Willem Vermaak
Xebia US
Languages
- Dutch
- English
Netherlands
Reviews
What students say about Willem
Nov 27, 2024
The training was awesome
The training was awesome. Willem is one giant man of knowledge and got us all enthousiastic.
Oct 25, 2024
informative and substantial training course
The training was well structed and organized. The trainer used many different ways to explain the whole stuff. He responded fully to the needs of the participants and answered all questions with a very good quality. I would recommend this training class to my colleagues.
Oct 16, 2024
An Inspiring Journey to Becoming an Entrepreneurial Product Owner
The structured approach to covering key concepts, from Agile product management and Scrum theory to product backlog management, stood out. The transitions between topics were seamless, creating a cohesive learning experience. Unlike a traditional lecture, this training offered practical, hands-on activities and the chance to collaborate with other Product Owners, gaining insights from their experiences and stories.
Oct 15, 2024
Great and knowledgeable trainer with…
Great and knowledgeable trainer with very practical viewpoints and a good non-nonsense approach and told with lots of humour.
Aug 5, 2024
Great class given by Willem with lot of…
Great class given by Willem with lot of visualisations! This made it easier to remember.
Feb 27, 2024
Good
Great training
Nov 20, 2023
very knowledgeable trainer
very knowledgeable trainer. Good balance of theory and excercises.
Oct 17, 2023
Training was great
Training was great
Oct 10, 2023
Course content made practical
Course content made practical
Oct 9, 2023
Willem geeft fantastisch les!
Willem geeft op een goede manier les door inhoud te combineren met humor, actieve opdrachten en flip overs waarop hij de onderwerpen beeldend maakt met live getekende afbeeldingen en tekst. De lessen zitten erg goed in elkaar en Willem is bovendien een fijne docent om les van te krijgen. Echt top! Bedankt
Sep 27, 2023
gevoel voor het moment
De interactie, openheid, directheid, humor, inhoudelijk en gevoel voor het moment!
Sep 1, 2023
Good class, shows the gap with daily practice
Good class, great trainer. What have liked to see more discussion on the gap between daily practice and best practice
Sep 1, 2023
The trainer was very good in making…
The trainer was very good in making this an interactive training where i could stay focused and learn everything there was to learn about the basics of Scrum. Really like the training alot.
Aug 25, 2023
PSPOII review AGM
Very useful theoretical information and practical insights that create a strong base to compare with our current scrum situation and subsequently start planning via small steps how to improve ownership, pro activity and independence of the PO's in our organization
I felt the schedule a bit thigh (probably due to the multiple questions and discussions we had :)) so specially during the exercises I didn't have enough time to analyze properly, which it would help to better retain the theory given.
Jul 27, 2023
Super insightful and thought provoking…
Super insightful and thought provoking training. Really helped me in my day to day work and prepared me for my PSPO-Advanced exam.
The training combined theory and practical experience really well. Using a guiding case as a basis for the stances and practices.
Jul 26, 2023
Usefull training. Must follow.
The energy and content was great and on par. Willem is a true Scrum professional with a lot of experience and (practical) knowledge. It was an interactive and also fun training.
May 26, 2023
Great for the next step
Getting helpfull insights on how you act as product owner and how you can act as an entrepeneur. Very insightsfull with a lot of practical examples and cases.
May 25, 2023
Awesome way of explaining all key…
Awesome way of explaining all key concepts & giving an environment to clarify all doubts.
May 10, 2023
Highly recommended training
Amazing two day training. Lots of interactivity, real life examples and two incredibly knowledgeable trainers. Highly recommend to anyone wanting to take the next steps with their product ownership.
Mar 9, 2023
Agile and scrum
I understood a lot about Agile and Scrum, and the role a Scrum master plays within the organization.
Feb 16, 2023
willem had a great passion shared and…
willem had a great passion shared and also some nice ethical and personal experiences to share.
Jan 28, 2023
Well structured interactive classroom…
Well structured interactive classroom training. During the 2-day training Willem guided as through the PO context/ focus areas with a balance between bring the information interactive through "timeboxed" assignments and sharing relevant theory and business insights.
Sep 30, 2022
PSPO I training
excellent training, no other words for it.
Jul 29, 2022
Wonderful
Wonderful. I had a lot of fun taking this course and learning and looking forward to applying it to my work. The teacher was vert skilled on the subject-matter, made it fun for the students and prepared us well for the exam. I highly recommend this course, Xebia Academy and the teacher to others.
May 13, 2022
High pace knowledge sharing
High pace knowledge sharing
The online training provided by Laurens was full of energy. Laurens is a true master of words. High pace knowledge sharing in a very constructive way.
May 13, 2022
Excellent Class! Would highly recommend
I found the class really interesting and very interactive.
Content and presenter were excellent and I like that we went to rooms with different people all the time so we got to know them a bit and work with everyone in the team.
