Calmness, Clarity, And Connection – Getting To Know COO Ellen van Beijsterveldt
For Ellen van Beijsterveldt, PublishOne’s COO (Chief Operations Officer), ‘impact’ isn’t a buzzword but a thread that runs through every twist and turn of her career to date.
Whether she’s restructuring operations, helping colleagues find clarity in how they work, or leading the day-to-day running of ‘The Friendly Publishing Platform’, Ellen brings a deep sense of purpose and humanity to everything she does. We spoke to Ellen about the path that led her to PublishOne, and where it’s taking her next…
Curiosity that led to a corporate career
Ellen’s career hasn’t followed the traditional corporate path, which is something she celebrates. From her early ambitions of becoming a chef or working in facilities management, to various real-world roles across different sectors, her trajectory has always been guided by curiosity and care.
That instinct for asking questions and taking action when something isn’t working well has made Ellen a natural leader in operational roles. Over the years, she’s gravitated towards situations where change is needed. “If I can build or structure something so it works,” she says, “that gives me energy.”
Of course, it’s not all been plain sailing. Ellen has had her moments of doubt. But those moments have taught her that it’s okay to not always know, as long as you keep moving. That’s especially true when you have people around who keep you sharp, let you laugh, and support you.
A steadying presence in the organization
Spend five minutes with Ellen, and you’ll sense the steady presence she brings to her teams. But for Ellen, it’s important that calmness never becomes coldness. Her approach is always grounded in empathy. As Ellen explains, “This is one of my strengths: giving structure and direction, especially when things get messy, but always taking the human side as a starting point.”
At PublishOne, that mindset is essential. The platform helps publishing people streamline complex workflows, adapt to new technology, and deliver quality content across multiple channels and formats. It’s a space where systems meet creativity, and where people need both clarity and support.
Today, Ellen sees her role at PublishOne as one of bridge-building between people and technology; organizations and outcomes;current challenges and future potential. Especially with rapid AI development, she’s focused on staying grounded and human in how innovation is implemented. As Ellen sees it: “In this whole new world of AI, that’s exactly what we need: to stay connected, friendly, to laugh, and to trust the process.”
Shaping the future of PublishOne
So what’s next for Ellen? More work with impact, more projects that improve people’s working lives, and more collaboration that brings purpose to process. Whether in big systems or small teams, she’s focused on the kind of innovation that respects people and lifts them up.
And PublishOne? It’s exactly where she wants to be. “It’s a really cool product, right at the heart of change and innovation in the publishing world,” she says. “With the Advisory Councils, partnerships, and collaborations, it’s not just ‘what I do’, it’s something we create together.”
At PublishOne, Ellen is helping shape a workplace and a platform where people can thrive, and where change isn’t just managed but made meaningful.
Blogs