Expanding your horizons

Interview with Diana Geels-de Koos, Head of Performance Coaching and Indira de Wilde, Head of Data Centres, Infra & Cloud at VodafoneZiggo

Recognising that tomorrow’s digital leaders are today’s digital learners, the RightBrains Digital Leadership Programme (DLP) offers an intensive, invaluable educational experience for women with digital leadership ambitions. Now in its 11th year, we sat down with some alumni from recent years from within the same companies to explore how it unlocked new ways of thinking that added value en route to digital leadership... and beyond.

What has the RightBrains Digital Leadership Programme meant to you?

Diana: When I started the DLP, I had already worked for many years in the industry. I immediately felt that its point of view was more integrated and it gave me a wider lens to view aspects like unconscious bias and cybersecurity. It made me more aware about the impact you can make as a leader in the broader organisation, which resonated with my growth plan and mission to add the most value I possibly can for my organisation and team. Participating in the DLP was a great example of VodafoneZiggo’s commitment to innovation, collaboration, and leadership development, and I was happy to be a part of that!

Indira: I originally studied law and my leadership roles preceded my technology roles. So although I had experience in leadership trainings like coaching and conflict resolution, I think there comes a time when every leader challenges themselves by asking questions around how you can broaden your vision or craft a strategy that really resonates. At the time I completed the DLP, I was working in technology operations and I was responsible for the cloud and virtualisation team, after which I made a move into IT. I feel that the DLP was one of the things that eventually supported me in my promotion to Head of Data Centres, Infra & Cloud. I think the programme is a great tool for companies to help employees realise their professional ambitions.

In what ways did an educational experience like the DLP unlock new tools or thinking in your everyday job?

Diana: The module around AI inspired me to see the potential as an organisation, and I think I’m better positioned to spot opportunities and solve challenges. VodafoneZiggo actively embraces cross-sector insights to drive innovation through partnerships with organisations outside telecom and the integration of broader market learnings into our strategy – and on a personal level, I was reminded of the value of this. It was great to connect with women from other sectors to compare notes and experiences beyond my colleagues in Telco.

Indira: VodafoneZiggo has a long-standing focus on cybersecurity as a core part of our business strategy, and we have implemented organisation-wide initiatives to holistically address risks and ensure secure digital solutions across operations. The DLP actually tuned me in to these efforts more intensely and increased the depth of my knowledge in cybersecurity. It created an urgency in me to consider risk from a broader, more strategic perspective. I still reference my learnings in meetings, and the fact that certain take-aways stay top of mind is a testament to how evergreen the course content is, despite technology changing so quickly.

In what ways did you find it valuable to be able to complete a programme like this with a colleague?

Diana: I found it eye-opening to compare learnings with my colleague and explore how our perspectives differ. It allowed us to transcend the challenges from our own departments and to think about how we fit into the bigger organisation. Overall, I think the programme complemented our existing focus on teamwork and addressing organisational challenges through creative and collective approaches.

Indira: I was fortunate to complete the programme with three of my colleagues, and it provided us with the opportunity to apply what we have learned to real challenges within the company. We also had the added benefit of covering them from the vantage point of our own departments, which added to creative problem-solving. And it was easier to present these findings back to the company as a group, of course!

What is your message to other women with digital leadership ambitions?

Diana: I would advise others to slow down before they are ready to take the next step to accelerate. You have to take time to reflect and realise what you learned, elaborate on your options and then really commit to taking a step forward in terms of leadership. A practical example is the DLP program training days, which meant stepping out of the everyday work hustle to follow the programme... but the time we spent learning was incredibly rewarding. This applies to any sacrifice you need to make to equip you with the tools to step it up on a professional level.

Indira: Find a mentor that can help you grow and formulate a growth plan with intention with someone other than your line manager. Expand your mind in whichever way you can – whether it be books, podcasts, or interorganisational networking. Inspiration awaits!

This article was originally published in the RightBrains DIGIDIVA Magazine 2025. Check out this year's issue for more inspiration!