The story of Sharon de Wit
Driven by curiosity, Sharon has found the perfect challenge at Invest-NL. She enthusiastically fulfils the role of Compliance & Non-financial Risk Officer. No issue is too complex for her. For Sharon, this role is the ideal mix of personal growth, impact, and job satisfaction.
Sharon talks about her journey: “A friend of mine had been working at Invest-NL for some time, and she always spoke positively about the organisation. I visited once for a coffee, and together we looked at where our interests overlapped. It turned out that the compliance and non-financial risk side matched my experience and interests perfectly.”
When a vacancy opened up, she responded with great enthusiasm. There were many similarities, so she went for it: “This job is definitely a place to develop myself. I realised I didn’t have extensive experience in all areas, but that's exactly why I see it as an opportunity to learn. There are training courses I can follow, and I’m supported by my Compliance colleague Peter Witsen. I really wanted this.”
Sharon’s role mainly focuses on advising about integrity risks. “We thoroughly check who we are working with: who are the involved persons and stakeholders? Where does a product come from? Can we trust this party? All these factors play a role in our decisions.”
We ensure that investments are directed to a good place.
The risk analysis is an important step in the investment process. Her curiosity proves very useful here. “I am involved in the investments for the screening. This teaches me a lot about new developments, such as cultured meat or battery storage. I now have a better understanding of what’s happening in the field of sustainability. It’s a lot of puzzle work, with a lot of laws and regulations to consider, but that’s what makes my work so interesting.”
The impact areas of Invest-NL align with her personal values. She explains where her motivation comes from: “I always knew I wanted to do something with social impact. What I consider important in my private life, I now also find in my professional life. That’s what I was looking for, because it gives me a lot of satisfaction.”
It is an environment with many passionate people, and that excites me.
Sharon is very aware of her own consumption. She eats vegetarian, shops more often second-hand, and considers her ecological footprint. “It all starts with awareness,” she explains. “It's important to ask yourself: what do you contribute? What role do you take? A lot of your time goes to work, and that's why I want to make a positive contribution with those hours.”
In her free time, she keeps active, engaged in cultural or culinary activities. “After a day at the office, I love to go exercise. I also often visit the cinema, where I enjoy being surprised by new films. On weekends, I like to take the time to cook extensively for friends. I want them to feel welcome and to take good care of them through delicious food.”
As a Compliance & Non-financial Risk Officer, Sharon has found the perfect role. This position challenges her professionally and aligns perfectly with her personal values.