Our Global Management Team
Prior to my time with Leaseweb, I studied Law at the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands, and my deep passion for aviation led me to obtain an ATPL pilot license. I have flown as a captain on Boeing 747’s for 14 years. Outside the office, I enjoy spending time with my wife, two daughters, and very friendly dog, as well as sailing, mountain biking, and tennis.
Prior to my time at Leaseweb, I worked as finance professional in the banking, commodity trading and private equity industries. I have 20 years of international work experience, having worked in Amsterdam, Curacao, Buenos Aires, London, and New York.
I pursued my studies in Economics at the University of Groningen and obtained an executive MBA from Insead. When not working, I enjoy mountaineering and playing soccer with the Leaseweb team.
Prior to joining Leaseweb, I have been involved with the telecom industry for almost 20 years. Working at Tele2 in several countries as the CIO and guiding transformations.
Next to technology, my other passions in life are spending time with my friends and family as well as visiting Formula1 races on my holidays.
For over 30 years, I have been working in the HR field with different industries – Defence, Public Service, Energy, Shipbuilding and Installation industry. Prior to Leaseweb, I have held the role of HR Director and other senior management roles with different companies such as the Dutch Air Force, Municipality of Maastricht, NRE, Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding and Feenstra.
I graduated from the Royal Military Academy for the Air Force and studied post academic Business Management at the University of Twente. I studied at the Defense Institute of Management Studies and earned a Master’s degree in Public Administration. In my free time, I like to cook gourmet dinners and play classical music with friends.
Before joining Leaseweb, I led several global digital transformations of marketing and merchandising organizations. I received an executive MBA from the University of Hertfordshire (UK). In addition to my work, I mentor international students from the Hanze International Business School in Groningen.
When not in the office, I enjoy spending time outdoors with my family, travel, watersports and skiing.
I am Pauline Dirkmaat, the Chief Revenue Officer of Leaseweb Global. My responsibilities include executing the company’s global sales strategy, which is steered by customer and market demands, while supporting Leaseweb's global growth objectives.
I joined Leaseweb in 2024 and bring 25+ years of experience in executive roles in the IT/Software industry. I worked at several global SaaS and IT companies in Europe and the US in different industries, including Fintech, Data and Analytics, AI, and IT Services.
My passions besides work are traveling, painting, and spending time with family and friends on the water.
Prior to Leaseweb, I was responsible for the Data Center business for Dell Technologies in the Netherlands and before that I was responsible for the operations of a large media, retail and logistics company. I have over 20 years of experience in the area of IT and Business alignment.
I have a master's degree in aerospace engineering from the Delft University of Technolgy and I am still very interested in anything that has to do with cutting edge technologies and innovations. In my time besides work I love to spend as much time possible with my family, I love outdoor sports like skiing, running, golf and cycling.
Regional Management Team - The Netherlands
With over 25 years of experience in the technology sector, including over a decade in cybersecurity, I am driven by my passion for IT. Before joining Leaseweb, I was the General Manager at cloud solutions provider, Codit, and prior to that, I was responsible for the Security Division of Sogeti and was the Managing Director at Sophos for the Benelux region. My dual Executive MBA degree from TIAS Business School and Bradford University (UK) equipped me with a broad grasp of strategy and business in general.
In my free time, I enjoy cycling, running, fitness and cooking.
I am Julia Gortinskaya, Global Revenue Director of Leaseweb Global B.V. I am responsible for optimizing our global sales processes to drive efficiency and revenue growth.
I have been working at Leaseweb since 2012, starting as a Senior Account Manager. Prior to my time with Leaseweb, I was a Sales Manager at Linxtelecom, a connectivity and data center services provider, and I have more than 17 years of experience in the cloud and the telecom industry.
I have a Master’s Degree in Applied Linguistics from Moscow State Linguistics University. In my free time, I enjoy reading, attending classical music concerts, and participating in outdoor sports like skiing and hiking.
I am Samer Nehme, Sales Director at Leaseweb Netherlands. I am responsible for the strategic direction, development, and management of our sales operations. My role involves leading a talented team to drive revenue growth, fostering strong client relationships, and ensuring that we deliver exceptional service and solutions that meet the evolving needs of our customers. Additionally, I work closely with other departments to align our sales strategies with the broader business objectives, ensuring we maintain our competitive edge in the market.
I joined Leaseweb in January 2019 and brought 10 plus years of experience in engineering and consultancy in the IT industries and have previously worked at companies such as telecommunication providers and ICT integrators.
I have a master’s degree in telecommunication and networking engineering from Antonine University - Lebanon and I have an executive MBA from University of Dauphine & University of Sorbonne in Paris – France, I love hiking in nature, exploring new cultures, baking, languages & reading.
