Vera Nagtegaal bringing heart and insight into leadership
The CEO of Vouch and breast cancer survivor, Vera Nagtegaal, believes that sound financial advice is a right, not a privilege.
Today, Carol Ofori celebrates Vera Nagtegaal as her Woman Crush Wednesday.
Nagtegaal doesn't just possess a wealth of expertise in leading and transforming businesses across the financial sector, but also values her ability to bring strategic insight and heart into her leadership style.
With more than two decades of experience across finance, marketing and digital, she brings the perfect balance of purpose and passion into each project.
Nagtegaal is the CEO at Vouch, but previously worked as the Executive Head at Hippo.co.za where she led a successful rebrand with the Hippo mascot.
As an avid marathon runner, with eight Comrades Marathon medals under her belt, Nagtegaal never thought she would one day have to face her biggest fight ever, breast cancer.
However, it is her positive spirited mind, her resilience, and her will to keep moving that have helped her kick cancer in the toosh.
Although cancer might be her biggest opponent yet, she admits that, along with her amazing medical team, it was her sound mind and positive thinking that got her through the most challenging times.
Cancer was the biggest shock of my life. Ten days after my first chemo, my hair started to fall out, and I lost everything. You immediately wonder, 'What am I going to look like?' Every morning, I got up early and went down to walk or run if I could, and every morning I did yoga. Honestly, all credit to my medical team, but it's about the work you do on yourself.
Nagtegaal is also an advocate for financial inclusion, believing that access to sound financial advice should not be a privilege, but a right.
Her vision for Vouch is rooted in empowering people to make better financial decisions by connecting them with trusted advice - supported by technology and guided by empathy.
Known for her forward-thinking leadership and her ability to turn vision into measurable impact in the business world, it's no surprise that she has been a force of reckoning in her journey toward becoming a breast cancer survivor.
Our breasts are a big part of our femininity and our identity, but I realised I could either be sad about what I'd lost or be grateful for what I'd gained. My new breasts give me a new chance at life.
In a world where we often succumb to our challenges and hardships, Vera inspires us to reach for more because it is those moments of genuine hardship that blossom into the most fruitful opportunities.
Five days after her surgery, her doctor informed her that her results were cancer-free.
Listen to Carol Ofori's interview with Vera Nagtegaal in studio below.
HOW TO LISTEN TO EAST COAST RADIO
- Listen to East Coast Radio on the FM (frequency modulation) spectrum between 94 and 95 FM on your radio.
- Listen live to ECR by clicking here or download the ECR App (iOS/Android).
- Listen to East Coast Radio on the DStv audio bouquet, channel 836.
- Switch to the audio bouquet on your Openview decoder and browse to channel 606
- Listen to us on Amazon Alexa.
Follow us on social media:
Image Supplied