Talent knows no gender | From boundaries to breakthroughs

🌎 To go, or not to go?

Why Houston, you might wonder? Marianne answers: “When I asked about opportunities to work abroad, Houston emerged as a logical choice due to ORTEC’s consulting department being there, its growing presence and the exciting projects they had in the region. However, I didn’t know much about Houston, Texas. ‘Cowboys’ was what popped up in my mind when thinking of it. I had to decide rather quickly whether I wanted the job due to other applicants in the hiring process. Would I like it there? Would my Dutch partner move with me? These were some big, yet important questions that would have a major impact on my life. But then my partner and I decided: let’s just do it. We moved with the original plan to live in Houston for about 2-3 years, but here we still are, almost 7 years later.”

In her eight years at ORTEC, Marianne has navigated through various roles, each one building on the last. She started as a Business Consultant at ORTEC’s headquarters in the Netherlands, and then moved to Houston, where she witnessed the office grow from a small team of four to a thriving hub of innovation. "In the very beginning being it Texas, we were like cowboys in the field of data science. Our small team worked cohesively, wearing multiple hats. It’s great to see how we’ve grown to the big and well-established team we are today.” In her current role as Director of Data Science and Consulting Americas, she has the final responsibility for the Consulting department within the Americas. She enjoys to strategically think about topics such as ‘What is our proposition?’ and ‘What kind of team do we want to be and how can we get there?’

🏆 Women in Supply Chain Award

Earlier this month, Marianne was named a recipient of the 2023 Women in Supply Chain Award for her accomplishments and mentorship to women in the Supply Chain network. On the one hand, she really appreciates this award: “I am proud to lead my team in developing decision support solutions, while creating a foundation for women at ORTEC to grow and succeed within the company.” On the other hand, the award also makes her a bit bitter: she would rather see that such a distinctive award for women-only wouldn’t be needed anymore, and that we could just all call it ‘The Supply Chain Award’, regardless of gender.

💡 Firm believer of equality

Marianne's career path was not without its hurdles. Being a woman in a predominantly male industry brought its share of challenges. "There were situations where I felt the need to prove myself more, to assert my expertise. I firmly believe in equality. We should be recognized for our skills and contributions, irrespective of gender."

“At conferences or business meetings at clients, people would assume I was there to take notes, or that I was the assistant of my male colleague.”

“I’ve encountered several situations in which I felt judged or stereotyped. When I was a tutor in math, I recall how various students were surprised to have a female teacher - some even would call me ‘a chick’ teaching math. Also in my today’s business world, such as at conferences or business meetings at clients, some people automatically assume I’m there for taking notes or that I’m the assistant of my male colleague. It has even happened that my male colleagues got a handshake, and I didn’t.”

⭐️ Show who you are and what you can do

When asking Marianne how she made the various steps throughout her career, she answers: “There are great opportunities out there for women, although unfortunately, they are not yet as refined as they are for men. In these kinds of fields where women are underrepresented, a little extra assertiveness can go a long way. That’s what I’ve experienced myself: speaking up more has really helped me as it showcased my capabilities better and, in that way, opened new opportunities. To fellow Women in Tech, I would say: Remember you’re there for a reason, I encourage you to show them who you are and what you can do!”