Wittenborg CEO Maggie Feng Participates in ABConnect Meeting

Event Gathers Nearly 50 Female Professionals to Discuss Sustainability in Business

With the goal of discussing how female non-executive board members can encourage companies to be more sustainable, Wittenborg CEO Maggie Feng attended the ABConnect meeting in Hoofddorp on 12 October.

Conducted in the Pharos Building with the theme ‘How to become a true non-executive board member on sustainability’, the event featured businesswoman Marjolein Baghuis as keynote speaker. During the activity, Baghuis shared her extensive knowledge on sustainability and governance, addressing topics such as the fact that European Union law requires stock-exchange-listed and large companies to report on their Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) practices. Later, there was a networking session in which participants could connect and exchange information.

Organised by Liesbeth Rigter, the event brought together nearly 50 female professionals, including Wittenborg advisory board member Petra C. de Weerd-Nederhof and other leading personalities, such as Manyana Schmitz, Denelise l'Ecluse and Jane Sum.

The meeting was targeted at both professionals in C-level positions and those with non-executive roles who would like to join supervisory boards. Therefore, its topic was in line with the goals of the ABC Network, which supports initiatives aimed at stimulating the accessibility of supervisory board positions for women and also intends to promote connections and encourage professionals to inspire each other. 
 

Wittenborg CEO Maggie Feng highlighted that the ABConnect physical meetings take place only once a year, involving top female professionals who manage international companies with thousands of staff members located worldwide.

“By connecting with these household names, we are ensuring that Wittenborg’s graduates are just one step away from them. The fact that these leading women have heard about Wittenborg is good for both our graduates and our branding,” she said.

According to Feng, these events are also occasions in which leading figures in the industry are able to encourage rising professionals to take on different types of opportunities.

“Even if you were already a C-level executive, the discussion was about non-executive board positions, which is a different type of job. So, we had the opportunity to share experiences with one another and encourage those who have not yet stepped into this world. Although being Wittenborg’s CEO is my daily job, I have also been a member of the local RaboBank’s non-executive board since January this year. Therefore, I was able to talk about my experience and also get inspiring insights from other women,” she concluded. 

WUP 30/10/2023
by Ulisses Sawczuk
©WUAS Press