Turning challenges into opportunities

‘From a very young age, I had jobs to support myself financially. As a teenager, I worked for a high-end greengrocer called De Econoom, which sold premium fruits and vegetables. Customers often questioned why our strawberries cost €9.99 while supermarkets sold them for a fraction of the price. That experience sparked my understanding of value propositions and market positioning. I wanted to study a subject that would open doors worldwide, at an internationally renown institution. Erasmus School of Economics was the best choice. As an ambitious student, I enjoyed the rigorous programme of the International Bachelor in Economics and Business Economics (IBEB). It really pushed me to excel.’  

What did you do besides your study? 

‘Erasmus School of Economics offers countless opportunities. I was looking for more international experiences, so I participated in an exchange programme with Bocconi in Milan, a fantastic university with great professors. During my stay, I made the most of the opportunity by following the maximum number of courses allowed. It was eye-opening to experience different academic cultures, and it reinforced my appreciation for the structured, high-quality approach at Erasmus School of Economics. 

Beyond my studies, I actively engaged with the business world through in-house days, business courses, Marketing and Business competitions, and a board position at UniPartners academic consulting. Early on, I realised that I wanted to contribute to solving meaningful global challenges, whether in healthcare, energy, or poverty alleviation. Coming to the Netherlands as a refugee at age three, I have always been deeply aware of the opportunities I have had and deeply feel a responsibility to give back.’ 

‘I have always been deeply aware of the opportunities I have had and feel a responsibility to give back.’

How did you realise you wanted to make an impact with your work? 

‘During my Master programme in Economics and Business, I learned that my mother had lymphoma. I took on the role of carer and the university suggested I might want to take a year out. However, that is not something that fits with my Iranian background. There was no way I wanted to give my mother the feeling that she might be the cause of a delay in my studies. Therefore, I decided to double the number of subjects I took, thinking that the ones I wouldn’t pass would be compensated by other classes. It was one of the more challenging times in my life so far. Thankfully, my mother recovered and I managed to obtain sufficient study points to finish my degree. However, I decided to extend my student life and do all the things I might not be able to do anymore once I graduated. To eliminate the “if this wouldn’t have happened, then..” excuse from my mind, I became a teaching assistant and taught marketing to bachelor students at Erasmus School of Economics.  

I had a defining experience while waiting with my mother for the hematologist in the waiting room at the Haga Hospital. I saw the front page of a newspaper that had an article about Philips Image Guided Therapy partnering with a drug delivery company to provide precision-targeted delivery of chemotherapy, minimising damage to healthy tissue. It struck a chord, as I had seen patients reach a point where their bodies could no longer tolerate treatment, shifting the treatment from curative to simply prolonging the patient’s life. The article was a typical case of the right message, at the right time, for the right customer. It made it clear: I wanted to be part of developing solutions that truly make a difference in people’s lives. Before this experience, I would have never considered joining the commercialisation of healthcare and pharma, as I had a visualisation of pushy sales reps trying to offload products at institutions. But now, I realised how life-changing innovations in this field are and how important technological development in MedTech is.’ 

How did you build that career? 

‘I was beyond excited to find out that Philips had just launched a Leadership Development programme specifically for Business graduates. With the clarity gained through my personal experience, I followed my heart and participated in the rigorous selection process, where I was hired as one of the four global participants out of thousands of applications. The programme consisted of several rotations through different departments, starting with healthcare IT (radiology). However, I also wanted to make a direct impact, which is challenging in a clinical specialty that has no direct patient contact.  

I discovered Philips’ Community Life Centres in Kenya, Africa, which partner with NGOs and governments to provide preventive care and reduce the burden on hospitals. Instead of waiting until pregnancy complications turned into emergencies, these centres connected women with diagnostic preventative care early on. I was able to finish the first placement of the leadership programme a bit early and start the second one a bit later so that in between I could be assigned to Philips Research in Nairobi, where I saw firsthand how sustainable healthcare solutions can transform communities. 

To broaden my expertise, I set my sights on Philips Medical Devices for one of my rotations. The timing was perfect: Philips had just acquired Volcano, a company based in San Diego. I secured a six-month placement in the U.S., which eventually extended into a five-year journey integrating acquisitions and driving growth in the Coronary and Peripheral Vascular space. Upon my return to the Netherlands, I was appointed as Head of Marketing Benelux for Philips. 

As of 2025, I am Head of the Client Council at SHoKo Urgentcare, located at the Maxima Medical Centre in Eindhoven, where I provide strategic input on healthcare policy, quality, and service design for urgent care services.   

One of the highlights so far was our recent yearly policy day. With the entire board, we mapped out the patient journey, using patient personas to pinpoint touchpoints with our operations and how we can improve these to elevate the experience. It's so rewarding that the board embraces these activities and genuinely puts the patient at the heart of sessions like these.’ 

What is marketing for you? 

‘Marketing is not about flashy campaigns or selling at any cost. It is about deeply understanding customers, both users and buyers, and co-creating solutions that deliver real value. Too often, overpriced innovations with unnecessary features are commercialised simply because they can be created, rather than their ability to solve a real need. Finding a problem for your solution instead of finding a solution for your problem, is not the way to go. For me, the most exciting part of marketing is shaping value propositions with cross-functional teams, ensuring that innovation is truly meaningful and sustainable.’ 

You started your role as an Advisory Board member for the Master’s programme in Economics and Business, what are you hoping to contribute?  

‘Returning to the campus feels like coming home now that I recently joined the Advisory Board. In that capacity, I want to help elevate the school’s global brand. Bocconi, for example, markets itself exceptionally well, emphasising its technology and infrastructure. Erasmus School of Economics offers just as much, potentially more, but we need to communicate that better. Additionally, I want to ensure that students understand the power of the strong, quantitative foundation they receive here. This is not a communications degree; it prepares students for high-impact roles in today’s data-driven economy. My goal is to help maintain and strengthen that positioning.’ 

In which other ways in your life are you trying to leave a positive impact? 

‘In addition to my role as start-up coach for MedTech companies, one of the activities I really enjoy is serving as a jury member for the Dutch Effie-awards that recognise the most effective marketing communications campaigns in the Netherlands while also highlighting societal impact. 

I really enjoy discussing the campaigns with other jury members. We all recognise the importance of companies being aware of what is happening in society and giving back. Economic impact is not just about numbers, but about people. That is why we came up with the idea of Giving Back with Effie (Effie iets terugdoen). For our last volunteer night, we cooked dinner at the Ronald McDonald House in Rotterdam. 

Having a seriously ill child in the hospital is every parent’s worst nightmare. But imagine also being hours away from home while your child undergoes treatment. That is the reality for many families, and exactly why Ronald McDonald Houses exist. Since 1985, the Ronald McDonald House Sophia Rotterdam has provided a home away from home for families of children receiving critical care at Erasmus MC Sophia Children's Hospital, the oldest and largest pediatric hospital in the Netherlands.  

It was an incredible experience to cook for these families with the entire jury, especially knowing that the Ronald McDonald Houses rely entirely on donations and volunteers.’  

Do you have advice for current students? 

‘Enjoy the opportunities you are given and truly make the most out of this exceptional period you are gifted, but don’t be afraid to challenge the status quo. Make conscious choices, you have the power to shape your own path.’