Growth genes

Consolidation? No, thanks!

You could say I have growth genes. Whatever I’m involved in, I want to see it grow. When someone talks to me about consolidation, I get the creeps.

Despite that, I founded my first business when I was already 31. Accent Jobs was a recruitment and staffing agency. We started with one office, 10 years later we had 150 offices and now we have 524.

External investors

Today, Accent Jobs is the largest entity of The House of HR, the European holding company encompassing 10 entities specialising in temporary employment and outsourcing – worth €1.8 billion ($2.2 billion). We were able to grow like that because we were open to external funding and expertise. The Belgian investment company Gimv helped us become more professional; the French Naxicap helped us make our mark on the international stage.

Female entrepreneurship

At the age of 50, I decided to step back as CEO and pursue what really drives me. I set up two new businesses focusing on female entrepreneurship. Stella P. – Stella Polaris or pole star – is a head-hunting firm that brings more diversity into boards. We Are Jane is a 100% female investment company that invests in scale-ups led by women.

Education and networking

When I started out, I had no background in economics or management. Programmes at Vlerick Business School and Stanford Graduate School of Business trained me in areas such as growth, strategy, people management and financial management. Studying at business schools not only made me more confident about running a business, it also gave me access to large networks of like-minded entrepreneurs. When we come together, it feels like coming home.