Nathalie Thomsen

Why do you do the job you do today? 

Because I get to work with great people here. I noticed that on day one and it continues to be confirmed. The people here are role models for me in many ways, inspire me and push me further. I really appreciate that about DCSO. If I can even begin to support, drive and inspire other colleagues in the same way, then I am delighted. In addition, I also find the job very enjoyable. I came to DCSO because I dared to step out of my comfort zone. I have a business background with a focus on the aviation industry, and I’ve worked in marketing in the travel industry. I knew my way around the industry, the operations and the people. However, I knew I wanted to grow and challenge myself. At DCSO, I stayed in marketing, but in a different industry. We support each other to move forward with great projects and really get things done. It’s a great feeling to work collaboratively on a big project. A sense of purpose, personal fulfilment and community really play nicely into each other. 

What do you not take for granted? 

What I definitely don’t take for granted is access to education and being born and raised with so many rights. I consider that a great gift and privilege. That I have the opportunities I have as a woman and in general at my comparatively young age. Knowing that other people and other women on this planet don’t have the opportunities that I have, drives me every day. 

What advice would you like to give to other women? 

To be open to new things. To dare to do something that you have reservations about and aren’t one hundred percent sure about. I am a person who has this one hundred percent expectation of myself. But even when you’re at 70, 80 or 90 percent it’s worth it saying “I’m going to try this out”. In doing so, you outgrow yourself and learn a lot. When I got a hard-fought place at university, the course was cancelled by the university a short time later. That was a moment when I was forced to make a decision that I didn’t choose. The realization that a plan (be it for life and for a certain time), no matter how good, cannot work out, was important for me. When preparations don’t work out, you just have to be open to new possibilities. In my situation, my social environment and enough time for self-reflection helped me. Today, I no longer ask myself what would have happened if I had turned left instead of right at. I am very happy and satisfied with the way things turned out.