Director of Public Banking at ABN AMRO. Director of the Brabant Development Agency (BOM). And member of the Advisory Board at the Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO). These are just a few achievements drawn from Miriam Dragstra’s impressive CV, to which another great title has just been added: Chair of the Vetico Supervisory Board. Let’s get acquainted.
Welcome, Miriam! Would you like to introduce yourself?
“Of course! I was born and raised in Geleen, where I met Frans at high school. We’re still together now. I left the province of Limburg as a teenager to pursue my studies, and I haven’t been back since. We’ve been living in Schijndel in the province of Brabant for many years now.”
What are you currently doing?
“In 2011, after 26 years in banking, I switched to the Brabant Development Agency, or BOM, where I am director of Investments. That was a deliberate move, prompted by my desire to have greater societal impact from a business role. BOM is perfectly suited to that, because our focus is on the sustainable development of the Brabant economy. I am also Chair of the Supervisory Board at Laverhof, a care organization.”
What does your role at BOM entail?
“In short, I’m responsible for the investment funds and more than 150 innovative start-ups, as well as around 30 energy projects. In addition to that, I regularly appoint supervisory board members, and I’m also a board member at various funding organizations.”
more sustainable. That really appeals to me!’’
Why did you choose to chair our Supervisory Board?
“Vetico is a family company with a rich history and different interests, and that extra dimension is extremely interesting to me. The company also stands out because of its approach: Vetico genuinely operates together with its clients. And finally, Vetico wants to grow, diversify and become more sustainable. That really appeals to me!”
And why are you the perfect person for the job?
“You probably shouldn’t ask me that, although I know why I was chosen, of course. I have a solid background in many themes, which means I can give the management other insights and conduct good conversations. And I challenge people! I actually consider that to be the most important role of the Supervisory Board, with the aim of future-proofing the company. Important steps toward this include the strategic cooperation with ECM Europe, and the Vetico umbrella.”
Do you only deal with the management?
“No, absolutely not. The Supervisory Board strives to achieve healthy continuity for the whole company, so we also have to deal with the shareholders. It’s partly up to us to ensure that all the ‘agendas’ are on track.”
After just short of six months, what is your impression so far?
“A positive one. I am noticing a pure spirit of enterprise, with an awareness of what still needs to be done. And the leadership teams that have formed keep this spirit of enterprise flowing throughout the organization. That’s something extraordinary for a company of this size. Naturally there are challenges, too, particularly when it comes to sustainability, but the management is aware of that and they’re willing to tackle them.”
enthusiastic people to build up the next phase’’
What lies ahead in your opinion?
“There are wonderful, ambitious plans ahead: Vetico wants to achieve an annual turnover of at least 120 million. That puts the company in another league in every possible way. While I believe in this aspiration, the organization must also remain agile in the meantime. We may have to create some surplus capacity for that first.”
After the arrival of Vetico, will that be the next step?
“I can’t say for sure right now. We still have to map out our exact route, and the Supervisory Board is still immersed in discussions with the management about that. Naturally, the shareholders also play a role in this. So either way, we’ll be doing it together.”
What is your goal for the next four years?
“I share the company’s goal. In order to achieve that, it’s important to streamline, and perhaps accelerate, all of the interests and developments.”
You seem enthusiastic. Are you looking forward to forging ahead?
“Absolutely! I can work together here with enthusiastic people to build up the next phase. This isn’t just about ‘minding the store’. Things are really happening here!”
