For many people who work with Publiq outside the Netherlands, Lucas Wijntjes is a familiar name. He is often the first person they spoke to, the one who explained what the platform was meant to do, or the person who helped them navigate it. What many of them do not realise is that Lucas might never have joined Publiq at all, had it not been for a small nudge at the right moment.
Lucas joined the company at a time when it was still finding its feet. He was the first employee, back when Publiq was still very much a Dutch platform, operating under a different name and with ambitions that were only just beginning to take shape.
Over the years, his role evolved alongside the company itself, moving from marketing into sales, onboarding and international coordination. In many ways, Lucas expanded his borders as the platform did the same.
Lucas did not set out with a clear plan to build an international career. He grew up in the Netherlands and attended university there, before an Erasmus exchange brought him to Denmark. It was the first time he lived abroad, and where he met his Slovak other half.
After Denmark, he decided to move to Slovakia, they found a place to live and figured things out as they went along. Lucas worked as a freelancer in online marketing and communication-related roles. He used the time to build up contacts and to set up his business.
One evening in Bratislava, Lucas’ wife suggested he attend a meetup for Dutch people living in the city. He was not particularly enthusiastic.
“I did not really feel like going,” he admits. “I had a busy week, and I did not expect much from it.”
He went anyway, and at that meeting, he met Paul, one of Publiq’s founders. They started talking, exchanged ideas and stayed in touch.
Not long after, Lucas became the first freelancer to join Paul, Mark and their company. “If I had stayed at home that evening”, says Lucas, “I would probably not be here,” he says. “It really was that simple.”
When Lucas joined, there was only Publiq’s Dutch counterpart ‘De BouwApp’. They had a product, a clear idea and a growing number of users, but very little in the way of formal structure. Marketing was basic, international ambitions were tentative and most things were done on the fly.
Lucas started in marketing, working on the website, content and materials for events and trade fairs. Very quickly, that role expanded. He found himself explaining the platform to potential clients, giving demos and answering questions that went far beyond marketing.
“In the beginning, you just do what needs to be done,” he says. “There was no real distinction between roles.”
Internationalisation happened gradually, and often experimentally. Lucas was closely involved in those early steps. He researched how community engagement was discussed in other countries, compared terminology and tried to translate a very Dutch approach into something that made sense elsewhere.
Australia and the United Kingdom were among the first countries where Publiq began to test its international relevance. Lucas spent time understanding local expectations around social value, stakeholder engagement and communication with the public.
“You realise very quickly that you cannot just translate Dutch terms into English and expect people to understand,” he explains. “You need to know how people talk about these topics locally.”
As Publiq grew, so did Lucas and his responsibilities. In addition to marketing and sales, he became involved in onboarding new clients, supporting early projects and helping British users find their way within the platform.
Today, Lucas still works from Slovakia. The distance from the Netherlands does not feel like a disadvantage. If anything, it helps him see the platform from an international perspective.
Looking ahead, Lucas sees himself continuing to play a role in that growth, particularly where British users are concerned. He understands where Publiq comes from as well as how it is perceived abroad, a valuable combination of skills. “I like being part of something that is still developing,” he says. “You are never really done.”