Top Women Launch Their Own International Executive Search Company

Ineke Kooistra and Elbrich Batstra have started their own recruitment and selection agency, EliN Partners. They assist directors and executives in finding new positions and search for suitable candidates for companies. “New leadership is servant and empathetic.”

Both women aim to leverage their experience as top managers and their international network to help companies find suitable CEOs and executives. Having sat in the boardroom themselves, they claim to know which candidates fit which organizations.

“We are equal conversation partners,” they both say. “Our strength is that we know which qualities and skills are needed to lead a company. From experience, we understand what is expected of leaders.”

Kooistra (residing in Rottevalle) and Batstra (child of Frisian parents) have impressive careers behind them. Kooistra began in the 1990s at the Leeuwarden-based temp agency Unique and also worked for Adecco. Between 2013 and 2023, she was CEO of the international recruitment agency Young Capital. She also led the Swiss recruitment agency Circle 8 Group (turnover of 1.3 billion euros) for one and a half years.

Batstra headed the HR department at Young Capital and was a driving force behind the growth of the job platform Monsterboard. During that period, the company grew from 200 to 1,400 employees, with the agency employing 25,000 people externally.

They know the ins and outs of the industry and decided to become independent. ELIN stands for the first letters of their first names. It is also a Scandinavian name meaning “light.” “We want to promote insightful, people-oriented, and empathetic leadership. Someone who is transparent and honest, not seeking personal glory but that of their employees. Someone who gives their people the stage. Because a leader can make or break a company.”

Frisian Sobriety

ELIN Partners aims for “the ultimate match.” Already, executives and CEOs are approaching the duo for placement. A resume, however, is not the starting point. Kooistra and Batstra prefer to focus on someone’s personality and experience.

“We want to truly get to know candidates by talking to them in confidence,” says Batstra. “What is your mindset, where do you come from? What kind of upbringing did you have?” Kooistra adds: “Yes, even the province where you grew up can play a role. Did you know Frisian managers are highly sought after? Because of a hint of sobriety that surrounds them. They don’t beat around the bush. Although, of course, that could also be a bias.”

The starting point for the search for a new top manager is: what kind of leader does a company need? The phase the company is in is crucial, both emphasize. Kooistra coined the term “seasonal CEO” for this: “A scale-up is in a different phase than a company that has just undergone a major reorganization. In that case, you need someone who can bring calm. A company experiencing significant growth often seeks someone who brings positive energy.”

Feminine

Regardless of the phase, certain qualities are crucial for a leader, both top women stress. The most important of these is empathy. “And that has nothing to do with being soft or feminine,” they say.

“An empathetic leader wants to be there for every employee, from the manager to the receptionist.” Kooistra refers to the term servant leadership. “It’s about realizing that it’s not about you as a leader. On the other hand, you have to make choices.” Empathy is considered a “hard criterion” for a successful leader.

Even during layoffs or reorganizations, an empathetic leader must consider the consequences for employees. Kooistra: “Someone you have to let go also needs to move forward.” Batstra: “It matters how you deliver such a message. The tone sets the music. If an employee isn’t performing well and has to leave, you send a signal to the rest of your staff. People know where they stand with you, and that provides stability and trust.”

Self-Reflection

How a CEO has behaved in complex situations in the past also says a lot about a leader, both women note. “Is someone stress-resistant, did they remain calm and composed in turbulent times?” Kooistra explains.

Batstra adds: “When things aren’t going well in a company, there’s a lot of external pressure. Not only do employees look to the leader, but shareholders do too. Many people try to take your seat.” Another important quality of a leader: self-reflection. Batstra: “Can they look at themselves and evaluate their actions? Have they learned from a situation? Introspection and self-reflection are incredibly important.”

Universal

The ambition of both Frisian women is to operate internationally. They are seeking external partners both domestically and abroad to collaborate with. “These could be independent professionals or other coaching and consultancy firms that excel at finding people,” the duo explains. “We want to think big.”

In Switzerland, a team is ready to start working for ELIN next month. Contacts have also been established with companies in London, Stockholm, Zurich, and New York. Their vision of empathetic leadership is universal, they believe. “Employees want a leader who is transparent, clear, and honest. They want to be seen and valued as human beings. That’s the same all over the world.”