A Dutch/Surinamese native, Merel has over 20 years of international experience with sports and fashion brands, working at EMEA headquarters in The Hague, Amsterdam, London and, for the past 5 years, Madrid.

While she started in Commercial roles, the last 12 years have been in Marketing, and she believes her commercial experience together with a multi-cultural upbringing makes her a more all-round marketer.

At Brazilian iconic flip-flop brand Havaianas, Merel is responsible for both the product offering and the full marketing mix for the EMEA region. She loves being able to spread the Brazilian "summer spirit" around the world and put a smile on people´s feet.