Thomas Coopman steps up as CEO of Aardling

Today we announce, Mathias Verraes is stepping down as CEO of Aardling, the company he founded seven years ago. He's succeeded by his long-time colleague Thomas Coopman.

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Today, we announce that Mathias Verraes is stepping down as CEO of Aardling, the company he founded seven years ago. He's succeeded by his long-time colleague Thomas Coopman. Mathias remains at Aardling as board director and advisor to the CEO; Thomas will continue working with clients and leading workshops alongside his new duties.

In 2026, Mathias founded both a software architecture consultancy and the Domain-Driven Design Europe conference in 2016, uniting both under the Aardling brand in 2019. Under his leadership, Aardling grew to become an international leader in software strategy and architecture consulting and education, with clients ranging from startups to Fortune 500 companies in finance, automotive, and supply chain. In the years since, he also founded the Data Mesh Live conference, acquired the NewCrafts conference, and founded DDD Academy — the world's only education platform exclusively focused on software design and strategy. He co-wrote “Design and Reality” with Rebecca Wirfs-Brock.

By handing over the reins, Mathias returns to what drove him to start Aardling in the first place. "I can spend more time helping Aardling's clients as a consultant again," he says, "and work on new ideas and experiments in the company's pipeline. Outside of Aardling, I'll work as a Fractional CTO and executive consultant, and participate more in activism.”

"Thomas Coopman has been with Aardling since day one. He’s a keen observer; he can pinpoint the issues and create lasting improvements. Our clients love his no-nonsense leadership style. Thomas is a seasoned architect and a pragmatist. He believes in making the right trade-offs for the client, based on a deep insight into their needs. He’s also a passionate educator, and has created some of our flagship courses, including the wildly popular DDD in Your Favourite Language course. I couldn't think of a better person to lead Aardling into its next stage."

Creating software is changing because of AI, and Thomas believes that knowing what to build will be the real differentiator. Thomas: "Mathias and I share a belief that the intersection of business strategy and software delivery is only going to become more critical," says Thomas. "My focus is on growing the quality and excellence Aardling is known for, helping our clients navigate complex challenges to build truly successful software. Luckily, I'm not doing this alone — Mathias built an amazing team to help me. I’m incredibly honoured to carry this mission forward."