Suzanne has been working at Pondera since May 2023, where she works to provide all kinds of support for our colleagues in Pondera’s offices abroad. She works closely with Eric Arends, vice-chairman of Pondera Groep. To get to know Suzanne better, we asked her a few questions.
Can you tell us something about your background?
In 2018, I started my Bachelor’s degree in International Business Administration at Radboud University in Nijmegen. The versatile aspect of this course really appealed to me, because I get excited about many different subjects. I have always found the international aspect interesting. It is wonderful how getting to know other cultures can lead to new insights.
During this period, I also did a board year at the leadership organization AIESEC, where I fulfilled the role of Marketing Manager and worked as Team Leader. AIESEC focuses on the Sustainable Development Goals, which fuelled my enthusiasm for contributing to the energy transition and making a positive impact on the world.
For my Master’s degree I chose International Management at Tilburg University. This is a comprehensive study, in which I mainly focus on sustainability and managing diversity. At the moment I only have to write my Master’s thesis.
How did you end up at Pondera?
By accident, actually . I was looking for a company that valued contributing to a greener world. On the Pondera website I came across an interview with Matthijs de Haan, another student who does support work for the Development Team alongside his studies. This really appealed to me, so I contacted him and that’s how the ball started rolling.
What is your role within Pondera?
I support the international teams in all kinds of areas. I am in regular contact with my colleagues in Indonesia, South Korea and Vietnam and the interaction is very nice. They are engaged in extremely interesting projects to accelerate the energy transition. I am currently mapping out wind energy in Europe: which tender systems are there, what preparations are various governments making? The difference between the various countries is quite large, despite the fact that they all belong to the European Union. With this knowledge, my colleagues in Indonesia can write advice on what might be a good approach in Indonesia.
In addition, a delegation from Korea will soon be visiting the Netherlands for a week and I will help organize the programme.
What excites you and gives you energy?
My passion is travelling, I recently visited Colombia and Peru for a few months. I speak quite a bit of Spanish, so I can get by in most Latin American countries. During my bachelor I studied in Madrid for half a year, so that certainly contributed. In addition, I like to dance, walk and meet up with my friends.
What would you like to do at Pondera in the future?
I have indicated that I would love to be able to work abroad for a longer period of time. I am therefore very happy that Eric gives me the opportunity to work and also write my master’s thesis at our office in Jakarta. I think it would be fantastic to be part of the team and of course get to know the Indonesian culture.
