PEOPLE
BOUCHRA FILALI, NATURALIS
She was there when the bones of T. rex Trix were excavated in Montana and organized a crowdfunding campaign to bring the dinosaur from North America to the Netherlands. And with success, because the 66 million year old skeleton is currently on display in the Naturalis museum in Leiden. Bouchra Filali, Corporate Partnerships Manager at Naturalis, a research institute in the field of biodiversity, explains how she ended up in the world of scientific research from a design studio. Text: Annelies Keus
Image: Naturalis
I really got into it. I accidentally ended up in an interim position at Naturalis as head of sales and events. I am naturally good at organizing. I grew from there.
Who was your wheelbarrow?The move to commercialism was a gamble. I first worked in a design studio, then at an advertising agency and later as an office manager at a marketing agency. I was ready for a new challenge. Robbert Heemskerk then gave me an opportunity with a position in which I had no experience at all. He gave me two choices and I consciously chose unknown territory. Apparently he saw something in me and that gave me the confidence to take the step.
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Also read: Join an expedition with Naturalis
What's the stupidest thing you've ever done in your career?Ignore my gut feeling. Feelings are something very abstract in the business world, and you usually prefer not to talk about them too much. I thought: “I have to look at this rationally.” Later I discovered that I should have listened to my intuition more carefully.
Was this curiosity about nature and science already there in the past?I have had the curiosity for new encounters since I was a child. I also remember that in high school I was always very interested in what was going on outside. The importance of this and that you as a person have a role in it only became apparent when I started working at Naturalis.
Who are you a wheelbarrow for?I have a colleague who sometimes asks for advice. It is so important that someone dares to take steps, simply because others believe in you and appreciate you. It is most valuable when this happens in a non-hierarchical line. It contributes to the growth of a company and growth must come from within, not just from above.
