Maud Duijnstee is Senior Investor Relations Officer at Marktlink Capital. As the spider in the web of the investor relations team, she guides investors through the registration process for their investments.
Maud, can you tell us what your role involves exactly? "Our core task is managing the onboarding of investors. These can be first-time investors, but just as easily people making their second, third, or fourth investment. During that process, we make sure we fully comply with our legal obligations: Know Your Customer regulations, anti-money laundering requirements, everything needed to keep both the company and the investor compliant.
In addition, I lead the team of analysts. We divide the workload, safeguard quality, and review all the preparations they make. It is a combination of substantive checks, process management, and a touch of investor relations."
What motivates you? What is your background and what gives you energy? "I have a background in law and then started at Rabobank in the FEC department, which focuses on financial economic crime. The world of compliance and investors fits perfectly together for me: I enjoy truly helping investors while at the same time keeping the company compliant.
What I especially like is thinking along in situations that do not always perfectly fit within the rules and still finding a solution that meets the legal requirements while burdening the client as little as possible. Making that entire process run smoothly gives me energy.
With my team, we are in contact with all other departments. For example, we work with sales and the investment team to ensure that sufficient capital is raised on time. We align communication with the marketing team, and we collaborate with the fund management team regarding capital calls. Because we have direct contact with investors, we truly are an integral part of Marktlink Capital."
Can you tell us something about the working atmosphere and company culture? "We work together in a friendly and informal way. Within our team there is a strong sense of unity, we are always ready to help each other. In the broader company you see a lot of ambition. Everyone goes the extra mile. It gets busy sometimes, but it is especially during these busy times, we make sure to support each other. That team spirit was something I noticed immediately when I started here.
The atmosphere is truly work hard, play hard. It is a serious and ambitious company where you sometimes have to work hard, but not everything is serious all the time. We enjoy having lunch together. It is not a company where you simply show up from nine to five to collect your monthly salary. You need to be motivated to contribute to the company. People here are very driven."
How does your role contribute to the investor experience? "We request a lot of information during the registration process, so the way we communicate partly shapes the image an investor has of the entire company. We have a lot of direct contact with investors. That is also why I enjoy attending events, it allows me to put a face to someone I previously spoke with by phone or email. For investors, it is valuable to meet someone who is genuinely involved in their investment, especially in the phase when results are not yet visible."
How do you view growth and development within Marktlink Capital? "From the beginning, I was given a lot of freedom and trust. Within a year, I became team lead. That opportunity was there, and I received all the support I needed.
In addition, I am given the opportunity to contribute ideas on process optimization, not only within the KYC area, but also more broadly within operations. That involvement makes the work varied and challenging."
