Even after eighteen years at the helm of Wolters Kluwer, Nancy McKinstry remains inquisitive, driven, and successful. That's one of the conclusions of an in-depth feature on one of the longest sitting CEOs of a listed company in the Netherlands.
Dutch daily Het Financieele Dagblad published the background article on McKinstry, based on insights from colleagues, former colleagues, and former members of the supervisory board about Nancy and the key to her longevity.
Colleagues credit McKinstry with moving forward the digital transformation of Wolters Kluwer, something that remains a growing focus for the organization. Since that digital transformation, starting in 2003 when Nancy took the helm, Wolters Kluwer has changed into an expert solutions company. ‘During 2020, growth continued, with 91% of revenues from digital and services, 80% recurring, and with 54% of revenues coming from expert solutions. Wolters Kluwer’s digital transformation has helped the organization remain resilient in these unprecedented times’, says Nancy in the latest Annual Report.
McKinstry's commitment to disciplined preparation for her work is one of the things that has put her at the level she's at today, and she always has her eye trained on the next digital challenge. As she likes to say: “We'll make it happen.”
But while she is fastidious in her work, she is also approachable and has a reputation for kindness. She’s open for questions and embraces other people’s ideas while also being extremely pragmatic, say colleagues: “Anything they ask, bring it up.”
