Meet our team
Petra Steenhoek
Sales Manager
Petra, with Hortimare since 2012, can often be found onsite at client’s farms to dive for fertile new material or to assess test lines with the team. As our sales manager she is in close contact with breeding and production as well as farmers. Never a dull moment!
T: +31 72 888 8767
M: +31 6 27 19 54 28
E: petra.steenhoek@hortimare.com
Manon Stijnman
Backoffice Employee
Manon has completed tourism education and worked in the travel industry at travel agencies and tour operators. She now is a backoffice employee at hortimare and does all kinds of things within the company such as logistics matters, (project) administration and managing the stock. Her favorite part is booking the business trips!
T: +31 72 888 8767
E: manon.stijnman@hortimare.com
Suzan Vellekoop
Project Coordinator
Suzan has a background in business and sustainability where she became passionate about seaweed’s potential. From then on, she never stopped talking about seaweed and continues this enthusiasm to initiate projects. You can contact her for new projects, marketing and questions on existing projects.
T: +31 72 888 8767
E: suzan.vellekoop@hortimare.com
Josh Masel
Technical Manager
Originally from Australia where he studied marine science, Josh has lived in Europe for the past few years where he has traveled around the world supporting seaweed companies with their operations, from both a technical and strategic perspective. He loves connecting with people and projects and enjoys the challenges that the seaweed industry offers.
Ed Langedijk
Breeding Specialist
Ed has worked before as a breeder for 32 years in alliums, land plants. Since 2020 he joined Hortimare. He likes to share the knowledge about breeding, production and sales with his colleagues and with clients. If clients are interested in getting more yield, breeding is a tool to manage it. Already several breeding projects all around the world are established. Implementing them into production is now in progress. We can’t wait to show the world the results.
Gabriel Montecinos Arismendi
Research Specialist
Gabriel is from Chile and has +12-year experience in the seaweed sector. His focus has been on its potential to contribute to scientific research, environmental sustainability, and versatile applications in various industries. His role at Hortimare revolves around the selection and production of superior local materials to sustain seaweed producers. His experience includes living in three countries and encompasses various projects from restoration to seaweed domestication.
Núria Bellido Martin
Production Coordinator
Coming from Girona, studied Marine Sciences at the University of Cadiz, specialised in Marine Ecology at University of Balearic Islands. Always related to seaweed projects and with the dream of having a seaweed farm, decided to move to The Netherlands to get into the industry. She provides support to clients and to production and breeding in-house.
Jessica Schiller
Research Specialist
Jessica has a B.Sc. and M.Sc. with theses on kelp stress tolerance and cultivation. During her PhD (in progress) she focused on the ecophysiology of invasive kelp in Europe and cultivation China, with a research stay at IOCAS, Qingdao. Jessica built up our test line program, develops science-based cultivation advice for clients and works as research coordinator.
Marianne Verberne
Research Specialist
Marianne has been a researcher (PhD) in plant physiology and biotechnology for many years, focusing on topics related to plant pathology and metabolic engineering. Since 2021, she has been exploring the world of seaweed cultivation at Hortimare. She loves to be challenged and enjoys using her creativity.
Ana Campos
Researcher
Growing up on Portugal’s sunny coast, Ana developed a big passion for nature and environmental sciences. Over time she became particularly interested in the role Asparagopsis can play in the fight against climate change and how seaweed farming can positively impact local communities, and spent the past 5 years between Portugal, Vietnam, and now the Netherlands, researching this promising seaweed and helping farmers successfully scale up production.
Ligia Ayres
Research Specialist
Ligia is a Brazilian phycologist who is passionate about her work. She has over 15 years of experience researching red macroalgae and has worked in France and the US. In addition to her work with the Asparagopsis research team, Ligia is leading the company’s vegetable garden initiative.
Phil Kerrison
Research Specialist
Researcher in red seaweed cultivation at Hortimare and Greener Grazing
Gianluca Bizzaro
Research Specialist
A motivated and enthusiastic scientist specialized in Palmaria palmata cultivation, and new species domestication. Gianluca loves a good challenge and a bit of problem solving.
The thing that he misses the most are his mountains in Italy where he spends most of his free time.
Mabel Borst
Researcher
With a background in Biotechnology Mabel is researching the red seaweed Palmaria palmata. She is leading the Palmaria research and is responsible for maintaining the cultures and organising the laboratory. Mabel loves cooking and inovating recipes with seaweed as well as gardening, camping and figure skating.
Thijs Jansen
Intern
E: thijs.jansen@hortimare.com
Ismaël Salazar
Production Specialist
E: ismael.salazar@hortimare.com
Pieter Mulder
Production Specialist
Pieter has a degree in Green Biotechnology and ever since joining Hortimare, fascinated by seaweed. His focus in the company is expanding our kelp seed bank, ensuring quantity & quality for the client, and assisting clients from a nursery perspective. In his free time, he collects records, his jewel is ‘Fleetwood Mac – Rumours’… favourite seaweed Macrocystis!