Being with the company for 10 years, I am very proud to see how the company and the employees developed themselves from a local player towards a successful global company with highly satisfied customers. During the last 10 years, I held several finance management positions in Amsterdam and Frankfurt.
Prior to my job at Leaseweb, I worked as an auditor in one of the Big Four offices. I hold a bachelors’ degree in Auditing. When I am not working, I like spending time with my family, hiking, diving, soccer and traveling.
I joined Leaseweb in 2022 after a 15-year journey in the BPO industry, during which time I held different roles in Operations and Quality management.
I finished my studies in Commercial Economics at the University of Applied Science in Leiden. Outside of work, I love to spend time in the company of family and friends, and as an enthusiastic “Crossfitter” I try to spend a couple of hours per week in the gym.
Regional Management Team - United States
I am Richard Copeland, Chief Executive Officer of Leaseweb USA, Inc. I’m responsible for all business aspects of the company across our 9 data center locations in the US. In addition, executing and developing Leaseweb’s vision and strategy in the region is a core part of my role.
I’m passionate about working with my team to achieve the company’s goals, maintaining a positive work-life balance for our employees, and building customer relationships and satisfaction with a personal touch.
Before becoming CEO, I grew and led the sales department as the Sr. Director of Sales. Before joining Leaseweb in 2013, I worked for Verizon Business for 10 years in various account management and sales leadership roles. Earlier in my career, I worked for a printed circuit board company where I held process engineering, production management, and customer technical support roles during my 7-year tenure.
I received my Bachelor of Science degree from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia. During my free time, I enjoy exercising, watching movies/sports and spending time with my family and friends.
I am Chris Dorcsis, Finance Director of Leaseweb USA, Inc. I am responsible for Accounting & Reporting, Tax, Abuse, Administration, Legal & Compliance, and Merger & Acquisitions. I take pride in providing data, key metrics and support which enables the business to focus where it needs to focus: on the customer.
I am a CPA with over 20 years of experience in the accounting field. I have worked in all areas of accounting and finance throughout my career. Most recently, I worked as Finance Manager for one of the largest listed companies in Australia. Prior to this, I spent eight years as the Controller for a mental health company in Virginia. One of my key strengths is building and maintaining high functioning cohesive teams.
I earned my Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from George Mason University. I spent six years in the Marine Corps Reserves, including a tour in Desert Storm. When I am not working, I enjoy coaching baseball, cruising, spending time with my family, and working out.
I have over 18 years of experience across all functions of human resources. Much of my experience has been in the IT services and solutions industry. Most recently, I worked as the Human Resources Manager for an IT Consulting firm. I strongly believe in providing employees with the right tools and opportunities in order to drive them to perform at their best, which leads to high levels of energy, commitment, engagement and a strong company culture.
I graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Virginia Commonwealth University and hold a “Senior Professional in Human Resources” (SPHR) certification and the “Society of Human Resources Management Senior Certified Professional” (SHRM-SCP) certification. I’m a certified Workplace Mental Health Ally and a Gallup Certified Strengths Coach. I’m passionate about HR and serve on the HR Virginia SHRM State Council as the State Director. When not working, I enjoy spending time with my family and travelling.
Regional Management Team - Germany
I pursued my studies in Economics at the University of Essen where I graduated in 1994. When not working or out with the dog, I enjoy road trips with one of my classic motorcycles, attending live concerts and playing tennis.
We are able to achieve this goal by understanding our customers and including them as far as possible in our work.I have been working in IT for over 10 years and learned the business from scratch. I started as a trainee with an IT specialist before working as a support and procurement technician for several years. After a few years in the position of team leader I was promoted to Operations Manager. In the course of my professional career and in particular during my time with the volunteer fire brigade I have learned to remain calm and focused and to find solutions, especially in stressful situations – this is something that today helps me to offer our customers the best possible service.
Before starting my career, I trained as an IT systems specialist at the Werner-von-Siemens school in Frankfurt am Main. I like to spend my free time with my dog, hiking and riding my motorcycle.
I am René Lazar, Sales Manager at Leaseweb Germany. My focus is on expanding Leaseweb's market position and positioning Leaseweb Germany as a reliable partner for sovereign cloud infrastructure in Germany. I am also responsible for developing strategic partnerships in Germany.
Before joining Leaseweb, I worked in the international ICT industry for 25 years. Other sales positions in my career in direct and partner sales were at Verizon, Colt Technologies, BT Global Services, and T-Systems.
