Geke Rosier: The legacy of leadership

Geke Rosier, founder of RightBrains, set out to tackle the scarcity of female talent and leadership in the digital technology industry in 2014. She built a business case on the insight that women are a major untapped resource, brimming with personal and economic potential. She reflects on her legacy as an entrepreneur and relationship builder and shares her perspective on the industry as it stands – twelve years on.

Although Geke describes herself as a classic marketeer, her career story is one of entrepreneurship. Her drivers, character and passions make her a typical profile for a successful entrepreneur, and she has always had a keen eye for market trends as a catalyst for a new endeavour. “I’m a very results-oriented person," she says. “I’m always ready to make quick decisions and be forward-thinking. But successful entrepreneurship is much more than that – it’s about taking risks, and being bold to leverage that market trend or need at the exact right moment. I’ve personally always been more risk-averse, but I liked the control of self-financing my businesses. So I’m not a textbook entrepreneur profile on all accounts, but it’s been my platform for innovation and impact over the last two decades.” She does believe that anyone has the inherent ability to start something new and worthwhile, regardless of whether they have a financial or societal goal. "Energy, a sense of adventure, creativity and, most importantly, the ability to bring people together all help on this journey."

The legacy of change

For RightBrains, this goal has been, and continues to be, to build a community and to educate and inspire women in the digital technology industry. She believes that the Digital Leadership Programme, which has elevated the careers of more than 150 women to date, is one of the lasting initiatives that she has built from the ground up, and hopes that the programme continues to make an impact far beyond her direct operational management. To Geke, her legacy is one that transcends her personal professional life – she hopes to have sparked intention on personal, business and governmental fronts to work together to actually move the needle in the long term. When reflecting on how far the industry has come in the last decade with regards to gender balance, Geke is realistic and pragmatic. “Yes, I do think there is general awareness about gender balance and diversity, and a focused intention on changing things like the gender pay gap, and the importance of belonging. But are there enough efforts in the market to actually grow the number of women?” Geke does not believe so. What she would love to see unfold in the next decade is a dedicated portfolio within the cabinet that focuses on establishing more gender balance in the digital economy. “It’s an issue that’s always been nestled between agenda points of the technical economy and gender equality,” Geke explains. “And I want to leave the younger generations inspired to tackle this as a systemic issue. From school level all the way to how organisations invest in their own women, there’s still much to do.” 

The missing link

Although Geke has witnessed some gains during her tenure at RightBrains, she believes that there is still a critical misalignment in business today that slows growth dramatically: the diversity leaders of organisations focus inwards and measure the number of women in the workforce and analyse pay gaps, without actually linking this performance back to the business strategy. “This is especially true for organisations that do not self-identify as a technology company. But in today’s landscape, every single business is digitising. The result? There is an enormous gap in digital strategy and HR on the topic of how organisations are going to bring in more women. Keywords like digital transformation and information technology do not feature in these strategies. And they absolutely should. If this gap is addressed, companies gain access to incredible female talent organically, and are seen as employers of choice.”

“There is an enormous gap in digital strategy and HR on the topic of how organisations are going to bring in more women.”

Looking towards to future 

In 2026, Geke officially handed over the reins of RightBrains to a new leadership team, although she still remains involved. In addition to her supporting role within the company that she brought to life, she hopes to continue advising and mentoring other entrepreneurs. She will still be forging relationships to connect stakeholders within the wider industry and remain direct and unapologetic about the slow progress and scattered focus that is still prevalent in the market. But she is also cheering on those who champion women and make them visible, celebrated, and educated… on a personal level and for the ultimate good of the Dutch economy. She is confident that the newest generation of leaders seems up for the task and open to investing in solutions to help actualise the potential of more women. These are the leaders she has worked with on the ground, and she has come across many women and male allies who had the guts to invest in an initiative like RightBrains. “I’m humbled and thankful to say that I have always been supported by others who believe in our mission. Thank you for your support, and I hope you continue to work with us and like-minded initiatives in the future. My hope for the future is to see RightBrains grow to make even more impact for generations to come. And with your continued dedication, I have no doubt that we will.”

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