Nathalie de Geus named Top Woman of the Year 2025; Fadime Keçe wins Young Talent Award

Nathalie de Geus was named Top Woman of the Year 2025, and Fadime Keçe received the 2025 Young Talent Award.

Nathalie de Geus, General Manager of Utrecht-based ArboNed, has been named Top Woman of the Year 2025. The announcement was made by jury chair Karien van Gennip in front of 400 attendees.

The other finalists for the award were Hajir Hajji, CEO of Action, and Damla Hendriks, CRO of Van Lanschot Kempen. The jury reviewed the candidates based on their leadership in Dutch organisations and their contribution to their sectors.

Meet Nathalie de Geus

Nathalie de Geus is the General Manager of ArboNed, a Dutch occupational health service provider based in Utrecht. She assumed this role in June 2021, succeeding Henk Hummel.

Under her leadership, ArboNed focuses on supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Netherlands with occupational health services, aiming to create healthy and competent work environments.

Before joining ArboNed, de Geus had a diverse career in the financial and insurance sectors, holding various management and executive positions at companies such as Delta Lloyd, Avéro Achmea, Aegon, and ACE Company. She began her professional journey as a lawyer after studying Dutch law.

Jury’s verdict

The jury for this year’s award included chair Karien van Gennip, Karin van Baardwijk, CEO of Robeco and Top Woman of the Year 2024; Elanor Boekholt-O’Sullivan, Lieutenant General at the Ministry of Defence and Top Woman of the Year 2023; Wouter Koolmees, President and CEO of NS; and Dolf van den Brink, CEO of Heineken.

The jury highlighted Nathalie de Geus’s work on women, healthcare, and the labour market. They noted her career transition from insurance to healthcare and her leadership role as CEO. Considering these factors, the jury chose de Geus as Top Woman of the Year 2025.

De Geus plans to use her title to promote two topics: absenteeism prevention and women-specific health.

Fadime Keçe wins 2025 Young Talent Award

Fadime Keçe, Coordinating Policy Advisor for Knowledge & Innovation in Digital Technologies at the Ministry of Economic Affairs, has won the 2025 Young Talent Award.

The other two finalists include Esther Leferink, Lead Future Fit at Rabobank, and Charlotte van Leeuwen, Manager of Digital Health at KPMG Netherlands. Jury chair Disa Jironet announced the winner in a public event.

Employers nominate candidates for the award. This year, 31 nominees were considered and from these, three finalists were chosen.

This award recognises young female professionals up to 31 years old and highlights their career development in Dutch organisations. Anke Cornelisse, Fixed Income Portfolio Manager at APG, was the winner of the 2024 Young Talent Award.

Brief about the two awards

The ‘Top Woman of the Year’ election has taken place annually since 2005. Its goal is to provide a platform where female executives in the Netherlands can gain recognition, share their experiences, and act as role models for other professionals.

The ‘Top Woman of the Year’ and ‘Talent to the Top’ foundations joined in 2022 to promote diversity and inclusion in Dutch organisations and work more effectively on this shared mission.

The title of ‘Top Woman of the Year’ is awarded based on a combination of personal qualities. The jury evaluates achievements as well as factors such as courage, ambition, and leadership style. A central part of the selection is how these qualities are applied in serving as a role model for others.

The ‘Young Talent Award’, part of the ‘Top Woman of the Year’ Foundation, is for women up to 31 years old working toward leadership roles in business and the (semi-)public sector. 

Employers nominate candidates, who submit a CV, written responses, and a short video before attending a selection day with group and individual tasks. From this process, the jury selects three finalists and one winner. 

The results are announced during the annual ‘Top Woman of the Year’ dinner, where both the main award and the ‘Young Talent Award’ are presented. 

Participation also grants access to the ‘Young Talent Award’ community, which includes alumni and senior women leaders connected to the foundation. Members of this network are invited to themed sessions held throughout the year, offering opportunities for learning, exchange, and collaboration.