Get to Know Us
As international women, we started IWF Netherlands because we were missing a place to simply be ourselves.
To talk not about work, but about what truly drives us; to share our dreams and our doubts without advice or judgement; and to be inspired by women who have walked the path. A circle where connection comes before status, and honesty before performance. A network without borders, founded on sisterhood and true global connection"
Brigitte Spiegeler
International attorney / Mediator / Artist / Poet
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Founder – Spiegeler International Attorneys-at-Law & Mediators
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Attorney-at-Law (The Hague & Paris Bar)
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IMI Qualified Business Mediator
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Board Member SBHK
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Supervisory Board Member CultuurSchakel
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Member INTA Copyright Committee
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25+ years advising international businesses on IP, innovation & strategy
MY PASSION:
Helping innovative companies, entrepreneurs and creators navigate the intersection of law, business and creativity while building lasting international relationships based on trust.
I VALUE COLLABORATION & DEI:
The best legal solutions are rarely purely legal. They emerge from understanding people, culture, business strategy and long-term vision.
WHAT MAKES ME HAPPY:
Connecting people across borders, resolving complex conflicts, creating meaningful art, and discovering new places and cultures.
What's something you only understood after working across cultures or borders?
Practicing law between the Netherlands and Paris while simultaneously exhibiting my art globally has taught me that the most critical leadership tool across borders is 'strategic empathy'—the ability to understand not just what people say, but the unwritten cultural logic driving them.
In cross-border law, I learned that friction rarely arises from a lack of legal framework, but rather from differing cultural definitions of trust, hierarchy, and consensus. In the global art world, I experienced how visual language can instantly bypass these rigid frameworks to create immediate human connection. Working across borders made me realize that true global leadership isn't about blending cultures into a single standard, but about the sophisticated art of translation: knowing when to apply the precise logic of a lawyer, and when to lean into the universal emotional intelligence of an artist to move people forward
What do you want to be different for the next generation of women leaders?
I want the next generation of women leaders to define success on their own terms, completely untethered from the traditional, linear masculine blueprints of leadership.
Practicing law in the Netherlands and Paris has shown me how deeply embedded patriarchal structures still dictate what 'leadership' looks like—often prioritising rigid hierarchy over collaboration. Conversely, my work in the global art world has taught me the immense power of disruption, nuance, and thinking outside the frame. For the next generation, I want a leadership culture where women don't have to adapt to existing frameworks to get a seat at the table. Instead, I want them to have the systemic support and confidence to redesign the table entirely, using their unique perspectives to lead with authentic, multidimensional impact
Minnemijn Smit
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Strategic leader / Board advisor / Growth enabler
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Founder BoArt Holland
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Trusted board advisor
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Non executive director
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Strategic connector
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Builder of innovation ecosystems
MY PASSION:
I am passionate about connecting people, ideas and opportunities to create meaningful and lasting change.
I VALUE COLLABORATION & DEI:
I believe diversity fuels innovation, and collaboration turns ideas into impact.
WHAT MAKES ME HAPPY:
I am happiest when curiosity, courage and connection come together to create something that didn't exist before.
What's something you only understood after working across cultures or borders?
I learned that innovation is rarely about having the best idea; it's about creating enough trust for people with different perspectives to build something together. Working across countries, sectors and cultures taught me that progress happens when we stay curious longer than feels comfortable. The most valuable solutions often emerge when diverse viewpoints challenge our assumptions and expand what we think is possible.
What do you want to be different for the next generation of women leaders?
I hope the next generation of women leaders spends less energy overcoming barriers and more energy shaping the future. Success should no longer depend on fitting into existing systems, but on having the freedom to lead authentically, bring different perspectives to the table, and build organizations that reflect the diversity of the world around us. My ambition is that networks like ours make leadership more accessible, connected and impactful for the women who follow.
Which woman shaped the way you lead?
The women who shaped the way I lead were not only mentors, but also peers. Throughout my career, I have been fortunate to work alongside women who challenged me, encouraged me and reminded me that leadership does not have to be a solitary journey.
