It is with great sadness that we recently had to say goodbye to Lennert, co-founder of Friends of Search. With his vision, dedication and powers of persuasion, he made an indispensable contribution to the event and to the success that Friends of Search is today — from the very first moment.
Friends of Search did not come about by chance. Lennert and Eduard Blacquière shared a conviction early on that the search engine marketing industry deserved a stage of its own. Through working groups at IAB and DDMA, they launched the Search Marketing Thursday in 2009: accessible, low-key gatherings that quickly showed there was appetite for more. This led to the first edition of Friends of Search in 2014, which sold out weeks before the conference.
Co-founder Eduard Blacquière describes Lennert in five words: “Passionate. Energetic. Sharp. Positive. Inexhaustible.” He had, as Eduard puts it, “a nose for great speakers and knew exactly which topics were relevant, thanks to his finger on the pulse of the market.” Lennert was committed to a focus on content and limiting commercial interference — and he kept championing this until the very end. “These are still the ingredients that now draw more than 700 people to Friends of Search every year.” Event manager Merel de Koning, who was there from day one, remembers him as someone “known for his sharp ideas, his involvement, and his ability to always be available and helpful.” Lennert wasn’t afraid to stand by what he believed in, and “it is precisely that passion that helped shape the event into what it is today.”
His impact reached far beyond the event itself. Gerk Mulder, SEO specialist and co-founder of Briljante Geesten, calls him “a pioneer in the industry who was a true connector for many” and notes that Lennert, together with Eduard, “was essentially already the first major community manager in Search.” Stefan Rooijakkers, manager & partner at SDIM, echoes this: “As co-founder and driving force behind Friends of Search, he was a man of strong convictions who contributed to building a platform that brought so many people together.”
“Lennert belonged to the generation of entrepreneurs who helped shape the Dutch search and data-driven marketing industry. Together with others, he not only co-created Friends of Search into a leading event, but also into a place where knowledge sharing, professional development, and meaningful connections take center stage. His entrepreneurship, vision, and ability to bring people together have left a lasting impact on our industry. On behalf of DDMA, I am sincerely grateful for that,” said Judith Oude Sogtoen, Director of DDMA.
“It was remarkable how Lennart dedicated himself to Friends of Search year after year with unwavering commitment and passion. Driven by his boundless energy, involvement, and love for the industry, he constantly strived to make each edition even better than the last. With great dedication, he brought the very best work and latest insights from abroad to the Netherlands, inspiring fellow professionals and helping to advance the field. We will miss him as a person, a colleague, and a true professional.” said Saskia Baneke, Direcor of VIA Nederland.
We, the entire current and former Friends of Search working group, are deeply grateful to have had the privilege of working with Lennert. We remember him as a driven, inspiring and tremendously valued person and, as Merel puts it, “someone I learned from as well.” His presence and energy will be greatly missed. Our thoughts and condolences go out to his family and loved ones.
Team Friends of Search