James Kennedy sits down with Susanne IJkema-Hilgenkamp, Regional Director at The CFO Centre / CFO Center and a fractional CFO based in the Netherlands, to unpack what great stakeholder management really looks like – especially when the stakes are high. From boardrooms that include government and global corporates (including a joint venture where the CEO of the board was the Crown Prince of Brunei) to fast-moving SMEs, Susanne shares how to avoid surprises, align shareholders, and guide major decisions. They also dive into a compelling exit story: helping a 79-year-old founder sell urgently due to health reasons – without selling from a position of panic.
About Susanne IJkema-Hilgenkamp:
Susanne is a seasoned finance leader and fractional CFO based in South Holland (Rotterdam, The Hague, Gouda region). Early in her career, she briefly worked in audit at PricewaterhouseCoopers, then moved into industry – building deep corporate finance leadership experience in major oil & gas and manufacturing environments. She served internationally as Deputy CFO of an LNG facility in Brunei (a joint venture across government, Japanese corporate ownership, and a European partner), before returning to the Netherlands as CFO of a chemicals manufacturing plant. Today, she supports SME owners through growth and “trigger events” via CFO Center.
What You’ll Learn:
- Stakeholder management at the highest level: Why “no surprises” is the golden rule – and how the real work happens before the board meeting.
- How to influence boards with different agendas: Understanding what each shareholder really wants (jobs, margins, growth, control) and aligning decisions accordingly.
- A practical, risk-based CFO approach for SMEs: When bank-balance management is “enough” and when structure, reporting, and controls become essential.
- Exiting under pressure (without panic-selling): How to identify value leaks fast, craft a credible growth story, and go to market with confidence.
- Why fractional CFOs are often “business diplomats”: Delivering hard truths with the right tone so leadership can act – without defensiveness.
Episode Highlights:
- “There’s one thing I don’t like – and that is being surprised in a board meeting.”
- “If you put in the energy, you will get the results. If you don’t, nothing’s going to happen.”
- “Sometimes being happy with a reward that is very different than the one that you hoped for.”
- “Entrepreneurs can do the right things for a long time – just by checking the bank account regularly.”
- “We sold within about nine months at a really great multiple… way more than he expected.”
More About Susanne’s Role:
As a fractional CFO and Regional Director, Susanne helps ambitious SMEs navigate high-impact moments – fundraising, growth strategy, buy-and-build, shareholder alignment, and exit preparation. She also steps in when founders “get no energy” from financial conversations with banks, investors, and accountants – taking ownership of the process while ensuring decision-makers stay informed enough to act confidently. Her style is adaptive: she tailors her approach to the people around the table, while consistently anchoring recommendations in what’s best for the business (and therefore best for the stakeholders).
