Why The Best Leadership Hire May Come From Outside Your Industry

Geldmaat is the organisation responsible for managing and maintaining the ATM network across the Netherlands, providing secure and accessible cash services on behalf of major Dutch banks.

Joost den Heijer joined Geldmaat as Chief Operating Officer in August 2024, placed by Odgers' Rosanne Ferrari. 42% of CEOs globally say their company has entered new sectors during the last five years. We recently spoke with Joost about why leadership capability is increasingly outweighing sector-specific experience, and how leaders can build agility in an increasingly unpredictable world.

You joined Geldmaat from outside the financial services sector. What did that transition teach you?

Many organisations instinctively look for leaders with direct sector experience. While industry knowledge is valuable, I believe there can be equally significant benefits from bringing in leaders from different backgrounds.

Throughout my career, I have moved between industries, and each transition has brought fresh perspectives and new ideas. At Geldmaat, I entered a highly regulated sector with a very different competitive dynamic from the customer-focused industries where I had previously worked.

My priority during the first six months was to understand the business, its stakeholders, its culture and the wider ecosystem in which it operates. Those insights are critical when entering any new industry.

At the same time, coming from outside the sector allowed me to contribute immediately. I brought experience from customer-centric and highly competitive markets, helping challenge established thinking and introducing approaches that perhaps might not naturally emerge from within the industry itself.

What leadership advantages come from moving between sectors?

Every industry develops its own assumptions, habits and ways of operating. Leaders who have worked in different environments are often better equipped to challenge those assumptions constructively.

What advice do you have for leaders considering making a sector move?

• Don't underestimate the transferability of your leadership skills. Too often, leaders convince themselves that their expertise only applies within a single industry. In reality, many of the most valuable capabilities such as building teams, driving change, influencing stakeholders and shaping strategy, are relevant everywhere.
• Be prepared to be the newcomer. Stay curious, listen carefully and invest time in understanding the context. Most importantly, trust the capabilities that made you successful in the first place.
• New industries don’t need more duplicates of existing leaders. They often benefit most from people who bring something different.

What are the biggest disruptions facing your sector today?

A major challenge for the European financial sector is growing awareness of its dependence on non-European providers and infrastructure.

Across payments, cash logistics and technology, many critical services rely heavily on American companies. Recent geopolitical and geo-economic developments have prompted organisations across Europe to reconsider those dependencies and build greater resilience.

Has your experience in other industries helped you address these challenges?

Absolutely. The industries I worked in previously faced intense competition and as a result, developed strong organisational agility. Businesses were accustomed to responding quickly to customer needs, market changes and competitive threats.

That mindset is increasingly important today. Even organisations operating in long-established sectors must become more adaptable if they want to remain resilient in a changing environment.

And finally, what advice do you have for other leaders?

1. Stay authentic. Trust is the foundation of leadership. People need to see the real person behind the role, including your strengths and your weaknesses. Be honest about what you know, what you don’t and where you need support.
2. Trust your instincts. Not every decision can be made through analysis alone. There are moments when leaders sense an issue before they can fully explain it. Learning to recognise and act on those instincts is incredibly valuable.
3. Build strong teams. Leadership is never a solo effort. High-performing teams make better decisions, challenge assumptions and deliver stronger outcomes. The best leaders empower people, create accountability and give teams the confidence to take ownership.

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