Nov 29, 2020Women on BoardsWhen and Why Diversity Improves Your Board's Performance Executive Summary Evidence that board diversity benefits firms is mixed. A 2015 meta-analysis of 140 research studies…hbr.org Gender Parity in the Boardroom Won't Happen on Its Own We're making progress, but it is too slow. That's the key finding of the sixth edition of Deloitte Global's Women in…hbr.org You've Committed to Increasing Gender Diversity on Your Board. Here's How to Make it Happen. After years of asking corporate directors about the importance of diversity in the boardroom, we've got some good news…hbr.orgWomen On Boards2 min readWomen On Boards2 min read
Nov 28, 2020Life is all about balance - Maarten SchaferLife is a balance between what we can control and what we cannot. Learn to live life between effort and letting go. The most gratifying moments in my life were when I found the courage to let go of what I couldn’t change.Maarten Schafer2 min readMaarten Schafer2 min read
Aug 1, 2020Doha on Your Day Off - Maarten SchaferWe are having breakfast on a terrace in Doha’s Old Town when we meet Charne, a South African woman working in Qatar. “What do expats do in their spare time?” we ask her. “Most people work six days a week, with a day off on Fridays,” she says. “There are…Maarten Schafer2 min readMaarten Schafer2 min read
Mar 29, 2020Dubai superlative - Maarten SchaferI’m off to Dubai again… People asked me what I think of Dubai and why I visit the place so often. The real answer is, that I find it extremely interesting that there are soo many different nationalities in one place. …Maarten Schafer3 min readMaarten Schafer3 min read
Mar 25, 2020New York rocksWe are in downtown New York. We have been here several times before and know Manhattan pretty well. We are discussing our plans for the day while enjoying a caramel macchiato in one of the zillions of Starbucks cafés that help keep New Yorkers awake. “Let’s see, what will it…Maarten Schafer2 min readMaarten Schafer2 min read
Feb 2, 2020Swimming with a whale shark - One down on my bucket list - Maarten SchäferSwimming with a whale shark - One down on my bucket list - Maarten Schäfer We are sailing in the Gulf of Aden towards Djibouti. Our captain, Maurizio, who is a barista in his spare time, is standing behind his espresso machine preparing a caffè latte macchiato. Suddenly the calm is disturbed by one of the crew: “Whale shark!” …Maarten Schafer3 min readMaarten Schafer3 min read
Jan 10, 2020Encountering a forest spirit in Chile - Maarten SchäferI’m traveling from Santiago de Chile to the South… I’m on my way to Patagonia. This morning I arrived in Chile’s lake region, which is famous for its spectacular scenery. Deep-blue mountain lakes, snow-capped volcanoes and dense forests. I decided to make a stop at a biological reserve called Huilo-Huilo…Travel4 min readTravel4 min read
Dec 30, 2019The Secret of a Storyteller - Maarten SchaferI have this joke I use to make a lasting impression when I first meet people. Instead of saying “I have dyslexia”, I say “I have sex daily”. I say it with a totally straight face, which makes people unsure of what I just said. “You have what?” they ask. …Coolbrands2 min readCoolbrands2 min read
Dec 29, 2019“A fight with a toucan” - Maarten SchäferThe Iguassu river meanders through a rainforest called the Mata Atlantica before reaching its apotheosis in the Iguassu falls. In the 16th century, when the Spanish explorers reached the current Brazilian coast, the Atlantic Rainforest covered the complete coastline from North to South, much further than the eyes could see. …Environment4 min readEnvironment4 min read
Oct 24, 2019“Happy Kids of N’Djamena” — Maarten SchaferChad has a chequered history marked by civil unrest, instability, poverty and, more recently, streams of refugees flowing in from neighboring Sudan. Recent developments, however, are bringing the promise of a new era in Chad’s history. …Photography3 min readPhotography3 min read
