Mendix appoints Raymond Kok as its CEO
Boston (USA) February 14, 2024 – Mendix, a Siemens business and established leader in the low-code market, today announced the appointment of Raymond Kok as CEO, effective February 12, 2024. Ray joins Mendix from Siemens Digital Industries Software, where he was a Senior Vice President for the platform development of Siemens Xcelerator.
Over his 22-year tenure at Siemens, Ray played key leadership roles, supporting the Software-as-a-Service transition, leading the Industrial IoT platform business and its integration with digital manufacturing, and establishing unified services for Siemens Xcelerator. Ray is stepping into the role of Mendix CEO following the decision by Tim Srock to step down.
Ray’s enthusiasm for the low-code platform goes back years. At Siemens, he was one of the earliest adopters of the technology in general and Mendix specifically. He was an integral part of the initial conversations between the two organizations that eventually led Siemens Digital Industries Software to acquire Mendix in 2018.
“The founding principle of Mendix – the concept of bridging the gap between business, software engineering, and IT – is as critical an issue as it was almost 20 years ago when Mendix was founded. Enabling the business and IT to collaborate in the same platform throughout the development lifecycle is a huge part of what sets Mendix apart. The digitalization of any enterprise requires agility, speed, and access to best-in-class technology across all participating departments in an organisation and Mendix is definitely a key component to this as the leader in enterprise low-code,” said Ray.
There’s one key element to building software in Mendix that Ray sees as particularly powerful – productivity.
“Productivity may not be a headline-worthy buzzword, but it is critical. Empowering people to be more productive is the foundation of digitalization at any company. Productivity means people aren’t bogged down by low-value repetitive work and arcane decision-making. It means they aren’t solving the same problems over and over. In a productive enterprise, where business and IT are working collaboratively, there is room for creative thinking, there is time for innovation, there is room to reach towards – and accomplish – ambitious digital innovation goals. Building software in Mendix increases productivity across any enterprise and puts the focus on innovation.”
As a low-code early adopter, Ray is excited to see how its use is maturing: organizations recognize not just the standalone capabilities of Mendix’s powerful enterprise low-code platform but also its potential to be the beating heart of the enterprise, underpinning and bringing all technologies, applications, and data silos together. Mendix has demonstrated its value across multiple industries – both in the industrial and non-industrial space. Customers in highly regulated industries like financial services and the public sector have found particular success with Mendix due in part to its best-in-class governance capabilities.
Ray’s extensive experience will be key to solidifying Mendix’s position as the low-code platform for solving complex enterprise software development challenges. He will also drive tight integration of Mendix with the rest of Siemens’ software portfolio, smoother integrations and connectivity to the other technologies in the Siemens Xcelerator platform and enable customers to further benefit from the power of this synergy. Customers already benefit from the cohesion and strength of the Mendix ecosystem – which includes integrations with a growing selection of AWS services and industry-specific ISV-built adaptable solutions.
Ray will work to nurture the unique spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship that sets Mendix aside from the competition.
“Now that I’m a part of the team, I can proudly say that we call it Mendix Blue: being brave and making bold decisions, having no limits as we strive for innovation beyond traditional processes, exploring and cherishing the differences we have, and holding ourselves to high standards. That is the spirit of Mendix, and I’m committed to championing and growing it together with our exceptionally talented people across the globe”.
In closing, Ray said, “The Mendix workforce is continually improving on the low-code platform for building impactful digital solutions. Our customers use that platform to make better software, faster – turning their ideas into outcomes. I have always thought the vision Mendix holds for enterprise software is something vital – something singular. I’m looking forward to seeing, and being a part of, how that vision evolves and expands.”
While Ray is a citizen of the Netherlands, he has been living in the US for 20 years and is currently based in Orange County, California with his family. With Mendix’s C-suite team strategically based across the US, UK, and Europe, Ray is confident the company is entering a new, exciting phase of its global reach and growth.
About Mendix
Mendix, a Siemens business, is the only low-code platform designed to address the full complexity of enterprise software development challenges. Deploying point solutions to departmental problems solves things at a micro level—but if you want to make a significant impact on your business, you need to go bigger and build powerful portfolios that move the needle sustainably and strategically.
With Mendix, enterprises can take on more complex, transformational initiatives by engaging everyone in capturing requirements, forming ideas, and embedding value assessment throughout the lifecycle of the software portfolio.
Focus on the right problems while relying on governance and control to avoid unnecessary risk. Mobilize your organization. Build the change readiness muscle. And when the next big idea drops, turn it into an outcome quicker.
More than 4,000 organizations in 46 countries use the Mendix low-code platform. An active community of over 300,000 developers has created over 950,000 applications – and counting.