“Mastering Leadership for the Future – Evaluation and Final Dinner”
At our final session, we gathered for a relaxed evening of pizza and drinks while reflecting on the Mentorship Program. During this dinner, we took the opportunity to evaluate the overall experience, discussing whether the initial expectations were met and how to apply the lessons learned for future development and personal growth. It was a valuable session, filled with meaningful feedback and insights that will help us continue to improve the program.
Stay tuned for more information about the Mentorship Program 2025!
About the Swedish Chamber Mentorship Programme
The Mentorship Program was launched in October 2012. Since then, more than 100 Young Professionals of the Swedish Chamber have followed the program and benefited from their future personal and professional growth. The many Mentors have benefited from meeting the new generation leaders of the future and learning more about their insights and values. The Mentorship Program is made possible by the Swedish Chamber of Commerce in collaboration with AIMS International Netherlands B.V., a member of AIMS International. Read more here.
18.30-21.00
Venue: Swedish Chamber of Commerce
Fred. Roeskestraat 115
1076 EE Amsterdam
“Mastering Leadership for the Future – Business Culture”
Welcome to the IV Session of the Swedish Chamber Mentorship Program on September 19, 2024, at the Swedish Chamber of Commerce HQ at Edge Olympic Amsterdam. At this Session, the topic is “Business Culture”, and we are very pleased to welcome Keynote speaker Candida Snow, Director at Snow CC – Intercultural Management & Skills Training Specialists.
Candida will share how she and her team design and deliver tailor-made programmes for internationally operating clients and how to support better recognition, development, harnessing, and management of the potential of diverse individuals and (virtual) teams. She will also discuss how to identify and develop the competencies and skills crucial to success in a complex international business environment.
Program
18.30 Introduction Hendrik-Jan Guitink, Mentorship Program Director and Managing Partner of AIMS International Netherlands B.V. (Mentorship Program participants only)
19.00 Insightful Session with Candida Snow, Director at Snow CC – Intercultural management & skills training specialists
20.00 Break and drinks
20.15 Individual meetings Mentor/Mentee
21.00 End of meeting
Keynote Speaker: Candida Snow, Director of Snow Culture & Communication – Intercultural management & skills training
specialist
Candida is the director of Snow Culture & Communication and she is an intercultural management specialist with over 25 years of professional experience. She is known as an engaging and interactive speaker and facilitator. Candida designs and comfort and performance in their multicultural and international working environments. Delivers tailor-made interventions that support her clients to create trust and optimism. Her clients include major multinationals in the professional service sector, pharmaceutics, retail, high-tech fields, engineering, off-shore and industry, and non-profit organisations worldwide. She is a regular guest lecturer at several international business schools and universities.
Are you not a member of the Mentorship Program 2024 but would like to attend Candida Snow’s presentation? Send an email to events@swedishchamber.nl, and our Event Team will get back to you.
About the Swedish Chamber Mentorship Programme
The Mentorship Program was launched in October 2012. Since then, more than 100 young professionals in the Swedish Chamber have followed the program and benefited from their future personal and professional growth. The many Mentors have benefited from meeting the new generation leaders of the future and learning more about their insights and values. The Mentorship Program is made possible by the Swedish Chamber of Commerce in collaboration with AIMS International Netherlands B.V., a member of AIMS International. Read more here.
A sincere thank you for joining The Young Professionals Season kick-off last week! We’d also like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Strand-Zuid for hosting us at their amazing outdoor venue, and the Swedish Chamber of Commerce for providing us with drinks and snacks.
We were grateful to kick off this fall with such excitement and energy alongside all of you in the Young Professional community! It was fantastic to see both familiar and new faces coming together, sharing insights, and building valuable connections that set the tone for an exciting season ahead.
Watch the video recap here!
We look forward to seeing you at our upcoming business event, Young Professionals meets Handelsbanken CEO & Young Professionals, on October 30. Be sure to secure your spot!