My name is René Ceslik. I’m working for Leaseweb Deutschland GmbH since July 2014 and since January 2021 I’m in the role of Manager Customer Care. Together with my Team I’m responsible for efficiently taking in and solving any kind of customer request. Customer satisfaction is tightly connected to quick response times and reliable solutions. Together with the first and second level support team I’m responsible for quick and reliable support.
During my time as electronics engineer, I’ve been able to learn a lot about customer satisfaction in a B2C environment. I adapted my experience and used my knowledge in several positions at Leaseweb Deutschland GmbH as a Provisioning Engineer, Senior Technical Support Engineer and finally, Manager Customer Care.
Finding solutions is also a hobby during my free time: I enjoy fixing electronics of any kind. I enjoy taking tours with my road-bike and love travelling, especially to Japan.
Regional Management Team - Hong Kong, Singapore & Japan
I am Pieter Kraan, Managing Director of Leaseweb Hong Kong, Leaseweb Singapore and Leaseweb Australia. I am responsible for the expansion of Leaseweb’s presence in each of these regions. I joined Leaseweb in 2021 and brought over 20 years of global experience in growing businesses in the IT and service industries with me.
Before joining Leaseweb, I served as managing director of Runway86, a Singapore based start-up in the luxury travel industry. Prior to that, I held management positions in the professional printing industry for companies like Océ and Canon in the Netherlands, China and Singapore with national and regional responsibilities.
I hold a MBA Degree in General Management from the joined program of Nyenrode University, the Netherlands, Kellogg School of management, USA, and University of Stellenbosch Business School, South Africa. Next to my work I love spending time with my family, travelling, water sports, winter sports, and Formula1.
Before joining Leaseweb, I spent much of my career within the Financial Services Industry, in multiple IT roles over 15+ years, ranging from Event Monitoring, Unix System Administration, culminating in the data center sector, managing multiple sites and teams across the Asia Pacific region. I have been lucky to work with some brilliant minds in the Data Center industry within the region, and I ultimately look forward to applying those experiences at Leaseweb.
Outside of work, I enjoy spending my time with my wife and children outdoors. I have a love for watersports and in particular wakeboarding (badly). I am also a big Formula 1 fan, and motorsport fan in general.
I am John Duley, Managing Director at Leaseweb Japan. I am responsible for expanding Leaseweb’s presence in the Japanese market. I joined Leaseweb in 2024 and brought 36 years of experience in growing businesses in the IT, Internet, Cloud, and Cyber Security industries with me.
Before joining Leaseweb, I worked at companies such as Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Dell, Level 3, and WithSecure. I held management positions responsible for both Japan and the Asia Pacific region.
I have a degree in Economics from Willamette University, with a minor in Japanese. In my spare time, I love to spend time with my family and friends, exercise, and play golf.
Regional Management Team - UK
I am Terry Storrar, Managing Director of Leaseweb UK Ltd. I am responsible for general management in the UK, where I oversee business development and operations, with particular attention to expanding the company’s cloud product portfolio. My focus is on execution and delivering exceptional value for our customers.
I joined Leaseweb in 2020 and brought more than 20 years of expertise across a range of specialized services, including managed services, cloud, hosting, implementation and architecture. Prior to joining Leaseweb, I worked in director-level roles for several UK entities, from startups to national enterprises.
I pursued my studies at Hewens College. When not working I enjoy spending time with my wife, two daughters and our dog. I like travel, sporting events, food, keeping fit and I am a very keen golfer.
Regional Management Team - Canada
With over 20 years of experience in the data center, telecom, and wireless industry with large and startup organizations, I have acquired extensive leadership and operational expertise to benefit our local teams and customers.
When I’m not working, I enjoy family time, skiing, great wines, walks with my golden retriever Cooper and following my daughter’s horseback riding passion.
Leaseweb Network Management Team
Prior to joining Leaseweb in 2014, I worked 14 years at Level 3 Communications, developing and managing sales teams across Europe (and serving Leaseweb as a customer since 2007). Before Level 3, I spent 11 years at Philips Electronics in various product management and marketing functions and building a Professional Services business around Philips’ business telephone systems and call centre products.
I joined Leaseweb because I was attracted to its entrepreneurial spirit, to its culture to empower people, and to the talents and teamwork I perceived when Leaseweb was my customer – and so far, all of that has proved true. In December 2016, I was elected to the Executive Board of the Amsterdam Internet Exchange (AMS-IX) where I fulfil the role of Treasurer.
I graduated in 1988 and hold a Master’s degree in Telecommunications from the Technical University Delft. When not working, I try to find the right balance between consuming calories (by cooking and enjoying food) and burning them (by running and cycling), preferably with family or friends.