Purpose. Courage. Real change.
Our latest Female Empowerment event in Amsterdam brought together senior women from across Europe for an evening focused on action rather than theory. The room was full of leaders who recognised that equality is a strategic issue that shapes how organisations grow, retain talent and stay future ready.
Through our Leadership Unlocked format, we invited four speakers whose careers reflect different stages of leadership. Each session explored how purpose, courage and personal ownership shape the path towards real progress.
Leading with purpose
Former C&A Europe CEO Giny Boer opened the evening with a view shaped by many years working across European markets. Her background includes leading large commercial teams, steering strategic shifts and helping talent move with confidence through change.
Giny spoke about the value of purposeful leadership. She shared her belief that clarity only holds weight when leaders act on it. “Purpose cannot live on a poster,” she explained. “It has to guide the choices you make each day.”
She reflected on life outside the Netherlands and how cultural differences shape behaviour. Her time in Italy, Austria and Spain taught her the value of self-awareness. “You learn who you are when you live somewhere new,” she said. “You can only enrich yourself by stepping into different environments.”
Her message to the room was simple. Be direct, trust yourself, and support one another with confidence. She encouraged women to take opportunities even when they feel unprepared, adding, “The world needs more of us in positions of influence, so be disciplined, hang in there and step into roles you may be unsure about. You can do it.”
Women’s leadership in the age of AI
AI strategist Jennifer Fruehauf followed with a clear message about the pace of technological change. Jennifer works with senior teams to understand how AI affects customer behaviour, leadership capability and organisational design.
She began with a snapshot of adoption. “It has been three years since ChatGPT launched, and OpenAI now reports eight hundred million weekly active users. The growth is unprecedented.”
Jennifer encouraged the room to think beyond the technology itself and focus on responsibility. She asked leaders to consider the role they play in shaping how AI is used. “We cannot change the fact that AI is here. What we can change is the way we question it, guide it and apply it with fairness.”
Her session highlighted the risk of unequal access to training. She noted that women are often overlooked when organisations move quickly. “If you have held back for any reason, now is the time to lean in. We do not want to miss the chance to shape this future. Every one of us has a voice in this.”
Jennifer closed her talk with a question for the room. “What kind of future do you want to live in, and what role will you take as leaders to make that future real?”
Cultures that support the future of work
Leadership transformation consultant Dr Jasmina Hasanbegovic focused on culture, wellbeing and the conditions that allow people to adapt. She works closely with organisations that face constant pressure to evolve, and her session explored what leaders must do to guide teams through this shift.
She explained that the future of work requires a paradigm shift away from old models based on control and narrow views of productivity. Jasmina described a move toward cultures built on clarity, ownership and curiosity. These qualities, she said, create the conditions where people feel safe enough to contribute ideas, question assumptions and take responsibility for their development.
Her model of leadership captured the room’s attention. Transformation, she explained, does not follow a script. “It moves like music,” and leaders must be able to change their role as the organisation evolves. Sometimes they need to act as the Host, building trust and creating a space where people feel heard. At other times they must be the Choreographer, guiding the rhythm of change and helping teams move in sync. And in moments of uncertainty, they must step into the role of Architect, offering structure, perspective and a sense of shared direction.
These ideas linked to the competencies she believes are essential for the future. Self-reflection, resilience and the ability to foster a learning culture are no longer optional. They shape how well teams respond to complexity and how confident people feel when stepping into new expectations.
Jasmina closed her session by reminding leaders that coaching lies at the heart of this work. “Managers must be ready to coach their teams through change. This is not the classical coaching of the past. This is coaching shaped by new tools and new pressures, which means we need to prepare them now.”
The courage to reinvent
Strategic advisor Chiara Covone closed the event with a session on courage and reinvention. Chiara has held senior roles in global consumer brands and now helps leaders reshape their direction with purpose and confidence.
She explored the difficulty many women face when trying to step into new roles while old labels still follow them. Reinvention, she explained, is not about constant change but about owning the next chapter of your life.
Chiara shared stories of women who changed direction with intention. She spoke of leaders who launched new businesses, created their own personal brands and pursued work that better reflected who they had become. Her message was direct. “Small steps build courage. Each decision brings you closer to the person you want to be. Do not wait for permission.”
Her call to action resonated with the room. Growth happens when women trust their abilities, take measured risks and stay open to new paths.
Bringing the themes together
Each speaker brought a different view, yet the themes connected with ease. Purposeful leadership builds trust. Women need fair access to new opportunities, especially those shaped by new skills. Culture must protect people, not drain them. Reinvention is possible at any stage of a career, and progress moves faster when women support one another with clarity and intent.
Our role
Nigel Wright Group created this series to increase visibility for women who are shaping the future of the consumer industry. The Amsterdam event showed how powerful it is when leaders speak openly about the realities they face and the actions required to move forward.
Progress grows from clear voices, honest reflection and collective action. Change starts with all of us and continues through the choices we make each day.