The Swedish Chamber’s Young Professionals would like to thank everyone who participated in the Spring Season’s Final at Waterkant in Amsterdam. As always, it is great to see new connections being made and to come together to share experiences within the Swedish-Dutch network, inspire each other, and have fun!
This was the last event of the spring season. The Young Professionals Team would like to express our warm appreciation for the great commitment, thoughtful discussions, and knowledge shared by our YP members this past year and last but not least, our important partners and sponsors!
After the summer, the new Young Professionals team looks forward to meet you at the Season Kick-Off After Work on September 5. We wish you a wonderful summer until we see you again in September!
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion: Moving beyond the WHY, this is HOW
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who attended the Swedish Chamber’s insightful Diversity & Inclusion Breakfast, hosted by KPMG Meijburg & Co. at its stunning Amstelveen headquarters.
“What matters needs to be measured,” said keynote speaker Ingrid Tappin, Founder and CEO of Diverse Leaders in Tech, as she explained the importance of collecting data in an organisation to move forward with a diversity and inclusion strategy. Ingrid also led an interactive workshop with table discussions to exchange knowledge on the topics.
Another highlight was hearing from Montae & Partners, where Victor Steenbakker, Senior Consultant Commercial Lead and Anne Smits, Reward Specialist, shared their work about the Gender and Equal Pay Gap. It was also very insightful to hear Marco Frikkee, Partner Sustainability Reporting at KPMG Nederland, give a presentation on sustainability reporting. We also thank Armanda Willems from Lime Technologies for the excellent moderating!
Thank you to KPMG Meijburg & Co. and Jan Hollemans for hosting this impactful event!
INSPIRATIONAL SPEAKER:
Ingrid Tappin
Founder and CEO of Diverse Leaders in Tech
“I believe that every individual has a part to play in shaping the future. Whether it’s in the workplace or in society at large, we all have a responsibility and a right to use our talents for good. It’s not enough to simply recognise the need for change; we must also take action to make it happen.”
Photo Credits: Fred Tigelaar
SPEAKERS:
- Victor Steenbakker, Senior Consultant Commercial Lead at Montae & Partners
- Anne Smits, Reward Specialist at Montae & Partners
- Marco Frikkee, Partner Sustainability Reporting at KPMG Nederland
- Moderator: Armanda Willems, Country Manager at Lime Technologies the Netherlands
DOING DEI RIGHT IS CRUCIAL FOR…
…Attracting and retaining the best talent
…Leading high-performing teams
…Creativity, innovation and problem-solving
…Scaling products to new markets
…Complying to new ESG regulations
…Developing responsible technology like AI
And so much more!
But DEI is not easy. Let’s be honest, DEI is hard work and comes with more complexity than most business capabilities do. And it is with that business lens, that Ingrid Tappin will shed light on how leaders can deal with these complexities and will offer a framework that can help companies amplify their DEI efforts and reap the benefits.
DOE THE DIVERSE LEADERS IN TECH: DEI-SCAN HERE:
Please complete this innovative pre-event survey to DEI-Scan your business and ensure a fruitful session.
- It will take less than 15 minutes
- It gives insights into what DEI areas make a real business impact
- Participants will receive their personalized results and action points
ABOUT DIVERSE LEADERS IN TECH
Spinning out of Techleap, Diverse Leaders in Tech is officially an independent social impact venture. With Constantijn van Oranje and Gillian Tans as founding partners, Diverse Leaders in Tech continues its mission to set the standard for DEI Excellence in European Tech. The DEI-Scan is a practical way of making this happen. We have taken care of any privacy concerns you may have. Find more information here.
