Contributors

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Host

Desiree Timmermans - Co-Director Women in Big Data Brussels & Director and Founder at Help To Grow Talk: Customer-Centric Conversations for Revenue Growth


Desiree has 25 years of experience in the ICT sector. She worked at Global Technology and IT-Consulting Corporations.

In 2017, she founded Help To Grow Talk, focussing on helping IT companies grow business revenue with customer-centric conversations: we help you create talks that solve your audiences' top-of-mind challenges.

Since 2021, Desiree has been Co-Director of Women in Big Data - Brussels with a mission to champion the success of women in big data & analytics by networking, mentoring, leadership opportunities, providing technical training, and professional development workshops. 

Desiree's true passion is helping you have better conversations to enhance your daily life, work experience, and social interactions: making the world a better place, one conversation at a time. 

Desiree holds a master's in Organizational and Administrative Studies from the University of Amsterdam.

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Co-host

Valerie Zapico - Co-Director Women in Big Data Brussels & CEO/Founder at Valkuren: Unlock The Power of Data


Valerie has been working in ICT since 2006. She started her career as Business Intelligence Consultant and Project Manager for a consulting company specializing in SAP services in Paris and Brussels. Also, Valerie has worked for a Big Five Tech Company and several other corporates. 

At the end of 2014, Valerie decided to start Valkuren, a Data-Tech company leveraging the business from start-ups to corporates. Valkuren aims to unlock the power of data – Cloud, Analytics & AI – emphasizing the human link and gender equality.  

Valerie is Managing Partner at Valkuren and Co-director & Podcast Co-host of the Women in Big Data Brussels Chapter. She is always interested in sharing her knowledge and coaching new and motivated people in her domain. Valerie holds a Master's in Statistics and Business Intelligence.