About the Team
Jordy VINKE. Born and raised in the Netherlands, Jordy is a third-year student Finance & Control with a strong focus on finance and risk management. With additional work experience in the marketing and events industry, he has strong organizational skills and responds quickly when problems arise. Jordy is currently optimizing processes and risk management at his internship. He is passionate about fitness, running and nutrition and plans to pursue a career in the clean food industry.
Sonja SCHMIDT. Born in Germany, Sonja is a 4th-year International Business student enrolled in the joint degree program with ESB Business School in Reutlingen. Throughout her studies, Sonja has been actively engaged in student-led initiatives, where she applied leadership skills and strategic thinking in collaborative environments. In 2023, she completed an internship at BMW Group in the field of Marketing and Aftersales, and is currently based in Lisbon, where she is gaining further professional experience in Business Development. In addition to NIBS, Sonja was on the CBS Global Case Competition 2025 team in Copenhagen, where Avans placed 3rd. Driven by complex problem-solving, Sonja aspires to pursue a career in strategy consulting.
Polina KYRYLIUK. Originally from Ukraine, Polina is studying International Business at Avans. She gained project management experience at EdEra, one of Ukraine’s leading educational platforms, coordinating large-scale projects with partners including UNICEF, IREX, EUACI, and the Ministry of Education of Ukraine. Polina expanded her global perspective through a real estate internship in Barcelona and multiple Erasmus+ programs across Germany and Hungary, including service as a European Solidarity Corps volunteer. She recently competed in the Copenhagen Business Case Competition, where her team placed 1st in Europe and 3rd worldwide. An avid traveller, Polina will pursue an exchange semester in South Korea starting in March 2026. She is passionate about theatre improvisation and seeks roles combining analytical thinking, leadership, creativity, and impact.
Thomas RIESTER. Having grown up in South Africa and now a final-year double degree student in International Management at ESB Business School in Germany and Avans UAS in the Netherlands, Thomas developed an early interest in international business and cross-cultural collaboration. Through internships and student roles in supply chain management, infrastructure planning, sales, and currently finance, he has built the ability to tackle cross-disciplinary problems. Drawing on this diverse experience as an active case competition participant, he placed third globally at CBS GLOBAL. Thomas is currently completing his graduation internship in the finance department of Advanced Sterilization Products (ASP), where he is also writing his thesis on operational risk reduction.
- Muhammad Abrahim ZAKA (Coach). Abrahim earned a PhD in Marketing Strategy from Nyenrode Business University and is currently a Senior Lecturer at Avans. He serves as Co-Chair of the Graduation Committee and Chair of the Study Program Advisory Committee and is actively involved in the redesign of the graduation track curriculum. In addition to his leadership roles, Abrahim teaches Marketing Strategy and Research Methods. Prior to entering academia, he worked in banking.
- Virgil VAN DE GEVEL (Coach). Virgil teaches courses in marketing, strategic management, data science and marketing research. He holds a Master in Business Administration and a Master in Data Science Management, and has marketing management and research experience with Campina (dairy), Novartis, T-Mobile, Sara Lee and PepsiCo. Virgil is also a member of the Examination Board and an Examiner for the Dutch Marketing Institute, which provides qualifications at Master’s degree-level for experienced marketers.