Jan 24, 2022
Review of PSPO-I
This was a very informative course with good discussions and thorough explanations of the concepts.
Overall I recommend the course.
Dec 8, 2021
Great PSPO class!
Great class. Willem knows so much about it that he has to speak fast en sometimes need the breaks. His examples are very usefull and practical also related to the scrum theory. So, if you look for a product owner class: go to Xebia and ask for Willem.
Nov 9, 2021
Inzichtvol met de accenten op de juiste…
Inzichtvol met de accenten op de juiste plek!
Oct 19, 2020
Good online course
Although it is conducted online, with the use of collaborative board and breakout room, the course is full of interactivity and information.
Feb 20, 2020
Great delivery!
Very fun, interactive and education training session!
Feb 14, 2020
Great training.
Great training.. thanks Ralph & Willem
Feb 14, 2020
Ralph and Willem were great teachers
Ralph and Willem were great teachers. they really maximized the value of this training. Thank toy to both of them
Jul 31, 2019
Highly interactive class that really…
Highly interactive class that really dug into the chore of product ownership. Really liked the way Willem Vermaak supported the class with visuals created on-the-spot and not only brouyght knowledge across biut also managed to provide me with several new insights - even though I have been working in PO related roles since 2010.
About Willem
Hi there, and nice to meet you!
You came here looking for a trainer?! Good, let's talk product, leadership, process and AI!
For me, Scrum is about solving complex problems. And for most commercial organisations, that means: Solving problems for our customers, whilst driving a viable business.
And that is where I come in. I'm a product focused PST, meaning I thrive at the intersection of Product Management and proces frameworks like Scrum. I have extensive product management knowledge, having been a game producer, product owner, and product leader myself, as well as a lengthy track record of consulting and training.
I'm an ex-Army commanding officer, so know a thing or two about (situational) leadership.
Looking forward to connect with you!
What students say about Willem
Nov 27, 2024
The training was awesome
The training was awesome. Willem is one giant man of knowledge and got us all enthousiastic.
Oct 25, 2024
informative and substantial training course
The training was well structed and organized. The trainer used many different ways to explain the whole stuff. He responded fully to the needs of the participants and answered all questions with a very good quality. I would recommend this training class to my colleagues.
Oct 16, 2024
An Inspiring Journey to Becoming an Entrepreneurial Product Owner
The structured approach to covering key concepts, from Agile product management and Scrum theory to product backlog management, stood out. The transitions between topics were seamless, creating a cohesive learning experience. Unlike a traditional lecture, this training offered practical, hands-on activities and the chance to collaborate with other Product Owners, gaining insights from their experiences and stories.
Oct 15, 2024
Great and knowledgeable trainer with…
Great and knowledgeable trainer with very practical viewpoints and a good non-nonsense approach and told with lots of humour.
Aug 5, 2024
Great class given by Willem with lot of…
Great class given by Willem with lot of visualisations! This made it easier to remember.
Feb 27, 2024
Good
Great training
Nov 20, 2023
very knowledgeable trainer
very knowledgeable trainer. Good balance of theory and excercises.
Oct 17, 2023
Training was great
Training was great
Oct 10, 2023
Course content made practical
Course content made practical
Oct 9, 2023
Willem geeft fantastisch les!
Willem geeft op een goede manier les door inhoud te combineren met humor, actieve opdrachten en flip overs waarop hij de onderwerpen beeldend maakt met live getekende afbeeldingen en tekst. De lessen zitten erg goed in elkaar en Willem is bovendien een fijne docent om les van te krijgen. Echt top! Bedankt
Sep 27, 2023
gevoel voor het moment
De interactie, openheid, directheid, humor, inhoudelijk en gevoel voor het moment!
Sep 1, 2023
Good class, shows the gap with daily practice
Good class, great trainer. What have liked to see more discussion on the gap between daily practice and best practice
Sep 1, 2023
The trainer was very good in making…
The trainer was very good in making this an interactive training where i could stay focused and learn everything there was to learn about the basics of Scrum. Really like the training alot.
Aug 25, 2023
PSPOII review AGM
Very useful theoretical information and practical insights that create a strong base to compare with our current scrum situation and subsequently start planning via small steps how to improve ownership, pro activity and independence of the PO's in our organization
I felt the schedule a bit thigh (probably due to the multiple questions and discussions we had :)) so specially during the exercises I didn't have enough time to analyze properly, which it would help to better retain the theory given.
Jul 27, 2023
Super insightful and thought provoking…
Super insightful and thought provoking training. Really helped me in my day to day work and prepared me for my PSPO-Advanced exam.
The training combined theory and practical experience really well. Using a guiding case as a basis for the stances and practices.
Jul 26, 2023
Usefull training. Must follow.
The energy and content was great and on par. Willem is a true Scrum professional with a lot of experience and (practical) knowledge. It was an interactive and also fun training.
May 26, 2023
Great for the next step
Getting helpfull insights on how you act as product owner and how you can act as an entrepeneur. Very insightsfull with a lot of practical examples and cases.
