The Team
Peter Laanen ~ International Trade Director, Chief Representative
Peter Laanen, Expression’s Former Founding CEO, served as Expression’s CEO from 1998 until June of 2005. Laanen was a member of Eckart Wintzen’s Ex’tent corporate group and has been part of senior management teams for two of Eckart’s start-up companies.
Among other things, Peter has been involved in: a hit television show, the market repositioning of a major recording house, a highly successful initial public stock offering, and two corporate turnarounds – including Arcade Music Co. Germany GmbH. Peter has a resume that’s a Harvard MBA’s dream: he was the managing director of Arcade Music Co.; President and CEO of UltiFox Europe B.V. (a media- and soccer-related product firm); CEO of Top Sports Group B.V., President of Inter Football B.V., cofounder and CEO of Multi Function Computers B.V., (a Dutch minicomputer software firm).
He’s a huge sports fan (surprise). As the former President of the Royal Dutch Baseball Federation, he led the organization to a European baseball championship in 1987 and a fifth-place at the Seoul Olympics in 1988.
Frans van Gosliga ~ Senior Trade Specialist
Frans van Gosliga has strengthened the team since July of 2008. Before joining the NBSO he worked for the Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency, assisting American and Canadian companies to establish their business in the Netherlands. He worked there from 2006 to 2008.
Frans started his career working as web designer and programmer for companies such as Dutch oil giant Shell and publishing company Wegener. He moved to the San Francisco Bay Area in 2000. After first working for an internet startup company, he later ran his own business in the Bay Area and then the Netherlands, providing a range of internet services focussing on large sporting events.
Frans is excited to share his expertise with Dutch companies seeking to do business in the United States.
