Lisette Heemskerk

Lisette Heemskerk has broad experience in leading and transforming companies in the media, culture and entertainment sector, with a special focus on strategic development and innovative media. During her career she has worked in both the private and the public domain. Lisette also has solid experience in working with supervisory boards and board dynamics.

After starting in the advertising world at FHV/BBDO, Lisette worked for more than 17 years in media at VNU/Sanoma, including as the publishing director of home magazines and managing director of Mood for Magazines, known for the magazine LINDA. She then moved into television as Chief Marketing & Strategy Officer at SBS Broadcasting, and then into the entertainment industry, as Commercial Director at Stage Entertainment and Entertainment Director CVP at Vodafone Ziggo. In recent years, Lisette has been a partner in the entertainment marketing agency Dewynters, with commercial end responsibility at the Dutch National Opera and Ballet. In 2020 Lisette Heemskerk joined De Vroedt & Thierry as a partner with focus on the practices telecom, media en entertainment (TEM), family businesses, culture and leisure, and tourism. She combines her work at De Vroedt & Thierry with a number of advisory board positions and is a member of the Supervisory Board of the Meek Institute of Innovation of the University of Mississippi.

Lisette’s vision

‘The world is changing at lightning speed. Rapid technological innovation and globalisation are impacting today’s world. Current developments surrounding the corona crisis reinforce the need to deal with changing circumstances in an adaptive and innovative manner. The new world that is now emerging requires people who are able to help shape this new reality. People who have a highly developed capacity for change.

This means that the ability to steer from vision, values, authenticity, organisational strategy, attention, pleasure and ‘getting the best of yourself’ in people should be maximised. It is important to look for the potential in our society in the broad sense of the word. I see it as my mission to promote diversity and inclusivity in the boardrooms of companies and other organisations.

In addition, at De Vroedt & Thierry I use my highly evolved sense of social development for the benefit of the cultural sector. On the one hand, for this sector to survive the crisis, and on the other hand to shape the transition to a new world, it is crucial to place people with a ‘heart for culture’ and ‘talent for transition’ in determining positions in the market.
All of this with the aim of adding value and making a difference. As Darwin already stated, ‘It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the ones most responsive to change.’ Or, as Jackie Kennedy pointed out, ‘One woman can make a difference and every woman should try.’