The recommendations of Monique van Gils
This text was originally written in Dutch. This is an English translation.
Monique van Gils has been working at Shell Asset Management Company as Head of External Managers Liquid Investments since 2020. She has over 30 years of experience in the financial sector, with previous positions at BlackRock, Pensioenfonds Horeca en Catering, Aegon Asset Management and Rabobank. Van Gils studied General Economics at Tilburg University.
What lesson have you learned in your career so far?
‘Keep learning! The world is constantly changing — insights, technology, products. Stay curious, be open to other perspectives and step out of your comfort zone every now and then: that keeps you sharp and relevant. Continuing to learn also means continuing to grow, because every experience, collaboration or challenge has something to offer. Sometimes you learn something substantive, sometimes something about yourself or how you work with others. That combination of professional content and personal development is what makes my work so fascinating.'
What reading, listening or viewing tips do you have for our readers and why?
Naomi Klein's book “No Logo” is 25 years old but still relevant today. This summer, I read “The 5 Types of Wealth” by Sahil Bloom with interest to gain a broader perspective on wealth. Other tips include the “Leaders in Finance” podcast, the contributions by Han de Jong and Valentijn van Nieuwenhuizen on LinkedIn, and the unrivalled Lex column in the Financial Times.