CFO Angelique Magielse: Homegrown CFO talent
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Angelique Magielse is one of the homegrown talents in the Dutch CFO community. When NS was looking for a new CFO in 2024, the rail company found the right person within its own organization. That fact was emphasized by virtually everyone. Wouter Koolmees, CEO of NS: ‘I am proud that we can welcome a colleague from our company to the Executive Board.’ Supervisory Board Chair Herman Dijkhuizen: ‘I am delighted that we at NS can appoint Angelique Magielse from within our own ranks as a member of the Executive Board.’
Magielse was familiar with the organization, in part through its subsidiary Abellio, where she held various financial and management positions for many years. She feels at home at NS, she said in an interview with cfo.nl: ‘NS is a wonderful company with enormous social significance. We don’t have just one shareholder – we have eighteen million. We’re building the future, with our sights set on our 200th anniversary. That makes it not only financially interesting but also socially relevant.’
It also characterizes her vision of the CFO profession. Magielse began her career as an accountant at KPMG but eventually sought a role closer to decision-making. ‘I was mainly looking in the rearview mirror. At a certain point, I wanted to be more in the driver’s seat, looking ahead more.’
At NS, Magielse has her work cut out for her. The transit company is still dealing with the aftermath of the COVID-19 crisis. Although passenger numbers have recovered, traditional commuter flows have only partially returned. Under her financial leadership, the emphasis is on a combination of recovery and structural renewal. In interviews, Magielse stresses the importance of cost awareness, more efficient operations, and a long-term perspective.
‘What you really have control over is working smarter yourself. Cost awareness is essential. It shouldn’t be a temporary program,’ says Magielse. The goal is to return to sustained profitability starting in 2027.