The story of Andrea de Bruijn
Andrea is a woman who knows what she wants. Her best friends describe her as authentic, warm, and engaged. She considers it important to contribute to an organisation that adds societal value. With her many years of experience, she has consciously sought a role within an organisation with social relevance.
Within Invest-NL, Andrea leads the HR team and shapes Invest-NL's HR policy. In her role as Head of HR, she also aims to contribute in her own way to making the Netherlands more sustainable and innovative. “We feel responsible for creating a sustainable, positive working environment where everyone feels at home.”
The fresh, open company culture and the spirit of a scale-up are very infectious. Here, you work with lots of driven, young people.
Initially, she only knew about Invest-NL from what she had heard in the media. Invest-NL is an organisation that realises many impact investments. A great team that, despite the informal company atmosphere, truly focuses on the content.
“I find the phase of the organisation very interesting. As a scale-up, there is still so much to discover and shape. I am therefore proud to be part of this. Investments are not just made randomly. They are impact investments, in which strategic thinking about the future has taken place and anticipation is built on that.” The genuine social engagement she perceives aligns well with how she approaches life herself.
Life has taught Andrea to see every day as a moment of wonder and to be grateful. To this day, she still applies this every day. She nurtures her positive mindset by reading a lot. “I enjoy reading. The book 'Dat beloof ik' by Roxane van Ieperen and 'Het 6-minuten dagboek' are currently on my bedside table.” However, Andrea does not stand still. She also derives energy from playing tennis, listening to (classical) music, and taking a good walk in nature.
The best thing you can become is yourself.
Andrea is aware that we can no longer sustain this pace of consumption. She believes that everyone should contribute to a more sustainable environment. She does this not only through her work for Invest-NL but also in her personal life. For example, she buys fewer clothes. And when she does buy something, it is often second-hand. She also tries to contribute in other ways, such as eating less meat, travelling more by public transport, and trying to fly less. "Ultimately, life is about balance," says Andrea.