Meet Manager Karin
Following a two-year stint abroad, Karin Arnefors returned to the Netherlands, eager to take on new challenges. “Throughout my career, I’ve worn many hats, from Product Management to digital marketing within large corporations,” Karin shares, “However, I yearned for a role that allowed me to delve deeper into strategic matters”. Consulting was the solution for her. “I focus on the strategic questions at clients and can now help them as a consultant based on my expertise and work experience”.
Karin immediately had a positive impression of Eraneos from the first moment of contact: a good feeling during the initial conversation with the recruiter, as well as during the interviews with the practice lead and her future colleagues. “The image I formed of Eraneos during the application process? Pleasant collaborations with great people and a wide variety of projects”.
A new chapter
Consultancy was a new experience for Karin, and it took some time for her to get used to it. “In the first three months, my focus was on building a new chapter within Digital Business & Innovation: Commercial Excellence”, Karin explains, “As chapter lead, I am responsible for the strategic direction and content of the chapter. Together with the team, I define our value propositions, conduct client conversations, and work on proposals for new assignments”. In addition to the responsibility for the content of Commercial Excellence, Karin is also responsible for all colleagues in this team. ‘”I ensure that people develop within this area of expertise, that we feel good as a team, and that we keep up with the market”.
Nowadays, as a company you can no longer be successful without excellent customer experience, whether the customer is a user, end consumer, or even citizen. “Analyzing and improving the customer experience and transforming it into innovative digital and data-driven solutions is the core focus of the Commercial Excellence chapter”, Karin shares, “We’re a small but skilled team with expertise in customer experience, marketing, marketing technology, and innovation management”. Karin and her colleagues are committed to leveraging these capabilities to drive innovation for Eraneos and its clients.
“When I started working here, I didn’t expect the atmosphere to be so familial. Everyone is really close and committed to the company.”
After three months, in addition to further developing Commercial Excellence, Karin started working on a client assignment. “It was a bit of a jump into the deep end for me,” Karin laughs, “I was replacing a colleague who was the Project Lead for Data Quality at a pension fund. It was an area I was eager to learn more about”. Thanks to the supportive colleagues at the client and the well-defined role, Karin quickly adapted and successfully completed the project six months later. During the project, she also had the opportunity, provided by Eraneos, to take a Data Management course, which she found very rewarding. “Completing my first assignment for Eraneos and having the opportunity to grow both personally and professionally has reinforced my belief that I’ve found my place at Eraneos,” Karin smiles.
Although the assignment is completed, she has not left the client yet. “I’m still at the same client, but I’m working on two very different projects”, Karin explains, “One is program management for a business transformation. The other is data management, where I’m the project manager”. Through these projects, Karin gained valuable experience in the pension sector, which she can leverage for future opportunities. “While my background is in finance, I’m keen to apply my skills to different industries, and I’m excited about the possibilities that lie ahead”.
Connection with colleagues
As a consultant, you often work at the client’s site, so it’s important to maintain connections with your Eraneos colleagues. “I enjoy working with people, so I try to make a conscious effort to see my colleagues regularly. For example, we might have lunch together or schedule a coffee break just to catch up”.
Karin describes her colleagues as open, creative, and results-oriented individuals. “Everyone is highly motivated and committed to driving improvements. For our clients and for Eraneos”. Furthermore, they are a group of sociable people who enjoy spending time together, exchanging ideas, and developing innovative solutions. “Together, we are 110% committed to improving the status quo and making a real impact”.
At Eraneos we organize bi-weekly lunches for each team. “In addition to the team lunches, I try to work at our Amsterdam office at least once a week. This allows me to see and speak with my colleagues from other teams as well.”
What about outside of work?
Karin loves spending her spare time with her family. “I am a proud mother of three children. I’ve been able to find a a healthy work-life balance, and I’ve built a successful career while being there for my family.” Weekends are all about sports: Hockey, horseback riding, and basketball. “I personally love going for a run and doing bootcamp in the dunes. We live nearby, so it’s easy for me,” Karin smiles, “Starting my day with a run in the dunes gives me so much energy for the rest of the day”.