A team of colourful perspectives
The Yellowchess team is a complementary mix of experts. We are diverse in backgrounds, approach, experiences, education and skills. and unique perspectives and design skills. What unites us is our enthusiasm, eagerness to keep improving and the motivation to design a better tomorrow.
Join our team?
PIONEERING
COLLABORATIVE
DESIGN
Ferdy Gilsing, seasoned designer with over 20 years of experience directing transition programs across various domains, cultures, and global brands. Ferdy has held leadership positions in world-class design organizations at BMW Group, Royal Philips and Mars Inc. With a hybrid background in design and strategy, Ferdy is expert in bringing people together in a spirit of creative collaboration to address complex system challenges and create new partnership ecosystems.
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ACHIEVER
ENERGIZER
BRIDGE-BUILDER
Imke Harms has a background in Industrial Design Engineering and over 15 years of experience in leading innovation projects and programs. She has a natural talent to understand and bridge different disciplines and insights and is passionate to create sustainable and meaningful solutions out of it. Her creative and analytical problem-solving skills form a powerful combination to do so. Imke always seeks for collaboration and inspires others with her openness, drive and enthusiasm. Working on social challenges brings her skills back to her heart.
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SOCIAL
CONCEPT
DESIGNER
Sam Verberne, designer with a background in Trend & Concepting, translates social challenges into meaningful solutions. She easily immerses herself into the context of a challenge connecting with people to understand their needs and motivations. Her hands-on approach and ability to not do 'exactly what everyone else does, but the complete opposite', results into transformative ideas. Combined with her sense of aesthetics and ability to make ideas tangible, Sam is eager to design a better tomorrow.
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EXPLORING
CONNECTING
CHANGEMAKER
Daan Heijsters is a curious and strategic designer with a background in Industrial Design and a deep trust in the creative process. He thrives on complex challenges, diving in with both analytical precision and heaps of imagination. Known as “a man with a plan,” Daan explores bold future visions and translates them into clear strategies, structured processes, and tangible first steps. He connects people, insights and domains to shape refreshing concepts and truly innovative solutions. With the power of storytelling, Daan inspires teams and stakeholders to move forward together, towards a shared and meaningful goal.
CURIOUS
ARTISTIC
FORECASTER
With a degree in concept development and trend research, Jenske brings the future to life through imagination and sharp analysis. With her creative approach, collaborative spirit and rich trend database, she encourages others to get out of entrenched structures. Her deep sense of empathy allows her to truly understand people and see the world through their perspective. By blending her analytical thinking with her great imagination, she contributes to building a better future.
DREAMER
SUSTAINABILITY
STORYTELLER
Mariël van den Oever has a background in Branding, Graphic Design and Food Innovation. Her search for ways to make impact and accelerate innovation led her to Yellowchess. She now knows that innovation does not come naturally, all kinds of aspects have to fall exactly into place before change is possible. There has to be trust, risks have to be taken and it will hurt. Mariël is very interested in people and stories and likes to work from content.
We believe people are driving breakthroughs
Yellowchess is growing!
Innovation Designer
Are you an experienced and visionary designer who wants to make an impact?
Yellowchess is looking for an Innovation Designer to shape breakthrough projects on complex social issues.
Your role
As an Innovation Designer at Yellowchess, you will give direction to projects with social relevance. You work closely with clients and our multidisciplinary team to get to the bottom of strategic issues and translate them into clear, meaningful solution directions.
You move smoothly between strategy and practice: from collecting insights to activating people and organisations. You take responsibility in projects and are a solid discussion partner for clients.
What will you do?
- Working on and (co-)leading innovation and design projects from insight to activation
- Facilitating and guiding co-creation with clients, stakeholders and project teams
- Translating complex strategic issues into clear, supported solution directions
- Developing concepts, strategies and routes towards impact
- Present and explain proposals with clarity and conviction
What do you bring?
- At least five years of working experience as a designer within a design, innovation or strategy-driven organisation
- Broad experience in co-creation and in translating strategic issues into concrete, meaningful solutions
- Experience with innovation processes and design and change methodologies
- Strong communication skills and sense of collaboration
- Good command of Dutch and English
- The drive to contribute to positive social change through design
Enthusiastic? Please respond by Friday, 6 February.
Social Designer
Are you a social designer who wants to understand and change social issues?
Yellowchess is looking for a Social Designer to work with people on solutions that matter.
Your role
As a Social Designer at Yellowchess, you work in the midst of practice. You research what is going on, listen, connect perspectives and design new forms of cooperation, services and interventions together with residents, professionals and organisations.
You move between street, studio and strategy. From research to prototyping, from co-creation to implementation: you ensure that ideas connect with the living world and actually get people moving.
What will you do?
- Examining social issues in their social context
- Designing and guiding co-creation processes with various target groups
- Translating real-life insights into concrete, people-oriented solutions
- Develop and test interventions, concepts and pilots
- Collaborating with clients and colleagues on sustainable change
What do you bring?
- At least two years of working experience as a social designer or in a similar role
- Experience with social design, participatory research and co-creation
- Good graphic skills to visualise and share ideas
- Good command of Dutch and English
- Affinity with social transitions and public issues
- An open, inquisitive attitude and a sense of ethics and inclusiveness
- The drive to make a difference together with others
Enthusiastic? Please respond by Friday, 6 February.
Design internship
Are you a creative thinker with a passion for social design, strategy and concept development?
We are looking for enthusiastic design interns who want to learn and develop in a dynamic environment.
Your role
As a design intern at Yellowchess, you will have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in a professional and creative setting. You will work with our experienced team of designers and contribute to a variety of projects around societal transitions - from mobility and health & wellbeing to water and social inclusion.
Ready to start?
Please email work@yellowchess.nl or give us a call.
Open application
Are 'innovation & breakthroughs' totally your thing? Then we are curious and would love to get in touch with you. Feel free to call or send your motivation to work@yellowchess.nl