Fleur Osté

Fleur Osté drives excellence in her corporate role, and in the advertising and marketing comms industry. “The academic rigour of RSM and living in Rotterdam broadened my perspectives on all walks of life. Rotterdam gave me roots, RSM gave me wings,” says Fleur. 

Her internship in São Paulo opened Fleur’s eyes to the business case of sustainability. She applied for Unilever’s Future Leaders Programme to contribute to the Sustainable Living Plan. “We must use our voice to create a better world,” says Fleur. 

As business lead Benelux with Ben & Jerry’s, her strategic leadership has significantly contributed to brand growth and sustainability initiatives. A highlight was demonstrating how brands and their supporters can advocate for change. Ben & Jerry’s half-baked ice cream for half-baked policy campaign distributed half-filled containers of ice cream to politicians to ignite debate about policy governing the limited employment rights of asylum seekers. The policy was discussed in the Court of Justice and overruled. Since then, numbers of asylum seekers finding employment has tripled. 

In addition to her job, Fleur organised fundraising events, dinners with colleagues and newcomers; and a work-placement program for newcomers at Unilever office facilities. She is also a supervisory board member of Social Enterprise NL supporting entrepreneurs with social impact, a jury member for two advertising and marketing awards, and co-chairs the LEAD Network Europe NL Chapter, actively promoting gender diversity and inclusion within the retail and consumer goods sectors.

Fleur was nominated by Dr Christophe Lembregts, associate professor at RSM.