PostNL CEO named Most Powerful Woman

Herna Verhagen (48), chairman of the board of directors of PostNL, has been named the most powerful woman of 2014 by Opzij. She is one of two women to be CEO of a listed company in the Netherlands. Verhagen received this honor on Monday night during the presentation of the annual list of 100 Powerful Women by Opzij. This is the sixth edition of the event and was held in the Theater Amsterdam on the IJ. The jury, chaired by former minister Sybilla Dekker, thinks that Verhagen made her mark by turning a proposed and highly controversial reorganization back. She also pays a lot of attention to diversity, says the verdict. Verhagen got a job as sales manager at PostNL (then still PTT Post) directly after her studies in 1993. Despite her ambition she is known to "not lose sight of the people". She calls being named the most powerful woman of the year "a great honor". Last year Minister Edith Schippers of Public Health, Welfare and Sports, was named most powerful woman of the year. The ten categories for the Top 100 were adjusted this year. Sport fell away this year, and media was grouped with culture. Supervisors and entrepreneurs were added. This list includes Marlies van Wijhe, CEO of family business Van Wijhe Verf (number 1 entrepreneur), Marike van Lier Lels, professional auditor (number 1 supervisor) and Connie van Altena, State Councilor in the administrative section of the State Council (number 1 justice and public order)