To mark International Women’s Day, Strohm’s marketing & communications lead Natasja de Jong sat down to discuss her experience as a woman in a traditionally male sector and her plans for the future with the company.
With a father who was a ship’s captain on numerous vessels and lived on a boat, Natasja believes working in the offshore sector was in her blood and, therefore, always set to be her path. Here, she takes us through her journey in the energy and offshore industry and why her first role at Strohm might not have been the right fit, but it led to a more enriched opportunity within the business.
Natasja explained: “I began my career with a company called Oceanteam where I worked for over a decade. As it was a small business, we all mucked in, and I worked in various roles from marketing and finance to coordinating crewing. This gave me a strong understanding of how a business operates from the ground up and the importance of working together as a team.
“After being contacted by Strohm’s CEO Martin van Onna two years ago (we had a mutual connection on LinkedIn), I joined The Netherlands business as a proposal manager. I found this quite challenging due to the technical nature of the role, especially after enjoying being out travelling and visiting clients face-to-face a lot in my previous job. I knew working on tenders wasn’t what I ultimately wanted to do, but I loved the company, my colleagues, and the interesting projects Strohm was involved in through its game changing thermoplastic composite pipe (TCP). When my current marketing role became available, I thought I’d try it out and, I have to say, I really love it. It is a more creative role than I’d expected, and it allows me to get involved in a lot of different aspects of the business and raise awareness of the good work the team delivers globally.”
Over the course of Natasja’s 16-year career in the maritime industry, she has witnessed first-hand the sea change in female perceptions and the rise in opportunities they are offered.
“When I first started out in the offshore sector, there weren’t as many women,” she said. “I remember visiting China for an important meeting and was shocked when the men in the room largely ignored me and wouldn’t engage with me because I was female. Thankfully, by the time I had my last meeting there in 2018, things were much better. I often reflect on how women were seen in the past and how things are continuing to improve. We are definitely more accepted now but there’s still much work to be done to redress the balance. If you look at Europe for example, there are lots of females in senior and leadership positions, but I believe in some other regions, there is still a long way to go. People should be accepted based on their talent, regardless of gender.
“I’ve been very fortunate to be surrounded by good people in both my personal and professional life that I have been encouraged and influenced by. I like to learn as I go, gaining insight and experience from everyone across the business; the whole team at Strohm inspires me.”
Natasja has been working with the team for nearly two years now and was elated to be selected to help launch the firm’s new Field Service Group (FSG) and join them on a project as a Field Service Engineer. The core of the FSG consists of technicians and engineers from the company’s pipe completions, testing, and project engineering departments who are trained in pipe handling, rigging, and lifting, as well as the use of pneumatic and electrical installation aid tooling systems.
She explained: “The FSG was formed to support client campaigns where timelines between jumper fabrication and installation are short. Having this dedicated team mean that the whole process is faster and cheaper. The FSG is the enabler, and executioner of our ‘Jumper on Demand’ concept and delivery method. This is where TCP is supplied in a continuous length on a reel and stored at the client’s preferred location. Individual jumpers are then cut to the desired length when required, terminated, and tested in the field.”
Swapping her marketing and comms hat for a hard-hat and coveralls for a month, Natasja has recently returned after joining her colleagues to support a client project in India. She added: “It was a different challenge and I absolutely loved the experience. We were working 12-hour day and night shifts, seven days a week to ensure the project was completed on time. I had a great time being part of the FSG team; Strohm has a really inclusive culture across all of its operations which creates a truly great atmosphere and environment to work in. As a result, being involved in FSG projects is up there with my favourite career moments.”
Now back at the Ijmuiden facility and focused on keeping the company’s marketing strategy on track with support being provided for various hydrogen, CCUS and offshore wind campaigns, Natasja is keen for more travel. “Getting to experience new environments and places is something that is very important to me in both my professional and personal life, and I would love to be included in future FSG projects that take me to different areas of the world I’ve not visited before.
“I’ve been lucky enough to have had many travel experiences in my career so far, including a memorable trip alongside the Strohm commercial team to Houston, where we visited the Offshore Technology Conference. In previous roles, I also gained experiences across Asia, the UAE, the UK and Norway, where my previous employer was based. Looking forward, both South Africa and Australia are still on my bucket list for places I would love to visit, either personally or with the Strohm team. Aside from travelling, I also really enjoy horseback riding with my daughter in my free time. This is a hobby I’ve had since I was a child, and I’m so happy my daughter has picked it up too – we would love to own horses ourselves one day.
“My journey at Strohm is just beginning, and I am really looking forward to my future here, especially being involved in FSG campaigns, as it allows me to combine my passion for work and travel. I’m fortunate to work for a company that actively encourages me to follow my ambitions, provides new opportunities and doesn’t pigeonhole me in one role.”
Natasja de Jong is a global maritime expert having spent more than 16 years working in the offshore industry in various jurisdictions. The bulk of her career has been spent with Oceanteam, where she latterly worked as a Tender Manager in September 2022, Natasja joined Strohm, initially as a Proposal Manager, before taking up the Marketing & Communication Lead mantle a few months later.