They taught me the power of generosity: opening doors, sharing experiences and helping others grow without seeing it as competition. That spirit of sisterhood has influenced how I lead, how I build networks and why I believe communities of women leaders matter so much.
The most meaningful leadership lesson I learned from them is that success becomes more powerful when it creates opportunities for others as well.
Larissa Keijzer
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Strategic leader / Board advisor / Growth enabler
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Founder Partner2C
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Board Member
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Non executive director
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30 years experience in advising the board
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15+ years in (international) leadership roles
MY PASSION:
Leading strategic growth by aligning vision, people and opportunities for long-term value.
I VALUE COLLABORATION & DEI:
I believe that diverse perspectives and inclusive environments drive better decisions and results.
WHAT MAKES ME HAPPY:
Seeing others grow, stepping into their power, and achieving more than they thought possible.
What's something you only understood after working across cultures or borders?
Collaboration is hard work, understanding each other, truly, is not easy. But it is so worth the ride: diverse perspectives bring a richness of ideas to the table and I have seen people change and thrive and enjoy working together by allowing themselves to listen, get inspired and bring everything they know and believe in to the table. I have made friends in all parts of the world and it always inspires me to listen to their stories, get inspired by their views and connect them with other great minds.
What do you want to be different for the next generation of women leaders?
I will always be an advocate for inclusion and I try to stimulate my daughters to seize the opportunities and follow their heart. I would love to see that opportunities become more equal, without boundaries for gender, age, cultural, geopgraphy and so on. The business case for Diversity is clear, allowing different perspectives to be equally important has a positive impact on the success of teams. But even more so, it’s so much more fun to work and be with people who are interested in you and who share their beliefs and ideas, give you new perspectives and inspiration, dare to speak up and be vulnerable. That is when people really thrive and become a better version of themselves.
Laure Jacquier
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International connector / Integrity advocate / Bridge builder
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Director & Executive Board Member, ICC Netherlands
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Secretary-General, Week of Integrity Foundation
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20+ years in international business and sustainability
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Working across trade, integrity, dispute resolution and ESG
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Co-founder WISE - Strategic leadership program for women
MY PASSION:
Building bridges between business, cultures and people to create lasting impact.
I VALUE COLLABORATION & DEI:
Different perspectives spark better ideas. I believe diversity of thought makes organisations stronger and better equipped to solve complex challenges.
WHAT MAKES ME HAPPY:
Meaningful and unexpected conversations, continuous learning, discovering new places, spending time in nature and around animals, and sharing special moments with family and friends.
What's something you only understood after working across cultures or borders?
Growing up across cultures, I thought everyone experienced the world the way I did. I was born in Senegal, my mother is of Russian origin and grew up in Morocco, my father grew up in Madagascar, and I was raised in Marseille, a true melting pot of cultures. Only later did I realise how much that shaped the way I see people and the world.
Working internationally, particularly in a male-dominated industry, taught me that talent, ambition and resilience exist everywhere, but opportunities do not. I met inspiring women whose leadership at work contrasted sharply with the expectations they faced at home. It reminded me that progress is not only about creating opportunities, but also about changing the environments that allow people to seize them. Perhaps the biggest lesson has been that listening with curiosity, rather than assuming, is one of the most valuable skills we can develop.
A cause I can't stay quiet about…
The rights and safety of girls and women. In particular, I cannot stay silent about female genital mutilation (FGM). It is a violation of human rights that affects millions of girls around the world, leaving lifelong physical and emotional consequences.Having been born in Senegal and worked across many countries, I have seen how deeply culture and tradition can shape lives. That is precisely why I believe we must continue speaking up. Respect for culture can never come at the expense of a girl's dignity, health or future. Every girl deserves the freedom to grow up safe, to receive an education, and to choose her own path in life.
Stefanie Schachtschabel
Purpose-driven business builder / Commercial growth / Scale-up specialist
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TBA
MY PASSION:
TBA.
I VALUE COLLABORATION & DEI:
TBA.
WHAT MAKES ME HAPPY:
TBA.
What's something you only understood after working across cultures or borders?
TBA.