Orange-clad crowds cram into Dutch cities to celebrate king's birthday

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Across the Netherlands, people donned orange clothes — from tuxedos to feather boas — and boats packed with revelers clogged Amsterdam's canals to celebrate their king's birthday Saturday.

In an Amsterdam park, a dog called Lucy sported orange-dyed fur.

“I love it. It’s a day where every year everyone just comes together, just celebrates and it doesn’t matter where you’re from everyone is just accepted," said 22-year-old Dicky van Warmerdam. "And if you look around, it’s just a giant party and who doesn’t want that?”

The official royal walkabout by King Willem-Alexander and family members in the eastern town of Doetinchem started an hour later than planned so as not to clash with the funeral at the Vatican of Pope Francis.

In a video message, Willem-Alexander said the day of Dutch celebration “has two faces” due to the pope's funeral, and paid tribute to Francis.

“For many Catholics and non-Catholics, he was a source of inspiration,” the king said.

The king's 58th birthday is on Sunday, but King's Day was held a day earlier.

The celebrations began Friday night with street markets in the central city of Utrecht and parties in other towns and cities.

By Saturday afternoon, some canals in the Dutch capital were crammed with boats, the water sometimes barely visible through the throngs of people and clouds of orange smoke from flares.

In a message on social media, Amsterdam Municipality said parts of the city were “too full” and urged people not to visit Amsterdam and “celebrate King's Day somewhere else.” Other cities also reported that events were overcrowded.

In Amsterdam's Vondel Park, children spread out blankets and sold unwanted toys, clothes and books in one of the many “free markets” that spring up on sidewalks and parks.

And it wasn't just the Dutch who were celebrating in Amsterdam.

“It is a great moment for togetherness, to be with friends, you know, ... to make new connections," said 23-year-old Lorenzo Soldi from Italy.

Ahmad Seir in Amsterdam contributed.

People celebrate King's Day in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

People celebrate King's Day in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

People celebrate King's Day in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

A girl poses for a picture as people celebrated King's Day in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

A boy earns some money by charging one euro for the use of a private's home bathroom as people celebrate King's Day in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

People celebrate King's Day in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

A woman poses with Lucy who has her hair painted orange as people celebrate King's Day in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

People celebrate King's Day in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

People celebrate King's Day in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

People celebrate King's Day in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

People celebrate King's Day in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

People celebrate King's Day in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

People celebrate King's Day in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

People celebrate King's Day in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

A woman poses with Lucy who has her hair painted orange as people celebrate King's Day in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

Herengracht canal was jam-packed with boats as people celebrated King's Day in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

People celebrate King's Day in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

Herengrscht canal was jam-packed with boats as people celebrated King's Day in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

WHEATON, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan 13, 2026--

Adair & Company (“Adair”), a procurement and supply chain value creation firm serving middle-market private equity firms and their portfolio companies, today announced the appointment of Kim Killian as Chief Revenue Officer, effective January 1, 2026.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260113821589/en/

Kim’s appointment reflects Adair’s continued investment in helping clients realize faster EBITDA improvement, stronger cash flow, and more repeatable value creation without the friction and overhead of traditional consulting models. As CRO, Kim will focus on expanding Adair’s national reach while preserving the firm’s defining advantage: senior-only execution that quickly creates real value, builds internal capability to sustain it, and then gets out of the way.

Kim brings more than 25 years of operating and revenue leadership experience, with a decade of focus on private equity-backed middle market organizations. A three-time C-suite executive, she has built and scaled commercial engines across the full investment lifecycle, from diligence and early post-close value creation through exit readiness and acquisition.

Most recently, Kim Killian served as Chief Strategy Officer and Chief Marketing Officer at Messina Group, where she helped transform the firm into a trusted partner to PE sponsors and portfolio company leaders. During her tenure, she grew the consulting business by 10x, secured the firm’s first PE clients, and built a modern revenue operations foundation to support scalable growth.

Earlier in her career, Kim co-founded and led the commercial organization of a healthcare technology company from startup through acquisition by Optum (UnitedHealth Group), gaining firsthand experience navigating the full M&A lifecycle and competing successfully against much larger incumbents.

In her new role, Kim will oversee all revenue-generating functions, including sales, marketing, strategic partnerships, and business development. She will work closely with operating partners to deepen relationships, improve market coverage, and ensure Adair’s offerings remain tightly aligned with the outcomes sponsors and management teams care most about: speed, materiality, and durability of results.

“Kim Killian understands how PE sponsors think—and how portfolio companies actually operate,” said Noah Adair, Founder and CEO of Adair & Company. “She has built scalable growth engines before, but more importantly, she knows how to help clients win during the moments that matter most. As we grow, Kim will help us extend that impact to more sponsors and portfolio companies.”

“Adair has earned its reputation by doing the work differently,” said Kim. “Clients don’t need more slide decks. They need experienced operators who move fast, deliver real financial results, and leave their organizations stronger. My focus is on scaling that model thoughtfully—so more sponsors and portfolio companies can experience the benefits.”

About Adair & Company

Adair & Company is a procurement and supply chain value creation firm serving middle-market companies and private equity portfolio companies. Founded by procurement and supply chain veteran Noah Adair, the firm deploys senior operators to deliver fast, margin expansion and working capital improvement through strategic sourcing, inventory optimization, and comprehensive PE support across the deal cycle. With a performance-based fee structure and a track record of delivering an average 6x ROI, Adair & Company partners with clients to create value, train teams for sustainability, and drive lasting operational improvement. For more information, visit www.Adaircompany.com.

Kim Killian has been appointed Chief Revenue Officer by Adair & Company effective January 1, 2026.