Women With Impact #16 - Marguerite Soeteman-Reijnen
Welcome to Women With Impact, a newsletter all about the journeys of ambitious women and how they have a positive impact in our world.
I’m Clara Richter and this is the 16th edition of Women With Impact. If you enjoy this issue, please share it with a friend and like it above.
For this edition, I interviewed Dr. Marguerite Soeteman-Reijnen, business woman and non-executive director, who is based in The Hague. She is the former Chairman of the Executive Board of Aon Holdings, where she had a long-standing career of over three decades. Marguerite holds positions at the Global Alumni Board of Harvard Business School and at law firm NautaDutilh among others, and is a representative at G20 EMPOWER for the Netherlands. She is an expert on diversity, equity and inclusion, and a seasoned speaker.
Wishing you a pleasant read!
Best,
Clara
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The Journey
Who are you and how do you spend your time?
I am Marguerite Soeteman-Reijnen, business woman and non-executive director from the Netherlands. I am the mother of a son (24) and daughter (22), and wife to Christiaan (pilot at KLM). With over 33 years of international experience in financial services, my last position was as Chairman Aon Holdings until April 2023. Various additional (not for profit) extracurricular activities I pursue are in a variety of fields and sectors. I am a passionate believer in gender equality, hence also my activities as a G20 delegate on Women Empowerment for the Kingdom of the Netherlands, representing our private sector in G20 EMPOWER.
What does impact mean to you?
Impact for me means having a strong effect on someone or something. This implies influencing and mobilising others to perform and achieve particular results. Having the courage to stand up and speak, but also to sit down and listen, learning from others and in case needed adapting to new circumstances. Making a tangible – maybe even everlasting - difference for others in the world.
How do you make a positive difference in the world?
By trying to accomplish great and little things, in small and big steps, by not only dreaming, but also acting, by not only believing but also planning. Trying hence to combine realism with creativity and idealism. Thinking out of the box and trying to always take outside-in and diverse perspectives in, even when I do not agree with them. For me a good leader is like a shepherd. He/she stays behind the flock, letting the most nimble go out ahead, whereupon the others follow, not realising that all along they are being directed from behind - as Nelson Mandela once said.
The Lessons
How has your journey of making an impact changed you?
It definitely has changed me. It has made me more humble, acknowledging the importance of a team, the acknowledgement that you need others to be happy and successful. The realisation that giving is making me happier than taking. Success is about “we” and “us” not “I” and “me”. If you cannot share results and success with anyone, it is a lonely journey where you will not find happiness.
What's a challenge you have encountered most often and how did you tackle it?
Situational awareness to remain relevant. There is so much change upon us with so much speed that it nowadays requires us to continuously use our 360 degrees radar to check what is going on around us. Do not think that what was good yesterday, will still be good tomorrow or even today. Adapt accordingly and embrace the change. Building a high performing team implies good communication, creating bonds of trust. Friction is sometimes part of it, but remember: a diamond can also not be polished without friction!
What's the biggest lesson you have learned on your journey so far?
“Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom”, is a quote of Greek philosopher Aristotle. Chinese philosopher and poet Laozi described it as “He/she who knows others is clever, but he/she who knows her/himself is enlightened”. Before being able to become an effective leader, you will first need to figure out for yourselves who you are, what you stand for, why you want to do what you do and how to do it. Once you know, you can be an effective leader, for yourself and others, capable of influencing other people to move in a certain direction. Leadership is a relational phenomenon: it requires two sides. Leaders who act and followers who react.
The Inspiration
Who did you recently inspire to create impact? How?
As G20 Empower delegate I participated for a third year in a row together with other G20 delegates on the achievement of tangible outcomes alongside identification of commitments and recommendations on this year’s three themes of G20 EMPOWER - Education, Women’s Entrepreneurship and creating a Partnership for Promoting Women’s Leadership at all Levels, including grassroots. An essential enabler for all three being Digital Inclusion.
Under the India G20 presidency under PM Narendra Modi, Minister Smriti Irani and Chair Dr Sangita Reddy, we scaled up with various working groups several ongoing initiatives such as a revised version of the G20 playbook with best practices, while also developing concrete new outputs for women-led development:
TechEquity, a digital inclusion platform which is an enabler for transition and progression in careers of women, particularly in STEM;
KPI dashboard for small medium enterprises;
Three white papers on corporate women empowerment, STEM and financial inclusion.
All of the above to empower women and enabling them to get the necessary skills for promotion, career development, leading roles, initiation of entrepreneurship and more.
What advice would you give to other women who want to have a positive impact?
The best way to get something done, is to get started! Be that person who always does what she says. Believe in yourself, have confidence. Be bold, be brave and be brilliant! And last but not least, remember “Real queens fix each other’s crowns”. A quote to not only remind ourselves that women are more powerful when they work together but also to inspire each individual on this globe to continue to collaborate to identify and initiate overarching solutions for a better world.
Enjoyed this or have any feedback? Let me know in the comments!
If you know someone who fits my mission and should absolutely be featured on Women With Impact, please nominate them here.