He studied violin at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam and conducting at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague, from which he graduated cum laude in 1993.
He has served as an assistant conductor to Edo de Waart with the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic.
His international prominence increased after his emergency replacement of Riccardo Chailly to conduct a 1995 concert with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra.
In 1996, Renes was named principal guest conductor of the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic.
Renes became chief conductor of Het Gelders Orkest (Arnhem, the Netherlands) in 1998 and held the post through 2002.