Patrick Kerssemakers is a passionate and experienced expert in e-commerce and Internet entrepreneurship.
He is the founder of FonQ.nl, one of the Dutch largest retailers in the home and living market, now supporting several companies as an Industry Expert, Supervisory Board Member and as a partner in venture capital firm HKventures.
Industry expert and advisor to Venture capital and private equity funds. As well advisory roles at a number of high growth Internet companies, supporting them on their long-term e-commerce and digital strategy.
2017 - NOWWith more than 10,000 annual auctions and a total auction volume of € 200 million per year Auctio BV or BVA Auctions is the first and largest online auction platform in Europe.
2016 - NOWHKventures is an early stage venture capital firm. Its people are passionate about ambitious teams that focus on creative, and are lead by down to earth, and genuine entrepreneurs. Recent investments of HKventures are: Voicebooking.com, CloudSuite, Starred, Polarsteps, Africamps, Vintage Cash Cow and Springest (exited to FD Media Group).
2010 - NOWAs founder and CEO of fonQ.nl Patrick Kerssemakers built knowledge and experience on e-commerce. Started in 2002, FonQ is nowadays one of the largest Dutch online retailers in the home and living market. Patrick led the company to aggressive growth (through organic and multiple acquisitions) and profitability, and developed one of the most respected brands in the Dutch home and living market. FonQ was sold to Wehkamp/Apax.
2002 - 2017The LOEY (Leading Online Entrepreneur of the Year) Foundation stimulates Online Entrepreneurship in The Netherlands. The foundation is initiated by Hubert Deitmers (Endeit Capital) and Heleen Dura-van Oord. Celebration Entrepreneurship, the foundation organizes the yearly LOEY Awards. As chairman Patrick Kerssemakers is responsible for the yearly LOEY awards event that’s attend by the most respectable Dutch Internet entrepreneurs. Members of the jury are: Bernhard van Oranje (CEO Levi9), Corinne Vigreux (founder TomTom), Joost Romeijn (owner Sundio Group) and Daniel Ropers (former CEO Bol.com).
2015 - NOWThe Amsterdam Commerce Open (ACO) is an exclusive and invite only golf event for e-commerce professionals on C-level. Yearly organized by Patrick Kerssemakers, executive professionals come together to play golf with their peers and enjoy the food, drinks and talks afterwards. In 2018 the Amsterdam Commerce Open will be organized for the 6th time at ‘The International’ golf course in Amsterdam.
2013 - NOWFD Gouden Gazelle Award in 2010
Listed in Deloitte Fast50 of 2010 and 2011
Thuiswinkel Awards for best Dutch e-commerce store in 2014 and 2016
ABN AMRO Webshop Awards for best warehouse in 2016 and for best webshop in 2017 and 2018
Nominated candidate for the LOEY Awards in 2011
During his time as founder and CEO of FonQ.nl Patrick Kerssemakers created multiple marketing campaigns. These campaigns were crucial in establishing the brand awareness of FonQ.nl, like the ‘Mooi, maar waar vind ik het?’ and later on ‘Vind jouw mooi’ campaign. Next to that Patrick initiated at FonQ.nl an internal media agency that produced (digital) content for all its marketing channels and produced a quarterly magazine as source of inspiration for its customers.
As initiator of the Amsterdam Commerce Open and as chairman of the LOEY Awards Patrick Kerssemakers brings yearly the best Dutch online entrepreneurs and e-commerce executives together to support and celebrate the Dutch Internet economy.