On October 12, 2021, this interview appeared in EW magazine (Elsevier Weekblad) written by Marijn Jongsma.
Marinka Nooteboom (50) grew up in Zeist, studied business administration in Amsterdam. Worked at Van Lanschot and ING. Since 2012, the fifth generation has been at the helm of Nooteboom Trailers in Wijchen. Living together, one son. Awarded Businesswoman of 2022.
What was your childhood like?
I grew up in Zeist (NL), in a warm family, as the oldest of three daughters. Then there was also the trailer company, but we never really grew up with it. When I was young, the company was located on Kanaleneiland in Utrecht, where I sometimes went. At the time there was real pressure on my father to become the successor. He absolutely did not want that with us. In those days it was not so obvious as a woman in the manufacturing industry. It is still a male culture, technical professions are more popular with men. I also wanted to go my own way. After secondary school in Zeist I thought: let’s get out of here.
You ended up in Amsterdam.
I started studying business administration for the financial sector at the Free University, which no longer exists. I found business administration interesting, and it was a small-scale course. With lots of practical subjects, such as meetings and negotiations….