Rens van Geel Appointed as New CEO of NOBEARS

As of July 17, Rens van Geel (pictured) has been appointed CEO of full-service digital agency NOBEARS. In this role, he will be responsible for daily operations and the professionalization of the agency. His focus will be on shaping the new agency proposition, ‘Accelerate Ambitions’, which is all about realizing and accelerating clients’ ambitions.

Founder Dustin Karelse (41) will remain CEO of NOBEARS Group, shifting his focus towards the growth of the agency group through strategic partnerships and acquisitions.

From Intern to CEO: A Remarkable Journey

Van Geel’s career within NOBEARS is a story of remarkable growth. He started as an intern in 2013, and after completing his studies, he ventured into digital marketing entrepreneurship. This quickly became serious when he co-founded HelloBo, an online marketing agency, with Karelse in 2015. In 2018, HelloBo was integrated into NOBEARS, where Van Geel took on the role of Digital Strategist.

By 2023, he had risen to Chief Marketing Officer, overseeing marketing and strategy. Now, as CEO, Van Geel will leverage his experience in both entrepreneurship and marketing to elevate NOBEARS’ services to the next level. His focus will be on aligning service quality and customer ambitions even more effectively.

“Exciting Challenges Ahead”

Rens van Geel on his new role:“I’m incredibly grateful and proud to take on the role of CEO at NOBEARS. I know the organization, our clients, and our employees inside out. Over the years, I’ve discovered how much I enjoy sharing my vision, passion, and energy—not just with clients but also with our team. This ambition has naturally evolved into a role that allows me to focus on it even more.”

“As CEO, I’m eager to unleash NOBEARS’ full potential with our new ‘Accelerate Ambitions’ proposition. This means focusing even more on the quality of our services, the flexibility and scalability of our digital solutions, and the personal growth of our talent. We now have 130 colleagues, and for them, personal development is a key part of working at NOBEARS. These are exciting challenges that I’m ready to tackle head-on.”

“The Right Person to Lead NOBEARS Forward”

Dustin Karelse, CEO of NOBEARS Group, adds:“I’m incredibly proud to hand over the CEO role of NOBEARS to Rens. I’ve personally watched him grow from an ambitious intern into a driven leader with passion for his craft and for NOBEARS. He’s deeply involved in projects, understands our clients, and has a strong vision for both today’s and tomorrow’s technology.”

“That level of involvement is exactly what’s needed to make the best decisions for NOBEARS. I have full confidence that Rens is the right person to ensure happy clients and employees, turn ambitions into reality, and strengthen NOBEARS’ position in the market.”