Carl van der Putten studied Economics with a specialization in marketing. He graduated from Tilburg University in 1988. After his graduation he worked at Procter & Gamble in the marketing department. He traded in a career at Procter & Gamble for entrepreneurship in 1992 and is currently CEO of JJ Footwear. When he joined JJ Footwear, the company of his father, its business was decreasing due to the nature of its industry. In 1996 the company acquired a shoe factory eight times the size of the original factory and in 2002 production expanded to the whole Netherlands. With the introduction of the euro and the collapse of the economy, came tough times for the company. However, in 2003 the company introduced a new concept of boots which are also proving to be an international success. Van der Putten’s ambition with JJ Footwear is making it an internationally successful company, with a focus on the United States. Furthermore he wants to share his experience and knowledge with starting entrepreneurs.

Carl currently lives in Drunen, is married and has four children. He is also a runner, having ran the New York Marathon twice. He is chairman of SeLL (business/network club of the shoe- and leather branch) and a member of the board of the National War- and Resistance Museum Liberty Park in Overloon. Furthermore, he is one of the founders of Asset Marketing.