Dialogue, Kirkman Company, and YSE will continue under the name Kyden. Kyden’s mission is to accelerate the transition to a sustainable society by rapidly transforming organizations around ESG-related themes (Environmental, Social, and Governance). Investor FIELDS Group has joined as a shareholder. Hogenhouck M&A advised the shareholders of Dialogue, Kirkman, and YSE on this transaction.
Dialogue, Kirkman Company, and YSE are well-known names in their respective fields with a long history. Dialogue is a training and consulting firm that focuses on training, mediation, coaching, and peer supervision. Kirkman Company is an organizational consulting firm that has been successfully leading transformations for 23 years. It helps organizations achieve their goals in harmony with people, society, and nature. YSE specializes in interim solutions involving young professionals and offers recruitment, selection, training, and coaching services for individuals and organizations. Together, the three companies form the new Kyden, with over 175 professionals.
Sustainable society
Kyden’s primary goal is to accelerate the transition to a sustainable society. By joining forces, the founders aim to achieve an even greater impact. As B Corp-certified companies, they possess the expertise needed to accelerate the transformation of organizations in the areas of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors. As a leading ESG specialist, Kyden aims to secure a prominent position in the European market through organic growth and targeted acquisitions. Investor FIELDS Group has joined the company as a shareholder.
Synergy
The three organizations recognize the synergy in their collaboration and are taking a logical step forward by joining forces under the name Kyden, creating a unique full-service ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) service provider. Kyden operates in three core areas: consulting & transformation, training & talent, and technology & data. Thanks to this collaboration, Kyden can offer comprehensive solutions to clients seeking to address ESG challenges.
The executive team consists of Harry de Haas (Dialogue), Stefanie van de Griendt (YSE), Roy Klaassen (Kirkman Company), and Joris van Gils (FIELDS). The non-executive members include Monique van de Griendt (owner of Dialogue), Erik van der Meulen, and Han Hendriks (co-owners of Kirkman Company and YSE).
Roy Klaassen, a member of Kyden’s executive team, views the accelerated transition to a sustainable society as the most critical challenge of our time. “Organizations are all, to varying degrees, working on guidelines regarding environmental, social, and governance aspects. Fortunately, a lot is already being done to increase the positive impact on people and the planet, but the pace must—and can—be accelerated. We need to let go of the handbrake. Driven by significant changes in environmental, social, and governance requirements and a growing intrinsic motivation among consumers, employees, and executives, we guide companies at all levels of the organization toward future-proof business operations. At Kyden, we believe in the transformative power of individuals and teams to improve the performance of both individual organizations and entire ecosystems.”
FIELDS Group
With the goal of strengthening Kyden’s position and growth as a leading ESG player, Kyden welcomes investor FIELDS Group as a shareholder. With a team of approximately 175 employees at launch, Kyden positions itself as a full-service provider within the growing ESG landscape. Furthermore, Kyden is actively seeking companies that align with its strategy to further consolidate its market position and achieve an even greater impact. The company aims to become a leading player at the European level in the ESG domain to accelerate the transition to a sustainable society. During the transition, the Kirkman Company, YSE (including the SKLLS and Connectors labels), and Dialogue brands will continue to exist alongside Kyden. Eventually, these brands will be integrated into the new company.
Shared passion for greater impact
The Hogenhouck team that advised Kyden consisted of Hein Stoops, Maarten van der Heijden, and Bart Kooij. During the initial discussions between Dialogue founder Monique van de Griendt and Hogenhouck, interest in the ESG theme grew, and her focus began to shift toward it. She decided to discuss this with Erik van der Meulen, who was already active at Dialogue and a co-shareholder of Kirkman and YSE. Together with the other shareholders of Kirkman and YSE, including Han and Ivar, they concluded that by working together, they could create a greater impact in the ESG domain,
With this shared goal in mind, they decided to bring Fields on board as an investor and partner. This led to the founding of Kyden, which now combines the expertise and experience of the three companies. The current management team remains involved, ensuring a seamless transition and close collaboration. With this new partnership, the entrepreneurs strongly believe in the intended acceleration of their business proposition and the impact they will be able to achieve.
