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International Women’s Day is a moment to reflect on leadership, progress, and the people shaping the future of technology. At Trengo, we took the opportunity to speak with two members of our leadership team—our CEO Marili ’t Hooft–Bolle and CFO Helene Ekkers—about their career journeys, the philosophy that guides their leadership, and what the future of technology looks like for women entering the field today. Give to Gain, the theme for this year’s International Women’s Day, gives us the lens through which to examine the collaboration and curiosity propelling Trengo forward.
Give to Gain: Supporting the Next Generation
Giving to gain refers to the cycle of generosity and support within organizations and communities that contribute to the advancement of women in different environments. Through knowledge, resources, visibility, advocacy, education, or mentoring, the cycle of empowerment can continue for generations of women to come.
Reflecting on the beginning of their respective careers, finding relatable leadership examples wasn’t always easy for Marili or Helene. In many cases, the scales of work-life balance tipped heavily towards work for women in strong leadership positions, leaving less room for family life and other passions. Without visible examples of balance, it could be difficult to imagine what a sustainable path forward in leadership might look like.
Marili reflects:
Seeing women successfully combine leadership, family life, and personal fulfillment demonstrated that strong leadership does not have to come at the expense of other meaningful parts of life. In fact, the networks and perspectives that come from life outside of work can strengthen leadership within organizations.
Loving what you do—and helping others find that same sense of fulfillment—is essential for purposeful career development.
As Helene puts it
“The early years of your career are about understanding what really drives your energy and what doesn’t.”
In fast-moving industries like technology, adaptability and curiosity often matter more than following a rigid plan. When women are welcomed into spaces as they are–and are encouraged to pursue their interests–they have the freedom to carve their own path, and reach for the stars.
Technology, AI, and Expanding Opportunity
While women have always been present in STEM, many leadership and technical roles have been historically modeled by men, leaving fewer visible examples for women entering the field over the past decades. However, both Marili and Helene have seen that landscape evolve over the last two decades.
Helene states,
Nowadays, new technologies are changing who can participate in building software products. AI is dramatically lowering the barrier to entry for innovators who have strong ideas but may not come from traditional technical backgrounds.
Marili explains,
“What’s nice with AI is that there are a lot of women entrepreneurs with great ideas who may not have followed the old-school path of learning how to code. Now they can build prototypes just with words, which is quite phenomenal. I think it will unlock a lot of entrepreneurial value.”
The result is not only a shift within companies, but also in entrepreneurship itself. As technology becomes more accessible, more women are able to turn ideas into products, experiment with innovation, and build businesses in spaces that were once harder to enter.
Collaboration and Trust Drive Growth
Strong leadership is rarely the work of one person. At Trengo, collaboration between leaders is central to how the company grows and makes decisions. As CEO and CFO, Marili and Helene work closely together to balance vision with execution—combining strategic ambition with financial discipline.
Partnerships like this are particularly significant in an industry where executive leadership has historically been dominated by men. Seeing women collaborate at the highest levels of a technology company not only reflects the progress that has been made, but also demonstrates how diverse perspectives can strengthen decision-making.
For Marili and Helene, leadership is not about operating in isolation, but about bringing different viewpoints together to find the best path forward.
Marili states,
“Everyone looks through their own lens, and then you need to find the overlap where you understand each other.”
Helene concurred stating,
“To collaborate well, you need trust, which ultimately drives change and revenue. And revenue is the measurement of success, but never the only goal.”
In many ways, this dynamic reflects the broader idea of give to gain. When leaders approach collaboration with openness—sharing perspectives, supporting one another’s ideas, and investing in collective success—the result is stronger decisions, teams, and product overall.
Leadership Means Always Learning
At Trengo, leadership is not static—it’s a continuous journey of curiosity, reflection, and growth. Both Marili and Helene see their roles as evolving, requiring constant adaptation to new challenges, technologies, and team dynamics. For them, learning is less about completing courses or checking boxes and more about engaging with real-world situations and learning from experience.
Helene states,
“I prefer to actually learn from the situation at hand, it’s such a more nuanced, more real way of learning. Whatever you learn from a textbook, to really learn it, you also need to apply it to real life.”
This approach allows leaders to navigate complexity while developing their own judgment and perspective. Even seasoned leaders must remain reflective, asking themselves: What could I have done better? How could I collaborate more effectively?
Marili explains,
“I think it’s very important that you always look at your own role, there are a lot of things happening around you, and it’s very easy to point to something else—but you need to reflect on what you could have done better and where you can improve.”
Ultimately, for Marili and Helene, leadership is a cycle of learning, adapting, and paying it forward. By staying curious, reflective, and collaborative, they not only drive Trengo forward but also create an environment where others—especially women aspiring to leadership roles—can grow and flourish.
