Career
In 1983, he helped to start the media company, Novamedia. Before establishing Novamedia in 1983, he worked with DAF and Oxfam Novib (Dutch organization for international development aid). At Oxfam Novib he was responsible for fundraising and oversaw its publishing house.
In addition, he acquired experience in European television, telephone and printed media businesses.
Until September 1992 he was also the director of Inter Press Service, Europe. Mr. Poelmann is one of the founders/owners of Independent Media, which became the second largest publishing house in the Russian Federation.
He was the chairman of the board of directors until 2004 when Independent Media was sold to Sanoma Publishing. In 2004 he co-founded City Department of Administration and Management, a daily financial newspaper in London.
One year later he co-founded the new Dutch publishing house Nieuw Amsterdam.
