Let's catch up with Isa Flaskamp [F 2022]

From Hotello to…

After finishing secondary school, Isa decided to take a gap year before starting at Hotel Management School Maastricht in 2018.

"Hotelschool Maastricht is a broad programme, which I really appreciated. At the same time, it meant that after graduating, I still wasn’t entirely sure which direction I wanted to pursue."

This is a challenge many hotelschool students face after graduation: do you start working immediately, or continue your studies? Isa chose the latter and pursued a Master's degree in Business Administration at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, specialising in Strategy & Organisation.

Searching for a traineeship

During her Master's, Isa discovered the concept of traineeships. The opportunity to take on different roles within one company while simultaneously receiving a great deal of responsibility immediately appealed to her. She focused her search on major FMCG (Fast-Moving Consumer Goods) companies, including Unilever, Kraft Heinz, Heineken, Ahold and Mars. After several application processes, she received an offer for the Unilever Future Leaders Programme, one of her top choices.

"I loved the idea of working with products that people use every day. Products that are literally sitting in people’s cupboards at home."

Storytelling in finance

Although Isa eventually chose a finance track, it was not an obvious decision from the start. Her hotelschool background gave her a unique perspective on the field.

"Many finance professionals are strong with numbers, but not always with the story behind them. Being able to analyse figures and translate them into something others can understand is something I really took with me from Hotel Management School Maastricht."

In her first role, she worked within a pricing team focused on the Benelux market, managing pricing agreements between Unilever and major retailers such as Jumbo, Lidl and Aldi. Today, she works in Supply Chain Finance at a European level, where she is responsible for managing and forecasting various cost categories across the supply chain organisation. The transition from a more operational role to a strategic position has suited her well.

"I enjoy a combination of both. On the one hand, thinking about strategy and the future, but on the other hand, having days where you can simply tick tasks off your list and see immediate results."

What do you take away from Hotel Management School Maastricht?

Looking back on her time at Hotel Management School Maastricht, Isa sees many skills that still benefit her every day. Stakeholder management, teamwork and a hands-on mentality have proven particularly valuable in an international organisation like Unilever.

"We often use the term ‘chasing’ here. Sometimes you need to follow up with people repeatedly to get the information you need. I have no problem doing that. Learning how to collaborate and work with different stakeholders is something I genuinely developed during my time at hotelschool."

Her education also helps her connect data, people and business results. Not only understanding what is happening, but also why it is happening and what the consequences might be.

Still exploring

Despite her successful start, Isa openly admits that she is still searching for the ideal combination of responsibilities. In her previous role, she worked closely with customers and commercial decision-making. In her current position, she operates more behind the scenes. Both have their advantages.

That is exactly why she values the traineeship so highly. It gives her the opportunity to explore different disciplines, teams and business units before deciding on her next long-term career step.

Advice for current students

If she could give current hotelschool students one piece of advice, it would be simple: try as much as possible. Take on additional projects, because the tasks that fall outside your standard responsibilities are often the ones that teach you the most about what you truly enjoy. Isa also follows a principle she recently learned and now applies wherever she works:

"I try to leave every place I work in a better state than I found it."

Whether it is improving processes, documenting knowledge or creating more structure, Isa believes that this is where real impact can be made. A lesson that is not only relevant for a career at Unilever, but for every hotelschool student embarking on their professional journey.