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Watch the full interview with John J. Robert.
When John J. Robert joined Simms & Associates, the North American business was still in its early stages. With only a handful of people in place, there was a clear sense that something new was being built.
What attracted him was not only the opportunity to help grow the North American presence, but also the freedom that came with it.
“This is the ground floor,” he remembers thinking. The chance to be part of building something new, combined with conversations with Amanda and Michiel about personal growth and autonomy, made the opportunity impossible to ignore.
For John, it was unlike anything he had experienced before.
“I’d never had that kind of freedom,” he explains.
His first impression of Simms reflected the reality of a growing company. Things felt fast-moving, sometimes chaotic, and everyone was learning at different speeds. Looking back, however, he sees how far the organisation has come.
“Today it feels so much more unified,” he says.
Learning through community
When asked about the moment that had the greatest impact on him, John doesn’t point to a project or a customer engagement. Instead, he immediately thinks of his first Global Kickoff in Poland.
Until then, he had only met a handful of colleagues from the EMEA team. Seeing the wider Simms community come together changed his perspective completely.
“There’s a real sense of community that I’ve never seen anywhere else,” he reflects.
Watching people collaborate, support one another and genuinely enjoy working together redefined what work could look like for him.
That same sense of community also shaped one of the biggest lessons he has learned during his time at Simms. Earlier in his career, he felt the need to know everything himself and solve problems independently. Over time, however, he realised that the strength of the company lies in the collective expertise of its people.
“Everyone has a different answer. Everyone can help,” he says.
Rather than approaching challenges alone, he learned the value of relying on a team where every individual brings unique knowledge and perspectives.
For John, that spirit of collaboration is rooted in mutual respect.
“Everyone is always willing to get there,” he explains.
Even when people approach problems differently, the focus remains on finding the best solution together rather than proving who is right.
Growth without losing the culture
John’s own role has evolved significantly since he joined the company. What began as a period focused on training and learning gradually developed into opportunities to mentor others and help new colleagues grow.
“I realised it helps me grow a lot as well,” he says.
Teaching and supporting others has become an important part of his own development, reinforcing the idea that growth is rarely an individual journey.
Despite the company’s expansion, he believes the culture remains remarkably consistent.
“It’s still the culture every year,” he says.
Whether it’s seeing colleagues at Kickoffs, collaborating on projects or simply enjoying the day-to-day interactions across Teams chats, the sense of connection remains as strong as ever.
That culture is also one of the main reasons he has stayed.
“I’ve never been at a place that feels more like a family,” he explains.
Alongside the community, he highlights the trust and freedom people are given to approach their work in their own way. Rather than forcing individuals into a mould, Simms encourages people to bring their own strengths and personalities to what they do.
Looking ahead, John is excited by the opportunities that continued growth will bring, particularly within North America. While growth inevitably introduces new processes and challenges, he sees it as an opportunity to learn, gain new experiences and continue expanding what the company can achieve.
“I can’t wait to see more of that,” he says.
As our 10th Birthday Series continues, we keep celebrating the people who have shaped Simms & Associates — and those who continue to drive its future.
One story every week. One year celebrating the people behind Simms & Associates.