What excites you about working for Crowd Mobile?

Firstly, it’s the team - because we have a very young, energetic and diverse team. Also, being on the forefront of the online marketing and influencer industry, we have a team and company who are always thinking about the future and how to excite global customers and help them to make the right choices. This really motivates me. People are becoming more and more sophisticated in the way they make choices, they are more focused on the things they like and more selective. If we can help them make the right choice – I’m excited about this opportunity.
I also really enjoy the travel aspect of my role. I was in Australia recently for an industrial roadshow, which I attended with the CEO, and it was really exciting to see how people want to hear your story and get excited about it. It was a good chance for one-to-one meetings.

What does your organisation currently do to contribute towards the corporate social responsibility?

We are a small organisation and what we’re trying to work on is CSR which is meaningful to the company and the employees. For example, for us diversity is a very meaningful value and culture. We have over 30 different nationalities in our company and we’re definitely targeting a lot of efforts towards developing, growing and mentoring people. We started several training programmes recently, particularly mindful of the millennials in the business, to develop additional skills and grow further. Also, as management we are focused on progressing more females into senior positions.

As someone who has had many years working in Amsterdam, what changes have you seen to the employment market, particularly within finance?

It’s really competitive, especially in recent years. I’ve seen companies, especially the big and exciting ones, opening offices here because it’s a very innovative and very dynamic environment. In recent years Amsterdam has really become one of the best places to live and work in Europe. Sometimes I have found that the biggest struggle in recruitment is to find the right finance people with the right skillset, but also the right mindset - willing to learn and change. Adaptability is key. The bigger names can be more competitive and are attracting good candidates in finance and tech.

As a woman who is successfully working in a CFO role, what challenges have you faced throughout your career and how did you overcome them?

Mostly, I think, to be heard. It happened a lot in my career, both internally in the companies I’ve worked in and externally, that I’m the only female in the room. Also now during meetings, for example it happened a lot during the roadshow, that I’m sitting opposite male investors or analysts. So, for me, I think there’s a lot to be done in diversity in finance, particularly in senior positions and it comes from the fact that women don't like confrontation as much or to overpower anyone else’s opinion, so sometimes they are a bit more silent. I have tried to overcome this by contributing and giving my opinion. I think my advice would be to make sure that your message is heard – don’t be apologetic as there is a reason that you are at the meeting or have a seat at the table.

You have worked for both large and smaller businesses, what are the advantages and disadvantages of each?

The big organisations give you an opportunity to work on a larger scale and technically more complex or sophisticated projects, so this is where it’s usually interesting and challenging. The disadvantage can be that it can be more bureaucratic and layered and so decision-making processes can be much slower and more detached. In a small organisation you have the opportunity to make a huge impact; your reach is much broader and you can have an impact, but some small organisations struggle to scale and grow and this can be a disadvantage.

What would you say is the most rewarding part of your role?

Being able to build teams, the finance function, having an impact on the whole organisation and being relevant. I really enjoy things like that. I was lucky enough to do this in most of the companies I’ve worked for. I also really enjoy trying to open doors for young finance professionals, especially those who are female, to help them to grow and take a step up. 

What have you noticed are the main challenges in recruiting?

If you think about financial people nowadays, you don’t need to be what traditionally finance people were years ago, only focused on historical numbers, reports and monthly close. You need to have a very different skillset, where you build relationships with the business, where you are able to translate and build a bridge, a common platform with the business, to be able to support it. You also need to be tech savvy – to be able to innovate and change the way you work rapidly. This is also something that finance people do a lot – they pick the tools they know, the traditional tools they use, but nowadays things change so fast that it’s key to change your mindset.

What would be your advice to someone aspiring to be where you are now?

Persevere and be curious to learn always. What I’ve noticed for me, is that the road is never a straight line, there’s always a detour or a step backwards or sideways. It’s important to do what you think is right. Be always curious to push boundaries and to jump into the unknown, outside of your comfort zone.

Which 3 words would you use to best describe yourself?

Approachable, no-nonsense and curious