The power of networking

Dr Hanneke Takkenberg is a Professor of Management Education focusing on Women in Business at Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University (RSM) and Executive Director of Erasmus Centre for Women and Organisations (ECWO). She founded VENA, the Erasmus MC women's network of academics, in 2007, and has been the chair of the Erasmus University Network for Female Professors (ENVH) board since 2014. An active promoter of female leadership, particularly in academic medicine, she is also a professor of clinical decision-making in cardio-thoracic interventions at Erasmus Medical Centre in Rotterdam.

Dr Takkenberg’s work is broadly focused on empowering and connecting women to drive their careers forward, as well as achieving gender equality globally through advocacy and world-leading research. Her research is, after all, where her heart and true passion lies within her many other remarkable areas of excellence.  

Her current projects include research and facilitation for the European Commission-funded Horizon2020 EQUAL4EUROPE, RSM’s Executive Education's women in business programmes, ECWO’s Open Masterclasses and RSM’s MBA, with a focus on gender-balanced leadership. 

Dr Takkenberg's internal compass is simple: "When I see something that I know can further impact the empowerment of women in science and medicine and shift us even further towards gender equality, I have to do it."

Her ultimate ambition? To help build a world where her daughters will one day be able to enter a workforce that celebrates differences -- and harnesses the power of diversity.

Connect with Dr Hanneke on our platform easily.