HousingAnywhere Appoints New CFO and COO Amid Rapid Growth

HousingAnywhere, the mid-to-long-term rentals specialist based in the Netherlands, has appointed two C-suite executives as the company looks to harness rapid growth.

Jim Bijwaard joined as COO in April of this year after five years at OLX Group and a previous stint at Dubizzle. He is also an experienced start-up founder and strategy consultant for online marketplaces.

And Erik Gruwel joined as Group CFO in May, leaving Danone after an eight-year stay.

Djordy Seelmann, CEO at HousingAnywhere, said:

"We have ambition and drive for further growth with a reason: to empower people to live wherever and however they choose. This requires accelerated innovation and operational excellence to accommodate and shape the changing landscape of the rental ecosystem. New leadership appointments symbolise our commitment towards our journey as well as towards the growing number of our dedicated team members.

"We are confident that the combined expertise and experience of Erik and Jim will further accelerate our growth while setting a new standard of renting."

HousingAnywhere has grown its reach significantly since its foundation in 2009, with rapid expansion into more than 30 countries including ambitious moves into the UK and U.S., which took the number of cities on its books to more than 125 worldwide.

It has also embarked on a number of acquisitions, one of which includes the platform taking a majority stake in short-term rentals specialist Studapart in February 2022.

The company now employs 340 people globally with offices in Rotterdam and Paris.