Two winners of ‘Next Role Model’ prize to join RSM Part-time MSc BA programme

Two winners of ‘Next Role Model’ prize to join RSM Part-time MSc BA programme

Two women, each with a clear vision of leadership in a crisis-affected world, have won funding and a place at Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University (RSM) after an exciting final round of the Lof Next Role Model 2012 contest. Lof – which translates from Dutch to English as ’praise’ – is a cross-media platform for employers and employees keen to invest in talent.

Winners Marry Meulemans-Klaver, Manager of the ING’s Service Delivery Centre, and Elsbeth Ophoff, an artist who runs a life-coaching business, were picked by the public and by a judging panel of participating companies. Each won a place on the Part-time Master Business Administration programme at RSM, worth €30,000.

The fifth annual Lof Next Role Model contest has selected winners who are not only ambitious about their work and career, but also in their private lives and for wider society. The judging panel described the pitch made by Marry as ‘clear and concrete’. Despite having already achieved a lot, she has not given up on her dream of one day becoming a professor or prime minister.

Elsbeth’s pitch was ‘multifaceted and bold’, said the judging panel, which was also impressed with her motto of ‘No more culture of fear’. Both winners will join the Part-time MSc BA at RSM.

Role models inspire the public
Lof believes that role models play an important role in changing public behaviour. During the final round of the competition, which took place at RSM, the finalists had a last chance to influence the panel with their pitches. This followed a public voting round on lofnextrolemodel.nl. Finalists had also written a paper describing their vision of leadership at times of crisis, and these had been posted on ManagementSite.nl.

Leader of the future shows boldness
Lof selected candidates who showed courage in leadership. The hallmark of a leader is to have followers. “As a judge on this panel, I’m hoping that I can contribute to the election of a new role model who is going to inspire us in shaping the future,” said leadership expert Frank Schaper. There are extensive profiles of all the finalists on lofnextrolemodel.nl.

The judging panel at the Next Role Model contest 2012
The panel consisted of leading figures from the Dutch corporate and public sectors who have a direct or indirect interest in preserving and fostering talent: Marga Miltenburg (Chair), Managing Director of Zijspreekt; Mei Li Vos, Director of Public Affairs and PR at Orangegas; Frank Schaper, Independent Author and Personal Coach; Esma Choho, Choho Consultancy BV; Heleen Cocu Wassink, Director of Financial Services at Hay Group; Mijntje Lückerath-Rovers, Professor of Corporate Governance at Nyenrode Business Universiteit; Atzo Nicolai, President of DSM Nederland BV; Josette de Goede, Director of Executive Education and Organisational Development at RSM; Jolanda Holwerda, Managing Director and founder of Lof Media.

About Lof Media: The Next Role Model was initiated by Lof Media. Lof is a cross-media platform for employers and employees who are keen to invest in talent (m/f) and are ambitious about work, family and society. lofonline.nl

Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University is consistently ranked amongst the top 10 business schools in Europe. It is located in the international port city of Rotterdam where core Dutch values of openness, flexibility and acceptance of diversity have attracted businesses on a global scale. Our emphasis is on ground breaking research and practices relevant to business; our primary focus is on developing business leaders who carry their innovative ideas into a sustainable future. Our portfolio includes a broad array of bachelor, master, doctoral, MBA and executive education programmes. www.rsm.nl.

For more information on RSM or on this release, please contact Marianne Schouten, Media & Public Relations Manager for RSM, on +31 10 408 2877 or by email at mschouten@remove-this.rsm.nl.