Elderholm
NLEN

Digital transformation · data · AI-ready

From complexity to clarity.

Elderholm is a group of experienced specialists helping companies and public institutions take the step into the future. From digitalisation and the move to the cloud to trustworthy data and responsible use of AI: we lead the programme, get the data in order and build the platform you can grow on.

Book an introduction → How we help
Elder EN
The elder tree: a shrub that takes root anywhere and grows back every year.
Holm NO · SV
A small island of solid ground in moving water.
Elderholm
Solid ground for digital progress.

How we help

The step into the future, in four stages

Digitalising, moving to the cloud, putting AI to work: it only succeeds with a programme that stays manageable and data you can trust. We guide the whole route, or exactly the part where your organisation stands today.

  1. 01 · Direction

    Digital strategy and programme management

    From ambition to a roadmap with clear decision points. We lead programmes and projects where business and IT have to deliver together, steering on scope, risk and organisational change.

    • Roadmap
    • Programme management
    • Project leadership
    • Change management
  2. 02 · Foundation

    Data in order

    Knowing what data you have, where it comes from and who owns it. Data quality, governance and lineage, and where needed the migration or archiving that retires legacy systems.

    • Data quality
    • Data governance
    • Data migration
    • Data archiving
    • BCBS 239
    • NEN 7510
  3. 03 · Platform

    Cloud and data platform

    From on-premise to the cloud, with a standardised platform for BI and analytics and business systems that connect to it. With recorded architecture decisions and security by design.

    • Microsoft Fabric
    • Power BI
    • Oracle Fusion Cloud
    • Product ownership
  4. 04 · Application

    AI that works and stays explainable

    AI and agents are only as good as the data underneath. We pick use cases that create value and introduce them step by step, with a human in control and an explanation for every outcome.

    • Use cases
    • AI agents
    • Human-in-the-loop
    • Explainability

Where does Migration Factory fit in? A migration is often the moment an organisation lays a new foundation: new systems, cleansed data, legacy environments switched off. We bring that expertise from Migration Factory, as part of the wider step.

In practice · 2026

UMC Utrecht: a data platform as the foundation for the future

Within UMC Utrecht's cloud transformation programme, and alongside a large ERP migration, Microsoft Fabric was established as the standard platform for BI and analytics. Philander served as Product Owner.

Also recent · BNG Bank
Data management and lineage on critical data elements, under BCBS 239 / RDARR.

Also recent · Telenet
Three companies moved from different source systems to Oracle Fusion Cloud, with a runbook for every cutover weekend.

Constraints
NEN 7510 and the hospital-wide data classification, from the first sprint
Team
One senior and two juniors, two-week sprints
Steering
Backlog in Azure DevOps, prioritised with MoSCoW and WSJF
Decisions
Recorded as Architecture Decision Records, reviewed by Design Authority, Security and Architecture
Outcome
The team was designated as the blueprint and reference project for a new cluster-wide way of working

Approach

Without proof, every change is a gamble

Three principles we do not bend, in every project.

  • “We’ll fix data quality later” is the most expensive sentence in your programme.
  • Governance without technical enforcement is not governance.
  • AI only accelerates once the basics are in order.
10.000 ft

Direction and decision points

Impact analysis, scope, milestones and risks, so the board and steering committee see at a glance where the programme stands.

1.500 ft

Controls and execution

Design, validation, testing and go-live, so every step can be checked by anyone who wants to, auditors included.

  1. 01

    Design

    Mapping document and recorded design decisions

  2. 02

    Validation pack

    SQL checks, totals and samples

  3. 03

    Testing and trial runs

    Reproducible runs with a findings log

  4. 04

    Go-live

    Runbook with checkpoints and reconciliation report

Who we work for

Companies and institutions in complex, regulated chains

Sectors

  • Banking
  • Insurance
  • Leasing
  • Telecom
  • Healthcare
  • Public sector
  • Manufacturing and logistics

Region

  • Netherlands
  • Belgium
  • Luxembourg
  • Germany

Office in Geldrop, in the Brainport Eindhoven region.

Who we are

A group of specialists under one name

Elderholm is led by two managing partners and backed by a network of associate partners: independent specialists in project management, data, cloud and AI working together under one name. That lets us put together the right team for each challenge.

Managing Partner · data, platforms and AI

Philander van Hien

From financial data migrations to AI-ready data platforms.

Over fifteen years in finance and customer data processes, as finance, business and migration consultant, project manager and product owner. Started with portfolio migrations in banking and insurance, now at home in cloud platforms, data governance and AI.

  • Product Owner of the cloud BI and analytics platform at UMC Utrecht
  • Data management and lineage under BCBS 239 / RDARR at BNG Bank
  • Spaarbeleg to Aegon Bank, Fortis to ASR Bank, insourcing of the Argenta portfolio at Quion
  • Post-master in Data Science & AI, TU/e EAISI (2026)
NLDE
Managing Partner · programmes and transformation

Willy Smets

Leads the change through to go-live, and makes sure the business keeps running afterwards.

In IT since 1988: from software developer at a bank to regional IT leader for Europe and Africa and programme director. Independent through iTheseus since 2016 and managing partner of Migration Factory since 2019, specialising in programme management, data migration and cutover.

  • Data migration, cutover and archiving lead at VodafoneZiggo; previously led the move to Oracle Fusion Cloud for three companies at Telenet
  • A €20 million data centre programme at Athlon/DLL, including consolidating 500 systems, 500 TB and 2,500 users from the US
  • Regional IT leader Europe-Africa at Cummins: 40 staff, shared services for 5,000 users at more than 100 locations
  • Migrated 30,000 lease contracts and their financials at DLL, with no unplanned business disruption
  • Works in Dutch, English and French
BELU

Work with us

Three ways to work with Elderholm

We do the work ourselves, and we bring the right people to the right assignment. Open book, low margins: we don't see ourselves as a broker.

As a client

Your organisation faces a step: digitalising, moving to the cloud, getting data in order or putting AI to work. We provide the programme lead, the specialist or the whole team.

As an associate partner

You are an experienced independent professional with your own network. Under the Elderholm name you work on bigger challenges, with assignments you would not win alone.

As a professional

You are looking for your next assignment in project, data, cloud or AI work. We match your profile on substance, not keywords, and prepare you for the interview.

Thursday 12 November 2026

AI Summit Brainport · Evoluon, Eindhoven

Visit our stand. We'll show how we match freelance assignments and profiles, and why that can be done with lower margins.

Arrange a meeting

Contact

Let's meet

A one-hour intake is enough to establish whether we can do something for each other.

Netherlands · Germany Philander van Hien
philander.vanhien@elderholm.com
+31 6 199 08 999
Belgium · Luxembourg Willy Smets
willy.smets@elderholm.com
+32 476 33 39 85