Hidde Ottens is the founder of Sporttijden Sports Timing Services and the operations manager of Privato Group. JONATHAN YBERA/EXPAT MEDIA

At over six feet tall, with an easy laugh and a knack for cracking jokes, Hidde Ottens looks like someone who takes life lightly. But behind his cheerful Dutch humor is a man whose world revolves around precision and time. As the founder of Sporttijden Sports Timing Services, Hidde has built a reputation as one of the UAE’s go-to experts in event timekeeping, clocking everything from triathlons to cycling challenges across the region. “I’ve been in the UAE for 12 years, with the first few years flying in and out for sports events, and then six more as a resident,” Hidde tells Expat Media with a grin. Today, he’s not only running his own company but also serving as operations manager at Privato Group, a thriving real estate and services company co-founded by his wife, Filipina entrepreneur Mary Grace Porto. Together, they’ve made Dubai home, raising their young son while managing two very different empires.

Where time meets passion

Hidde’s fascination with timing started long before Dubai’s skyscrapers entered his story. In the Netherlands, he worked in the fitness industry. He was also a professional swimmer, competing in open-water races and managing sports events. One event, however, changed everything. “We organized a 25-kilometer swim. That’s five hours in the water,” he recalls. “And our judge was standing there with an old-fashioned stopwatch. I thought, how can it be that after hours of swimming, the responsibility of your time is literally in someone’s hand?” That moment sparked an idea that would eventually become Sporttijden Sports Timing Services. Determined to modernize sports timekeeping, he researched systems that could track participants digitally through chips. “I went to a Dutch company known for its timing systems,” he says. “I told them, ‘Can you make something like this?’ And they told me, ‘You actually built the system we had in mind!’” Within six months, Hidde had developed his own device and was testing it at European open-water championships. Soon, he was flying around the world to time elite competitions.

Timing Dubai’s biggest races

Since then, Sporttijden has become synonymous with reliability and innovation. Hidde’s timing systems have powered events like Spinneys 92 Cycling Challenge, NAS Cycling Championship, Yasalam and Ironman. Despite his busy schedule, he finds time for family. For Hidde, time is both a business and a philosophy. “Time is life,” he says simply. “There are only 24 hours in a day, and I try to make the most out of every one of them.” PDG/Expat Media

Quick fire questions

First thing you do when you wake up  Happy that I have another day in front of me. Most unforgettable event you’ve timed A race in Kenya. If you could time any event, past or present The Amsterdam City Swim — where our queen swam! Dutch cheese or Dubai shawarma? Dubai shawarma. Gadget you can’t live without My timing device, of course! Which city feels more like home? It depends on the day, but Dubai feels complete, though I love the Philippines too. Favorite spot in Dubai to unwind The desert. Complete this sentence: Time is... Life! Hidde Ottens is the founder of Sporttijden Sports Timing Services and the operations manager of Privato Group. JONATHAN YBERA/EXPAT MEDIA

Hidde’s time-tested tips for work and life

Value time like money. “Once it’s spent, you can’t earn it back.” Love what you do or don’t do it. “That’s why I never feel like I’m working.” Find order in chaos. “Solving problems is where you learn the most.” Surround yourself with driven people. “My wife is the best example of that.” Keep moving forward. “Whether it’s swimming, business, or life — the only way is forward.” This story also appears in the Expat Media Special Edition magazine
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