ADJ announces the expansion of its European sales team through the appointment of skilled lighting industry professional Bas Kemper. With a wealth of experience working as a lighting technician, designer and operator, as well as an educator and event producer, Kemper will supplement the company’s existing sales force as a Sales and Brand Representative for the Netherlands.
Having started out in the industry over 25 years ago, as a volunteer technician at a community concert hall in his home town of Zwolle in the Netherlands, Kemper went on to travel the world as a lighting operator, and later designer, for Transmission, the world’s biggest indoor trance event. This work took Kemper to Prague, Australia, Thailand, China, Slovakia and Germany, while he has also worked on some of the biggest tours and festivals in the Netherlands and many other international events. He also spent four years teaching lighting design and other technical skills at a theatre school, between 2009 and 2013. More recently he has specialized in technical event production, working with major festival brands.
“I have used ADJ products as a lighting designer and operator for many years and have seen the evolution of the brand to the point where it is today, well established as a mid-market leader,” comments Kemper. “Now feels like a great time to be joining the team and I see this role as a good opportunity to apply my industry knowledge and experience in a new way. ADJ products are reliable, and the company offers its customers good after sales support and service, so I am very pleased to be joining the sales team here in the Netherlands. I know the products are strong enough to sell themselves, but I am looking forward to building relationships with clients and using my experience as a designer and programmer to provide in-depth technical sales support to both existing clients and new companies as they discover what the ADJ range has to offer. As well as continuing the development of ADJ’s business with event production and rental companies, I will also have a particular focus on the theatrical market, for which the growing Encore Series is ideally suited. Although my role will predominantly involve technical sales, I also look forward to getting involved with some R&D, strengthening the connection between ADJ’s customer base and the product development team so that we continue to deliver products that match the wants and needs of lighting professionals in the field.”
Kemper is no stranger to ADJ’s European team. From 2017 to 2019 he designed and programmed the light shows for the company’s Prolight + Sound Frankfurt booths. In this role he developed extensive product knowledge and also built strong relationships with many members of both the sales and product development teams. In his new position, he will work alongside ADJ’s Steven Samaan, who has spent the past six years expanding ADJ’s production and rental market share in the Netherlands, as well as ADJ’s wider European Sales team, headed by Sales Director Sebastian Mobers.
“The Netherlands is a really important market for ADJ, where we have seen a real growth in recent years with many mid-size production and rental companies choosing to invest in our products,” explains Mobers. “To grow our existing sales team working in the country, we have been searching for an experienced professional who not only knows the industry but also has excellent product and technical knowledge. We have found exactly those things in Bas. He has extensive experience of lighting design, programming, and operation, at every level, and is also extremely creative. He will not only support our Dutch customers with detailed technical insight but will also be able to share with them how the products can be used most effectively. We are very pleased to have Bas join the ADJ Europe team and look forward to even greater success in the Netherlands in the coming months and years.”
Kemper officially started with ADJ on May 1, 2022; however, during the prior week he joined the team on the company’s booth at the Prolight+Sound 2022 trade show, using the opportunity to meet with many existing customers and acquaint himself with the 18 new products launched at the exhibition. Over the coming weeks, he will be visiting new and prospective customers throughout the Netherlands, providing sales support and demonstrating products.