May 25, 2023
Awesome way of explaining all key…
Awesome way of explaining all key concepts & giving an environment to clarify all doubts.
May 10, 2023
Highly recommended training
Amazing two day training. Lots of interactivity, real life examples and two incredibly knowledgeable trainers. Highly recommend to anyone wanting to take the next steps with their product ownership.
Mar 9, 2023
Agile and scrum
I understood a lot about Agile and Scrum, and the role a Scrum master plays within the organization.
Feb 16, 2023
willem had a great passion shared and…
willem had a great passion shared and also some nice ethical and personal experiences to share.
Jan 28, 2023
Well structured interactive classroom…
Well structured interactive classroom training. During the 2-day training Willem guided as through the PO context/ focus areas with a balance between bring the information interactive through "timeboxed" assignments and sharing relevant theory and business insights.
Sep 30, 2022
PSPO I training
excellent training, no other words for it.
Jul 29, 2022
Wonderful
Wonderful. I had a lot of fun taking this course and learning and looking forward to applying it to my work. The teacher was vert skilled on the subject-matter, made it fun for the students and prepared us well for the exam. I highly recommend this course, Xebia Academy and the teacher to others.
May 13, 2022
High pace knowledge sharing
High pace knowledge sharing
The online training provided by Laurens was full of energy. Laurens is a true master of words. High pace knowledge sharing in a very constructive way.
May 13, 2022
Excellent Class! Would highly recommend
I found the class really interesting and very interactive.
Content and presenter were excellent and I like that we went to rooms with different people all the time so we got to know them a bit and work with everyone in the team.
Jan 24, 2022
Review of PSPO-I
This was a very informative course with good discussions and thorough explanations of the concepts.
Overall I recommend the course.
Dec 8, 2021
Great PSPO class!
Great class. Willem knows so much about it that he has to speak fast en sometimes need the breaks. His examples are very usefull and practical also related to the scrum theory. So, if you look for a product owner class: go to Xebia and ask for Willem.
Nov 9, 2021
Inzichtvol met de accenten op de juiste…
Inzichtvol met de accenten op de juiste plek!
Oct 19, 2020
Good online course
Although it is conducted online, with the use of collaborative board and breakout room, the course is full of interactivity and information.
Feb 20, 2020
Great delivery!
Very fun, interactive and education training session!
Feb 14, 2020
Great training.
Great training.. thanks Ralph & Willem
Feb 14, 2020
Ralph and Willem were great teachers
Ralph and Willem were great teachers. they really maximized the value of this training. Thank toy to both of them
Jul 31, 2019
Highly interactive class that really…
Highly interactive class that really dug into the chore of product ownership. Really liked the way Willem Vermaak supported the class with visuals created on-the-spot and not only brouyght knowledge across biut also managed to provide me with several new insights - even though I have been working in PO related roles since 2010.
Courses taught by Willem
Applying Professional Scrum
Professional Scrum Master
Professional Scrum Master and Professional Scrum Product Owner
Professional Scrum Product Backlog Management Skills
Professional Scrum Product Owner
Professional Scrum Product Owner - Advanced
Professional Scrum Product Owner - AI Essentials
Professional Product Discovery and Validation
Other Services by Willem
- Coaching/Consulting
- Immersion Classes
- Private Courses
Upcoming Classes by Willem
See all upcoming classes
Live Virtual
Date: Nov 1-2, 2025
Language: English
Class Format: Traditional
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM America/New_York
Live Virtual
Date: Nov 4-5, 2025
Language: English
Class Format: Traditional
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM America/New_York
Live Virtual
Date: Nov 8-9, 2025
Language: English
Class Format: Traditional
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM America/New_York
Live Virtual
Date: Nov 15-16, 2025
Language: English
Class Format: Traditional
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM America/New_York
Live Virtual
Date: Nov 22-23, 2025
Language: English
Class Format: Traditional
10:00 AM - 5:30 PM America/New_York
Live Virtual
Date: Nov 27-28, 2025
Language: English
Class Format: Traditional
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM America/New_York
Latest Blogs by Willem
See all blogsWillem's Certifications and Licenses
Professional Product Discovery and Validation
Professional Scrum Trainer
Professional Scrum Master I
Professional Scrum Master II
Professional Scrum Master III
Professional Scrum Product Owner I
Professional Scrum Product Owner II
Professional Scrum Product Owner III
Professional Scrum Product Backlog Management Skills
Willem's Classes
Professional Scrum Product Owner - Advanced
Trainers:
Sjoerd Kranendonk, Robbin Schuurman, Chris Lukassen, Ralph Jocham
Partner:
Prowareness
Attended:
Jul 17-18, 2019
Professional Scrum Product Backlog Management Skills
Trainers:
Sander Dur, Ryan Brook
Partner:
Xebia
Attended:
Dec 6, 2023