The event is powered by
ABOUT THE SWEDISH CHAMBER DIVERSITY & INCLUSION BREAKFASTS
The Swedish Chamber of Commerce, together with its Diversity & Inclusion Committee, aim to provide a series of Diversity & Inclusion Breakfasts to discuss strategies with a focus on new perspectives of D&I, share real cases and research, and support you with concrete tools to increase and develop D&I within your organization. For more information about the Swedish Chamber of Commerce D&I Program and the D&I Committee, here or send an email to events@swedishchamber.nl
ABOUT THE SWEDISH CHAMBER TECH TABLES
Tech Tables is a platform for Swedish-Dutch tech leaders, entrepreneurs, and investors to meet, learn, and discuss. At the Swedish Chamber Tech Tables, we aim to celebrate the latest in technology and discuss the latest trends, whether artificial intelligence, blockchain, or virtual reality. Click here to learn more about the Swedish Chamber Tech Tables series, or email events@swedishchamber.nl to hear more.
The Swedish Chamber of Commerce would like to thank everyone who participated in the interactive presentation on “Mindfulness and Work-Life Balance” as part of the Swedish Chamber and Young Professionals Mentorship Program 2024!
Our heartfelt thanks go to our esteemed keynote speakers, Kristina Zumpolle, founder and leadership coach at Zumflow, and Jasmijn de Smit, leadership coach at Zumflow. Their insightful thoughts on mindfulness and the work-life blend were invaluable. During the session, we were provided with tools to reflect on our energy levels, beliefs, and goals in order to navigate the complexities of modern professional life. We are also very happy that Kristina and Jasmijn involve the participants in a joyful dance moment!
We are immensely grateful to all participants for your active engagement and thoughtful contributions to the discussion. Your enthusiasm and commitment to personal and professional growth inspire us all. Last but not least, a warm thank you to AIMS International Netherlands for their valued collaboration. The Swedish Chamber is proud to facilitate these crucial discussions on mindfulness and work-life balance.
Speakers: Kristina Zumpolle & Jasmijn de Smit
Kristina Zumpolle, Founder, Executive coach, Facilitator is a no nonsense coach. Workshop leader and facilitator. Kristina is a vibrant, positive and “a glass half full” kind of coach. Never one to shy away from a challenge, she works constantly to better herself so she can support her clients’ personal growth and of those around her. Kristina has worked successfully with executives and teams across a variety of industries and countries. Her broad cultural and professional experiences have shaped her expansive and innovative coaching style. Kristina views each client as a beginning success and makes it her work to help them see their own potential.
Jasmijn de Smit, Executive coach, Facilitator from Zumflow
With her extensive experience in leading teams in corporates and medium-sized companies and her
background in technology, consulting and healthcare management on three continents, Jasmijn is able to quickly recognize patterns, challenges and development points and translate these into tailor-made solutions, both for teams as well as for individuals. Jasmijn is an experienced coach and trainer who works empathetically and decisively, is not afraid to ask questions until the core is exposed, confronts lovingly and connects with where her clients are at that moment. She knows how to create a safe atmosphere while she lures them out of their comfort zone and inspires them step by step to become the best version of themselves.
About the Swedish Chamber Mentorship Programme
The Mentorship Program was launched in October 2012. Since then, more than 100 Young Professionals of the Swedish Chamber have followed the program and benefited from their future personal and professional growth. The many Mentors have benefited from meeting the new generation leaders of the future and learning more about their insights and values. The Mentorship Program is made possible by the Swedish Chamber of Commerce in collaboration with AIMS International Netherlands B.V., a member of AIMS International. Read more here.
The Swedish Chamber’s Young Professionals would like to thank everyone who joined or donated clothes to the Clothes Swap focusing on April 25! The evening included an insightful presentation from Andrea Orsag on circular fashion, a successful Clothes Swap, mingling with snacks and drinks, and professional and ethical styling from the inspiring Ashna Chhatta.
We had a great time meeting so many members interested in sustainability, wanting to learn more about the fashion industry, and seeing the guests walking home with newly swapped items. We were also very happy to organise this interactive and fun evening with our collaboration partner Edge Workspaces!
