What does your position at ROM InWest entail?
“As an investment manager, I am in daily contact with entrepreneurs who are looking for financing. Together with my colleagues from the Investment team, I assess their project plans and investigate whether there is a good fit with one of our investment funds. A business model with sufficient sustainable economic perspective is the basis for all our investments, but at ROM InWest, financial return must always go hand in hand with social return. That is why I also delve into the mission and vision of an entrepreneur and how they contribute to the major social transitions.”
ROM InWest strongly values diversity and inclusion (D&I). How important is that theme to you?
“At the beginning of my career, it wasn’t an issue for me at all. I just wanted to prove myself in my work. But when the trainee manager at my previous employer initiated a monthly lunch for female trainees, I became more aware of the things you encounter as a woman in a world where mainly men work. That’s how I became more interested in the issue. From a series of books, I learned, among other things, that women naturally put themselves less in the foreground and that self-assured women are more quickly found unsympathetic. These kinds of things can unconsciously and subtly influence the opportunities you get as a woman. That’s why I think we should continue to have the conversation about this and continue to support each other as women. That way, we remain aware of the natural tendencies that both men and women have in their behavior. And we can work on that too.”
Do you ever suffer in your work because you are a woman?
“Luckily not or hardly. Although I do think that my behavior is geared to it because I have been working in this world for a while. For example, I know that I sometimes have to stand my ground. When I started at ROM InWest, I noticed that I was the only woman in the Investment team. That is why I have advocated for more women from the start. A diverse composition – not only in terms of male-female ratio but in general – is very important, because you mind bugs unconsciously clicks faster with a certain type of person. Our heterogeneous team therefore also appeals to a heterogeneous group of entrepreneurs. For example, I often click quickly with female entrepreneurs and vice versa, which is why I also sit at the table with them more often. In my work, it is therefore fun and useful that I am a woman. I also manage to remain myself in my work. I think authenticity is everyone's greatest strength."
Why is D&I important for Dutch entrepreneurs?
“The more diverse a group of people, the greater their total creativity. A large diversity of entrepreneurs therefore also leads to a richer mix of ideas and solutions for the transitions. This way we can make a greater social impact faster!”
More about working at ROM InWest
Curious about working at ROM InWest? Read here more about our organization.
