job is to create those challenges.” He shares the example of a talented leader. “I push him, not because he’s underperforming, but because he might become too comfortable. In two years, his perspective will be completely different.”

Leading in a digital age

So what will leadership look like in a time of rapid digital innovation? “As AI becomes more powerful, human leadership becomes even more critical. AI can automate and even learn, but we mustn’t lose the human touch.” Louis sees ethical challenges ahead. “Is AI’s energy consumption justified? Are we still in control? These are questions leaders must face.”

Ultimately, the future belongs to those who keep learning. “When people grow, the company grows with them.” Louis sees a clear role for leaders: as guides, catalysts, and examples. “It always starts with you. And it’s our responsibility to create the conditions for others to grow.”

One belief continues to drive him: “If you stop learning, you stop leading.”