The '2020-2021 Ernst & Young (EY) Corporate Finance Woman of the Year' final took place on 20 April 2021. In this final, 22 finalists represented their country in the hope of being named Corporate Finance Woman of the Year. Kiki van der Meulen, a master student at Erasmus School of Law and Rotterdam School of Management, represented the Netherlands in this international competition.
Van der Meulen completed a master's degree in Corporate Law at Erasmus School of Law and is currently finishing one in Finance & Investments at Rotterdam School of Management. Van der Meulen: "I particularly enjoy analysing transactions from both a financial and legal perspective. The master Finance & Investments and the master Corporate Law form the perfect combination for this".
The underrepresentation of women in top management positions
Whilst working at a large law firm, she noticed the underrepresentation of female partners. Van der Meulen: "During my time as a student and my work in the field, I met many talented and ambitious women who strive for top management positions. Unfortunately, women are still underrepresented in these positions, especially in finance." By participating in competitions such as this one, Van der Meulen hopes to break the stigma about women in top management positions and aims to increase the visibility of these ambitious women.
The competition
The competition consisted of a national and an international component and was created to inspire the next generation of talented women to choose a career in strategy and transactions. In the national competition, Van der Meulen was particularly notable for her assertiveness. By successfully displaying her financial knowledge and strategic skills, she was named the national competition winner. She, therefore, qualified with 21 other national winners as a finalist for the international competition.
Listening, leadership and diversity
During the competition and the accompanying training sessions, Van der Meulen learned a lot from the EY leaders: "During the training sessions, I learned that listening is one of the most important skills you can develop as a leader." Van der Meulen enjoyed her participation in the competition: "It was a wonderful experience in which I learned a lot and through which I came into contact with very talented women. During the competition, we were able to learn a lot from each other, and I have noticed that a diversity of perspectives leads to more and better ideas."
A tip that Van der Meulen wants to share with the current students: "Do not be afraid to take the plunge and put yourself out there. By taking on challenges, you create opportunities that will help you during your career. You might not always succeed, but these moments will also offer the opportunity to learn and develop new skills."
Looking ahead
During her time as a student and her working experience at the law firm, Van der Meulen developed a great interest in mergers and acquisitions (M&A). Although she has not yet definitively chosen a career in the field of M&A in the legal or financial sector, Van der Meulen is sure about one thing: "Wherever I end up, I want to push myself, excel in my work and I hope to contribute to a better world."