Peer Intelligence - Spring 2023 - Coffee Chat with Fleur Dubbelboer

This is the second Peer Intelligence in a row that we are featuring a CEMer from the UK. Your role has recently expanded to now include the Netherlands. Could you tell us more about your new mandate?

It seemed a natural choice for me to cover both the UK and Dutch market; I’m a native Dutch speaker but I have lived in the UK for nearly 22 years. And you’re right: recently my remit has expanded to include business development as well as client coverage in both the UK and the Netherlands. The market in the Netherlands is undergoing unprecedented structural change due to the introduction of the New Pension System in 2028 (recently approved by the Dutch Senate). This means that the market will transition from a predominantly Defined Benefit (DB) based system to a Collective Defined Contribution (CDC) based system. The intention is for the new system to address concerns such as an ageing population and a changing labour market, where career changes, breaks and self-employment are more prevalent than ever before, and once more restore confidence in one of the best pension systems in the world. It's a challenging time, mostly because CEM —like most of the market— is still working out what this will practically mean. As always, we seek to support our clients and provide them with a forum in which to discuss with peers the issues facing them without any downstream interest.

Sounds like a lot of change is happening in that market. How did you find yourself working in the pensions space?

I studied Business Administration at the University of Bath, and, as part of my degree, undertook a work placement at Goldman Sachs International, where as a graduate I rotated through several roles. What I learned was that I love working with people and moved to the Asset Management arm where I initially worked as a project manager for Separate Account implementation and then transitioned to a relationship manager covering the UK and Ireland markets. Following the birth of my two children, I felt I needed a career change and moved to CEM. Working with institutional and pension clients at a large asset manager has given me a unique understanding of what matters to our clients and how best to serve them.

Or maybe I just like change! I grew up in several countries, including Democratic Republic of Congo, Slovakia, and Nigeria before settling in the UK and it seems that the need for a new challenge has never really left me!

You’re a world traveller! Where are your favourite destinations to visit in Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter?

Spring and Autumn call for a city break: Copenhagen in Spring, and New York in Autumn. For those feeling adventurous, I’d recommend climbing Kilimanjaro followed by a safari in the Serengeti in late Summer. In Winter, it must be skiing! For close to 20 years now I have always skied in Klosters, Switzerland, and it’s become a multi-generation family tradition. Taking my children, Florence and Lily, to the same place I have loved since childhood (first time post-Covid) was one of the highlights of 2022!

Recently, you have been on a “Canadian tour” in Vancouver and Montreal for our PABS and Global Leaders conferences, respectively. What’s the best part about seeing clients in person

The best part about seeing clients in person again is the ability to engage in real life conversations on the issues facing the industry. The conferences also provide us with the opportunity to get to know our clients as people.

Technology is great and has allowed much greater flexibility in how and where we work, but it has reduced the little interactions that make us human. It’s been invigorating speaking to clients again face-to-face and has given me plenty of energy to think about how we continue to evolve our products.

Coffee Chat with Fleur Dubbelboer

Fleur is Director, Client Coverage, Netherlands & UK, in CEM’s UK office and has been with the firm since 2021. In addition to her role as a relationship manager, she is also responsible for growing CEM’s business in core European markets.