Due to the size of our organization, you really can have an impact.
Could you tell us a little bit about your background and how you started at Van Lanschot Kempen?
During my study, Financial Business Economics, I got in contact with Kempen and participated in an in-house day and their very first masterclass / business course. I was overwhelmed by the knowledge and dedication of all the specialists. What I found very compelling was that irrespective of function or tenure the ideas of each individual counted, analyst and director alike. After the masterclass I was approached if I was interested in joining Kempen Corporate Finance. And I definitely was!
Why did you eventually make the step to go from Kempen Corporate Finance to Van Lanschot Private Banking?
After several years in Corporate Finance it was time for me to take on a different role. I was interested in learning about and contributing to decision making and continuous improvement in an organization, not only as an outside adviser. I was offered the opportunity to join the management team of Van Lanschot Private Banking. That was a very interesting time to find out how a company really works, to build an internal network and add value by raising all kinds of questions.
What differentiated Van Lanschot Kempen from universal banks and led to making you stay at Van Lanschot Kempen?
For me, the size of Van Lanschot Kempen and its focus on being a wealth manager is very important. Due to the size of our organization, you really can have an impact. If you have a good idea, it is up to you to make the best out of it. It is easy to connect with people across different departments and to find colleagues that want to contribute to a plan. Having focus means that we value our craftmanship and specialization. Thereby, we can differentiate ourselves from the universal banks. Every client counts!
What, in your words, is the vision of Van Lanschot Kempen?
We aim for the preservation and creation of wealth for our clients and the societies that we serve. Wealth is not the goal in itself. We aim to support clients in being able to fulfill their needs and dreams. Wealth is a means to be able to do that.
If you could give advice to yourself at the start of your career, what piece of advice would that be?
Be yourself and speak up! Being a woman in a team with a lot of men, I was inclined at first to adjust and show the same behavior or raise the same questions as the men. But over time, I realized that I noticed different things or thought differently. Bringing this to the table was of added value to the team!