14 October 2025
This year marks Varrlyn’s 15th anniversary. After speaking with the firm’s leaders at its 5th and 10th anniversaries, we’re continuing the tradition – this time sitting down with Martin Defauwes, Stephan van der Windt and Philip van den Emster to reflect on the past five years and look ahead to the next five.
Congratulations on the milestone. How has Varrlyn evolved over the past years?
Martin: “Our consulting team has grown to around thirty professionals, while our client base has remained stable, including names such as ABN Amro, APG Asset Management, ING, NatWest, and Rabobank. We’ve also invested in automating and expanding our back office and brought in an office manager and a recruiter to support our growth.”
Philip: “Murex remains a core focus, but we’ve broadened our portfolio – especially in regulatory reporting – to meet our clients’ evolving needs.”
Stephan: “We’ve stayed true to our niche. We’ve deepened our expertise in areas where others struggle to establish a foothold, which keeps us distinct and in demand.”
Which projects over the past years are you particularly proud of?
Martin: “One standout is implementing SFDR for an asset manager client under tight deadlines and uncertain requirements. Varrlyn was deeply involved in project management, data collection, and reporting. Thanks to our team, we delivered on time – a major achievement.”
Stephan: “At a major Dutch bank, we support a large Murex transformation program, placing our experts in key roles. Being awarded a specialist vendor contract by this client is a strong validation of our quality and impact.”
Philip: “We’ve also successfully implemented a new automated testing method for Murex at two clients, greatly improving efficiency and reliability.”
Five years ago, you said the financial services sector was ‘almost held hostage by new regulations.’ How is that today?
Martin: “Regulations continue to grow, but the peak seems to have passed. In some areas, like lending, rules are easing slightly. Compliance and regulatory projects, however, remain substantial for our clients.”
Stephan: “Political changes, such as Trump’s election, have brought new dynamics. Looking ahead, cost reduction will be a key theme to help clients stay competitive.”
Philip: “Security will also become even more critical, with growing focus on IT and process risk.”
“What truly sets Varrlyn apart is not just the challenging and engaging work, but above all the culture, where colleagues are treated like family.”
You’ve emphasized staying independent, which can be challenging for a smaller firm. How is that going?
Stephan: “It’s more challenging now, as larger competitors can access projects more easily. Yet clients often report that quality doesn’t meet their expectations elsewhere. That’s why we focus on delivering the right quality – without the need to grow or merge.”
Martin: “We still enjoy running our own consulting firm. There may be opportunities to partner in the future, but for now, we remain independent and connected with colleagues and partners in the market.”
What are the key trends in your field, and how is Varrlyn responding?
Martin: “Digitalization and efficient use of data remain priorities. We need professionals with strong technical skills and financial knowledge, so we continuously invest in recruiting and training talent. AI also holds great promise for process automation, and we actively prepare our teams to use it effectively.”
Stephan: “We’re launching a custom AI training program to equip our consultants for the applications of AI, even before full integration in client systems.”
How are you celebrating the anniversary?
Stephan: “We’ve celebrated with a larger, festive event than usual, while keeping it grounded. We remain focused on our clients and our work.”
Finally, what sets Varrlyn apart from competitors?
Philip: “It’s not just the challenging work, but our supportive culture, where colleagues are treated like family. We deliberately build a close-knit community and focus on their success and well-being.”
“A great example is how we support colleagues joining Varrlyn. Many relocate with their families, and we guide them every step of the way, helping them feel at home within our team and with our clients.”