Last Thursday, April 9, was all about connection, networking, and knowledge sharing during our annual Digital Agency Partner Day. On this sunny day, more than 120 partners gathered at a special location: the Aviodrome in Lelystad. It was a wonderful day filled with valuable conversations, new insights, and inspiring moments, with former international top referee Björn Kuipers as the highlight keynote speaker.

The Aviodrome in Lelystad

This year, we chose the Aviodrome as the location for our Digital Agency Partner Day. With beautiful weather and a relaxed start, partners had the opportunity to explore the museum at their own pace between 10:00 and 12:00.

Welcome and start of the program

The day began in the museum hall, where partners were welcomed with coffee and the first opportunity to catch up. Everyone then moved to the Uiver Hall, where colleague Justin opened the day with a plenary session. It was a moment to reflect on where we stand today and where we want to grow together. Justin shared the latest developments within Shock Media and gave a preview of the day’s program.

Inspiring keynote by Björn Kuipers

After the introduction, it was time for the keynote by Björn Kuipers. As a former international top referee and entrepreneur, he offered a unique perspective on performing under pressure and collaborating at the highest level.

Through personal highlights and challenging moments from his career, he demonstrated the importance of trust, teamwork, and communication—both on the field and within organizations. Using engaging videos from his refereeing career, Björn translated these lessons to the business world in a way that was highly relatable. Whether it was making decisions under pressure, building a strong team, or supporting each other’s success, the parallels with entrepreneurship and collaboration were clear.

This combination made his story especially powerful. Björn showed that true performance is never individual, but always the result of cooperation and trust a message that perfectly aligns with how we collaborate with our partners at Shock Media.

The highlight of the day: lunch

After Björn Kuipers’ keynote, it was time for lunch in the museum hall of the Aviodrome. A unique setting where partners enjoyed an extensive lunch with a variety of sandwiches and wraps. It was also a great moment to catch up with partners, meet new contacts, and share experiences.

Behind the scenes at the NCSC

After lunch, everyone gathered again in the Uiver Hall for the continuation of the program. Justin briefly introduced the afternoon sessions, followed by the first content session by the NCSC on cybersecurity. Using a recent Ivanti vulnerability as an example, they offered an inside look into their work and shared practical knowledge on how to limit the impact of such incidents. The presentation made it clear that awareness of your vulnerabilities is the first step in your defense.

Presentation round 1

Next were two parallel sessions, where partners could choose topics that best matched their interests.

In the first round, one option was a presentation by SIDN, where Michiel Henneke used concrete data and clear insights to show how internet behavior has changed since the rise of AI, and what opportunities and risks this creates for online professionals.

In another room the departure hall our colleague Sven gave a presentation on how to design future-proof applications in a world where scalability and growth are key, and why traditional scaling methods are no longer sufficient.

Presentation round 2

In the second round, partners could choose between a session by our colleague Matthijs or one by Timo.

Matthijs demonstrated through real-world examples how database optimization has a direct impact on performance and conversion.

Meanwhile, Timo delivered a session in the departure hall on NIS2, discussing upcoming legislation, its impact, and how organizations can prepare for it.

Closing & networking

After the sessions, it was time for the networking reception a great opportunity to continue conversations over drinks and connect with other digital agencies.

Platinum Partner Award

Our partners did not leave empty-handed. During the reception, our Platinum Partner Awards were presented to all our Platinum Partners as a token of appreciation for the great collaboration. Finally, everyone received a well-filled goodie bag to take home.