GENERAL INQUIRIES
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ir@forward.oneCoen helps founders unlock commercial potential by combining long-term vision with decisive execution.
Coen is a seasoned IT veteran with more than 35 years of experience across consulting, sales, and general management.
He started his career at Exact Software in training and consulting before joining Oracle, where he progressed from Consulting Management to leading the BeNeLux applications sales team. He later held senior leadership roles at EMC (Country Manager) and SAP (Chief Commercial Officer).
His final corporate role was at Snowflake, where he led the BeNeLux and Nordics regions, further strengthening his expertise in scaling high-performance commercial teams.
In 2023, Coen joined FORWARD.one as a Venture Partner, bringing his deep commercial experience into the startup ecosystem. Alongside this, he serves as CEO of Helin and advises multiple portfolio companies, primarily on go-to-market strategy and general management.
He describes himself as “a sales guy with general management capabilities,” reflecting his strong belief that commercial execution sits at the heart of company success.
Great companies are built when vision meets execution and when founders are open to being challenged while building something bigger than themselves.
Commercial excellence drives outcomes.
With over 35 years in software, consulting, and enterprise leadership, Coen focuses on helping companies translate vision into revenue. He is particularly drawn to software environments and complex challenges where strong commercial execution makes the difference.
Vision must meet execution.
He looks for founders who can balance long-term ambition with short-term traction: those who can close deals while building the future of their company.
Challenge creates growth.
Coen thrives in partnerships where founders are open to strategic dialogue and willing to challenge the status quo. In these environments, he believes “the sky is the limit.”
Life is filled with opportunities but they usually hide behind blockers. Turn blockers into potentials and the opportunities open up like the sun behind the clouds.