Asier Indart Ibargutxi
Breeding Technician
Originally from the Basque Country, Asier has a background in marine biology and been working with seaweed all over the world in the last years. The realization of the potential of seaweed in sustainable agriculture, food, and biotechnology, lead him to be part of the breeding team, developing breeding programs for farmers all over the world.
Jerome van Schie
General Technician
E: jerome.vanschie@hortimare.com
Lotte Wiering
Intern
Lotte is currently studying Green Biotechnology and loves collecting plants. Her love for plants has led to a great interest in seaweed. She joined Hortimare for her internship where she is trying to improve the direct seeding method together with the seeding technology team.
Samuel Silvestre Nuernberg
Seeding Technician
Originally from Brazil, Samuel graduated in Fishery engineering with experience in aquaculture, water systems and seeding technique. He has skills in problem-solving and interacting with people of all levels, loves working with challenges hands-on. On free times he enjoys cooking, kitesurfing, surfing and discovering new places.
Sander Meijer
Bookkeeper
Sander is our meticulous bookkeeper, a history enthusiast with a talent for puns.
“Make a difference, but not in accounting…”
T: +31 72 888 8767
E: sander.meijer@hortimare.com
Nanouk van Eijk
HR & Office Manager
As our HR advisor, Nanouk is in charge of the wellbeing of our team. With a background in coaching she is motivated by helping people flourish, both as professionals and human beings. She takes her role in the health and safety of the team seriously and loves to share her passion on a plant-based lifestyle.
T: +31 72 888 8767
E: nanouk.vaneijk@hortimare.com
Haik van Exel
Managing Director
Haik hopes, as managing director of Hortimare, to have positive impact with building the seaweed industry. He started working at Hortimare in May 2018 in the belief that the seaweed industry was ready to scale. And now after 6 years, the industry is almost ready to scale. With strong partnerships, a bit of luck and hard work the seaweed industry will mature in the next 5 years. In his free time Haik enjoys watersports, travelling and family and friends.
T: +31 72 888 8767
E: haik.vanexel@hortimare.com
Joey Visser
Production employee
E: joey.visser@hortimare.com
Brigit Reus
Breeding Technician
From a young age, Brigit’s hands were always in the soil, Nurturing plants with love. She studied Green-Biotechnology and that’s were here passion for plant breeding started. Explore new varieties in combination with the fascinating world of seaweed makes the work really exciting.
Sofia De Almeida Dias Raimundo
Hatchery Technician
With a Bachelor’s in Marine Biology & Biotechnology and postgrad studies in Ecotoxicology, she’s a hatchery technician at Hortimare. When not ensuring tank parameters are optimal, she indulges in cat naps, gaming marathons, and binge-watching shows. An unexpected talent? She gives phenomenal massages, a skill as soothing as her care for seedlings in the hatchery.
Madalena Mendes
Intern
Madalena, a dedicated biologist from Portugal, holds an MSc in Biodiversity and Plant Biotechnology. Driven by her passion for seaweed and its immense potential, she brings prior expertise in seaweed polysaccharides. Currently interning at Hortimare through the Erasmus program, she actively contributes to the red team, focusing on seaweed reproduction and cultivation.
Afonso Marques
Production Technician
Afonso is a marine biologist from Portugal, deeply passionate about life on our planet. A proud member of the production team, he diligently cares for and nurtures their gametophyte cultures, ensuring their good health and quality. A sure fact about him: if you’re in the lab with him, you’ll surely find him with a smile and a positive attitude.
Sang Tranthithu
Researcher
Sang comes from Viet Nam where she studied biology before pursuing a Msc. Aquaculture in Ghent, Belgium. She is into all perspectives of the seaweed world: life cycles, cultivation techniques, breeding, and even cooking with seaweed. She can combine all her interests within the Asparagopsis team at Hortimare as a researcher. You should try her Saccharina latissima lumpia!
Sanne Rijs
Intern
Meet Sanne, a passionate Coastal and Marine Management student at Van Hall Larenstein. Currently diving deep into her graduation assignment at Hortimare’s red seaweed team, focusing on reproduction. Always fascinated by plants and marine life, seaweed research is the perfect combination for her. When Sanne is not immersed in seaweed research, you’ll find her soaring close to the North Sea and Wadden Sea in a glider airplane, gaining a unique perspective on the world below.
Hanna Ryll
Intern
Hanna grew up in the south of Germany and moved to the Netherlands two years ago to pursue a Master’s degree in Plant Science at Wageningen University. She is grateful for the opportunity to expand her knowledge in everything regarding seaweed by working alongside the competent and multifaceted team at Hortimare
Ziqi Zhu
Intern
Ziqi has a background in ecology and plant science, with additional experience in plant breeding. His passion for cultivating sustainably led him straight to Hortimare, where he mainly assists in the advancement of Ulva cultivation in the lab and in production. Nature isn’t just a passion for him but also daily inspiration. Apart from seaweeds, he is also a big fan of hiking, cooking, music, and dancing.
Hannah Seong
Intern
Hannah, who is originally from South Korea, fell in love with seaweed during her master’s program in plant sciences at Wageningen University. She is passionate about making seaweed more appealing to people and introducing them to this amazing seaweed world. At Hortimare, she is currently developing the perfect nutrient media for several types of seaweed.