Women Corporate Directors Program

Take Your Career to the Next Level With the WCD Program

There is a lot of female talent in the Netherlands. This is not reflected in the number of women in top positions, however, despite the active participation of women that started in the 1980s. The Women Corporate Directors Program has been developed by and for ambitious and talented women with leadership potential. The program focuses on the management dilemmas you will face in key director positions.

Key Position

In this program you will gain new insights and perspectives by looking at management dilemmas from different angles. The program is based on interaction as well as reflection. You will learn from and with top professors, experts and other female peers. During the program, you will use the cases of other participants to reflect on your own situation and that of your company. As your confidence increases, you will grow into your role in a key position.

What Does the Women Corporate Directors Program Offer You:

• Gain a new perspective by examining management dilemmas from different angles
• Experience personal and professional growth as you are inspired by leading female business managers and directors
• Improve your ability to deal with business challenges in today's complex environment
• Gain the confidence you need to take the next step in your management career
• Grow into your role as a responsible leader

Put Your Knowledge to Use Immediately

The TIAS 5-day WCD Program will provide you with inspiration, knowledge, and ideas you can put to use immediately. This will help you make balanced and tactical decisions, as expected from someone in your key position.

For and By Women in Top Positions

The program consists of 5 modules (doors open at 3pm, program runs from 3.30pm to 7.30pm), composed by a Professor, a leading female business leader and the group of participants.

Five Modules

The program consists of 5 modules that cover the management dilemmas you may face:

1. Governance Dilemmas
   How to recognize biases and how to prevent them?

2. Leadership Dilemmas
   How can you maximize the development of your talent as a female leader?

3. Finance & Risk Dilemmas
   Managing risks in the right way will lead to less rules and regulations. This sounds ideal, but how do you manage risks in the right way?

4. Remuneration & Selection Dilemmas
   Remuneration is more than money alone, also for top executives. How to manage your executive human capital effectively?

5. Strategy Dilemmas
   How can a board challenge the strategic thinking in the company?

Inspiration and Insight Sessions

Each module focuses on a key management dilemma and consists of both Inspiration and Insight Sessions. Inspiration Sessions focus on relevant conceptual/scientific and practical knowledge and insights. During Insight Sessions, let yourself be inspired by female business leaders who share their perspectives, decision-making, examples and insights at the highest organizational level. 

Top Professors and Business Experts

Be inspired by leading professors in the field of governance, strategy, and leadership, such as Mijntje Lückerath and Margot Schumacher. Members of the Dutch Chapter of WCD, all executive and non-executive directors, will give lectures about their area of expertise. Guest speakers from previous years include:

• Tanja Nagel, External Director at EY Nederland and PNO Participaties BV
• Corinne Vigreux, Co-founder and Managing Director at TomTom, External Director at Takeaway.com (Thuisbezorgd.nl)
• Hanne Buis, CEO at Lelystad Airport
• Bernadette Langius, Member of the Supervisory Board and Member of the Audit Committee, Ingenico ePayments, BDO Nederland, IBM Nederland, Van Landschot Bankiers
• Alette Ducro, Partner at CPI Risk, Finance, Governance & Compliance, External Member of the Partner & Participant Selection Committee at BDO Nederland
• Susi Zijderveld, Member of the Supervisory Board, Chair of the Remuneration Committee at NIBC Bank, Committee Member at Human Rights Watch, Board Member at Concertgebouwfonds, Board Member at the National Committee for 4 and 5 May
• Irene Asscher, 25 years' experience on Boards of Directors and Supervisory Boards, Chair of Museum Association, Associate Researcher at University of Amsterdam
• Margot Scheltema, External Director at De Nederlandsche Bank, Nedap, TNT Express
• Charlotte Insinger, External Director at Eneco, VastNed Retail, Delta
• Ilham Kadri, CEO at Solvay
• Pamela Boumeester, External Director at Heijmans, Ordina, Vebego
• Petra Groenland, Partner at KPMG US Accounting & Reporting Group
• Mirjam de Blecourt, Partner at Employment and Pensions Practice Group Netherlands, Baker & McKenzie
• Heleen Kersten, Partner at Stibbe

Limited Number of Participants

Our program is specifically designed to stimulate personal growth and encourage productive interaction. To offer a truly interactive experience, the number of participants is limited.

Dates and Times for the WCD Program in 2020

Dates and locations of the Women Corporate Directors Program

Women Corporate Directors - 2025/2026

Subject to changes

Governance Dilemma’s
Faculty: Mijntje Lückerath
Date: 2 September 2025
Location: TIAS Utrecht

Leadership Dilemma’s
Faculty: Margot Schumacher
Date: 7 October 2025
Location: TIAS Utrecht

Finance & Risk Dilemma’s
Faculty: Mieke Pigeaud-Wijdeveld
Date : 11 November 2025
Location: TIAS Utrecht

Remuneration Dilemma’s
Faculty: ntb
Date : December 2025
Location: TIAS Utrecht

Strategy Dilemma’s
Faculty: Ron Meyer
Date : 13 January 2026
Location: TIAS Utrecht

Investment

Top Female Talent

We have a strict admission process in place, based on professional performance and organizational responsibility. A diverse mix of participants is key to the program's success. That is why, in order to offer a rich learning experience, we look for candidates from a wide range of sectors, positions and backgrounds. To safeguard the quality of the program and promote productive interaction, the number of participants is limited to 25. For more information about the participants and our entry requirements, please contact our Program Adviser.

How do you finance your education?

You have found the program that best suits your learning goals and ambitions. But how do you finance this? There are different ways to do that. Your employer can play a role, but there are also interesting statutory regulations that you can use yourself. We list the possibilities for you.

Read about the possibilities here »

Faculty Women Corporate Directors Program

“Role models are very important for female professionals on their way to the business top. They often choose female leaders as a symbol of opportunity and inspiration, someone that can further increase their confidence. This program is created to serve this purpose.”  Prof. dr. Mijntje Lückerath, Academic Director

Distinguished faculty from TIAS, Tilburg University and other well-known institutes around the globe as well as influential corporate directors from WCD will contribute to the program. Prof. dr. Mijntje Lückerath-Rovers, WCD member and Professor Corporate Governance at TIAS Business School is the Academic Director of the program. 

For the most up-to-date list of faculty and guest speakers, please contact your program adviser.

Start your application

Following your enrollment, the Academic Director will review your CV. After the Academic Director determines that you meet the admission requirements, you will receive the official study agreement and you can finalize your enrollment.