During this Corporate Affairs Circle, Karen Temmink, Director of Communications External Relations at ProRail, will share the choices, dilemmas, and lessons behind the new positioning. Under Chatham House Rules, we will explore with Corporate Affairs directors from various sectors how brand positioning can evolve into a credible societal standing—and what this demands of leadership and our profession.
Directors and Senior Managers in the field of corporate communications and public affairs
CPD points | 2 points
17:30 | Start of program (including presentation, discussion and 3-course dinner)
20:30 | End of formal program, opportunity for informal networking
Language: Dutch
Restaurant ‘t Ganzenest, Rijswijk
Director of Communications & External Relations
Karen Temmink is Director of Communications External Relations at ProRail. In this role, she is responsible for communications, public affairs, and stakeholder management regarding ProRail’s complex social and infrastructural challenges. She previously held various leadership roles within ProRail and worked at the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of the Interior, where she gained experience as an advisor, spokesperson, and policymaker.
Organizations are judged not only on their products, services, and performance, but also on their credibility, attractiveness, and societal significance. A strong positioning, therefore, does not start solely with the question of what an organization wants to stand for. It also requires a sharp understanding of what stakeholders expect and what position the organization wants and is able to occupy within society.
ProRail recently developed a new brand positioning to provide a clearer view of what the organization stands for, the role it fulfills in the Netherlands, and the choices necessary to keep the railway reliable and future-proof. The aim is not to embellish its image, but to provide direction to the organization’s narrative, actions, and communications from a clear standpoint.
The new positioning also marks a shift in communicative course: moving from reactive and reflective to proactive, clear, and decisive. ProRail intends not just to explain its actions, but to take ownership of the narrative, take a stand, and contribute to trust and understanding.
This development is recognizable for organizations across diverse sectors. How do we connect our identity and ambitions with stakeholder expectations? How do we translate that connection into a positioning that guides strategy, behavior, performance, and communication? And how do we remain credible when our promise, our performance, and societal perception do not naturally align?
During this Corporate Affairs Circle, Karen Temmink, Director of Communications External Relations at ProRail, will share the choices, dilemmas, and lessons behind the new positioning. Under Chatham House Rules, we will explore with Corporate Affairs directors from various sectors how brand positioning can evolve into a credible societal standing—and what this demands of leadership and our profession.
Marion Kremer, executive advisor on socially connected leadership, will facilitate the session as moderator.
