When you think about innovation, Human Resources (HR) may not spring to mind. But for Donja van Laarhoven, Robin’s new Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO), it absolutely should.
With a bold vision for the future of people, culture, and growth, Donja joins us to challenge the traditional role of HR, building a strategy that scales with our company.
We caught up with Donja to learn more about her unique background, her new role with us, and the driving force behind our refreshed company values.
“HR should be a driver of innovation, not just an operational support function. We’re here to accelerate growth, challenge assumptions, and shape the kind of culture that people want to be a part of.”
Donja van Laarhoven, CHRO, Robin Radar Systems
From scale-ups to strategy
Donja’s approach is fast-moving, but always grounded in care and culture. Her pace of change might feel bold, sometimes even a little scary, but it’s driven by a clear purpose: to inspire people, inject new energy, and redefine HR.
Her background spans an impressive mix of recruitment, HR leadership, and employer branding. From Rockstars IT, to Hunkemöller and Tiqets, Donja is well-versed in unique candidate experiences and effective internal working models.
She then co-founded Fanployer, a people consultancy that has helped hundreds of organisations, from startups to international players, design impactful strategies and employer brands.
Despite her passion, Donja admits she’s had a “love/hate” relationship with HR. “People are often surprised when I say that,” she says, “but it’s really down to the fact that traditional HR often feels stuck. Too bureaucratic, too reactive. In many places, it doesn’t have the seat at the table it needs to drive change.
"Magic tends to happen in empowered, like-minded teams, where people are trusted and culture is central. But we also need data and insight. Without it, HR risks becoming a day-to-day support, rather than the business-driver it should be.”
“When it’s done right, built upon a robust culture and fuelled by tangible data, HR becomes one of the most powerful parts of a business.”
Robin values redefined
One of Donja’s first major projects was leading the company-wide refresh of Robin’s values. Previously, these were trust, transparency, and responsibility, but the refresh isn’t a complete departure.
“The previous values served us well, but what worked 10 years ago isn’t what will progress Robin now,” Donja explains.
“We started with data. I conducted interviews and workshops across departments, leveraging tools like HiBob and Great Place to Work to gather honest insights. From there, we translated input into seven key themes and put them up for a company-wide vote. 75% of Robins backed the new set of three, ensuring real voices and experiences shaped final results.”
Robin’s new values
- We trust – We trust by default, and have each other’s back, always.
- We own it – We step up and follow through, together.
- We aim high – We're curious, challenge the status quo, and get better - every day.
“We found that transparency still came up as important, so we are not dropping that. It now sits under trust. Owning what we do enhances the idea of responsibility, making it collaborative and more complete. Aiming high is the only truly new value, covering the innovation and growth mindset that makes our team and company stand up and stand out.
“The ‘we’ in each value was intentional. Values only work if everyone lives them. These aren’t just words. They’re how we show up.
Why Robin?
Donja first knew Robin Radar Systems as a client, and quickly fell for the place.
“I remember walking into the office and just feeling the buzz,” she said. “The people here are energetic, driven, and truly care about their work and each other. It’s the kind of culture you can’t fake.
“I could see right away that adopting a proactive, challenger mindset wouldn’t be difficult here.
Robin’s culture is strong, but to grow, we need to scale with intention. That means maturing systems and processes without losing the spark that makes us, us.
After consulting with Robin, the opportunity to shape strategy from the inside was too good to pass up. That’s when Donja officially joined us back in June as CHRO, a brand-new role for our Management Team.
2025: fix the basics, close the gap
“This year, our focus is on fixing the fundamentals so we can scale sustainably. That includes everything from roles and systems to communication and culture.”
“We’re in a phase of extraordinary growth. By the end of 2025, we’ll have a total headcount of 225, having hired 92 new Robins this year. With that in mind, it’s essential to make sure our operations are airtight and our approach is impactful; growth isn’t only measured in numbers.”
Before Donja can let her creative mind loose, she’s focusing on strengthening foundations. Her 2025 goals include:
- Expanding the People & Culture team
- Upgrading HR and internal tooling
- Refreshing the employer brand and careers site
- Updating job frameworks and internal how-to’s
- Launching “Robin Minds”, a strategic employee development platform
- Sharpening the definition of Robin’s culture and values
2026: Innovate and enrich
Donja explains that technology has changed the game, not just in how we work, but in how we hire. She said: “We’re living in a ‘swipe culture,’ where people switch jobs more easily, and the average candidate applies for at least four or five roles at once.
“To stand out, employers need to do more than just offer a job, but an experience. It’s no longer just about selecting talent. It’s about being chosen. And these days, we’re not just in the business of hiring, but retaining. With retention becoming the biggest risk to growth, understanding employee behaviour, motivations, and desires is more critical than ever.
“That’s why 2026 will be all about innovation in the employee journey. We’ll focus on enriching processes, designing wow moments, and infusing every touchpoint with what we call the Robin flavour.
“Because growth doesn’t only correlate with headcount, we aim to get better at what we do and how we do it. For example, we’ll focus on a deeper integration of AI across the organisation, not just in product, but in HR too. We’ll use AI to free up our people, automating the repeatable and making space for the meaningful.”