This month, I concluded my roles at family business Van Staveren and the ELJA Foundation. These were special years during which I was able to apply my experience as a former PwC accountant and interim CFO at Beerensteyn Partners in an entirely new way, namely as a board member and supervisor. In both cases, I successfully took a holistic view of CFO topics within the broader board agenda, and I’m quite proud of that.
“Both non-executive roles have been an amazing experience. Stepping out of your comfort zone and working with different people to move things forward is a must for every CFO.”
During my time at Van Staveren and the ELJA Foundation, I learned a lot about the differences and similarities in governance and board agendas between a mature third-generation family business and a leading not-for-profit organization built from scratch. It was educational to manage significant amounts of money while still keeping focus on equally relevant non-financial issues. Additionally, it became clear what the added value can be of a non-family CFO or an independent board member, as well as the unique dynamics of organizations owned and led by women.
I further deepened my knowledge of governance through courses at Nyenrode Business University, including the broad board member program, the specialization in the audit committee, and the wealth management course.
And now? Back to working with the CFOs at Beerensteyn Partners, all fellow partners. Time for new challenges, both professionally and personally. And they are coming. To be continued!
“Of course, I will greatly miss Jitha van Staveren, Janneke van der Wijk, and their teams, but I will happily continue to follow them.”