Key takeaways and recommendations on circular fashion from Andrea Orsag
- Fashion has many problems, the biggest one being overconsumption
- We already have enough clothes to dress the next six generations. Therefore, we need circularity to get the best out of what is available
- Circular fashion starts with design – what are the materials used, how are they combined, good quality, ethical – only that way will we be willing to see the value of our clothes
- Only once we see clothes as valuable are we willing to take care of them and pay for repairs and alternations to extend their life
Secondhand and resell platforms are a great idea and source of clothes items as long as we do not use them to ease our guild of buying fast fashion (Shein, Fashion Nova, Primark, Bohoo etc.) to place it there a moment later simply - If we feel good about ourselves (both mentally and physically) we feel better in our clothes and are less likely to use “shopping therapy” as a solution to our problems. Rather than shopping, let’s invest in ourselves (find your style and explore what makes you happy, invest in mentoring, coaching, books, gym, yoga, building relationships, and enjoying small and big adventures) to enjoy life more
- Quality over quantity
- All the data and information is out there, we can’t pretend we didn’t know anymore. Spread the word and grow your “bubble”
- Let’s avoid the next Rana Plaza incident, protect our environment and focus on what really matters
- Overall, let’s get the best out of the clothes we already have, rent, swap, borrow, repair, and repurpose!
Want to learn more find circular fashion brands?
Check out Vestiaire Collective and Nudie Jeans!
Andrea Orsag, Circular Economy & Sustainability Evangelist and Ashna Chhatta, Ethical Fashion Stylist
All unswapped clothing items were donated to the organization Dress for Success.
Dress for Success gives people who need it a set of appropriate and representative clothing free of charge. Dress for Success is a global organization, founded and run by volunteers, that helps low-income men and women get a free job application outfit. The mission of Dress for Success is to empower people to achieve economic independence, with a support network, professional attire, and the development of skills to function better in their work and personal lives. Click here to learn more about their work.
“Mastering Leadership for the Future – Sustainable Leadership”
On April 18, 2024, the Swedish Chamber and Young Professionals hosted an enriching session on Sustainable Leadership as part of the Mentorship Program 2024, featuring leadership coach Niels Thijssen. With engaging insights drawn from his personal journey, including his experiences coaching Belgium’s elite hockey team, Niels Thijssen delivered a captivating presentation emphasizing the importance of connecting with oneself, the team, and the broader world to cultivate sustainable leadership.
Inspirational and thought-provoking, Thijssen challenged attendees to confront doubts and embrace failure as a pathway to growth and success. Central to his message was the notion of remaining authentic amidst the pressures of leadership.
“People try to limits the risks before trying. Instead, we need to be comfortable with failing forward”
– Niels Thijssen, Professional Leadership Coach, Facilitator and Author
The event fostered lively interaction among participants, sparking meaningful dialogues on self-awareness, transitioning from proving to improving, and nurturing a curious mindset. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Niels for generously sharing his expertise and personal anecdotes, to all attendees for their active participation, and to AIMS International for their valued collaborations. The Swedish Chamber takes is proud to facilitate these pivotal discussions on sustainable leadership.
Speaker: Niels Thijssen, Professional Leadership Coach, Facilitator and Author
“A successful failure. That’s how I like to see myself.”
With a background in organizational sciences, Niels quickly chose the life of an entrepreneur and coach in elite sports. He has won national and European titles in both the Netherlands and Belgium, but he has also experienced failures and losses in finals. Status and fear prevailed over Niels for many years, while intuition and wisdom were lost. Now, he is where he wants to be and helps others harness their full potential with his unique conviction. Read more about Niels here.
About the Swedish Chamber Mentorship Programme
The Mentorship Program was launched in October 2012. Since then, more than 100 Young Professionals of the Swedish Chamber have followed the program and benefited from their future personal and professional growth. The many Mentors have benefited from meeting the new generation leaders of the future and learning more about their insights and values. The Mentorship Program is made possible by the Swedish Chamber of Commerce in collaboration with AIMS International Netherlands B.V., a member of AIMS International. Read more here.
