JCI Europe
Leadership Interviews
Welcome to our JCI Europe Leadership Interviews. Here you can learn all about our local and international leaders and how they facilitate positive change.
The interviews
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Leadership Is Not About Reaching the Top Alone. It is About Creating Space for Others to Grow
This month we sit down with Catia, a business leader, mother, mountain guide and passionate JCI member, about leadership, growth and resilience, from the boardroom to the Swiss Alps.
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Leaders Create Leaders: A Conversation with Bart Van Proeyen, 2026 JCI Belgium National President, on Leadership, Impact and Legacy
Bart Van Proeyen, 2026 National President of JCI Belgium, talks about what it means to be a leader and how to make leadership create impact beyond your own mandate.
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Designing the Future: Why Great Leaders Build Communities, Not Followers. An Honest Conversation with Phoebe Benta-Albertsen, Design Community & Events, LEGO Design
Phoebe Benta-Albertsen, who leads Design Community & Events at LEGO Design, talks about self-leadership, resilience and why the strongest leaders build communities rather than followers.
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From Entrepreneur at 19 to Global Brand Strategist: The Story and Vision of Stef Verbeeck: Partner and Senior Brand Strategist at Pavlov, JCI Member and Senator
Stef Verbeeck, partner at the brand consultancy Pavlov and a JCI member and senator, on building brands that matter in an age of AI, automation and constant change.
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Building Leadership on Education, Merit, and Courage: The Vision of Diana Mardarovici
Originally from Moldova, Diana Mardarovici is a General Councillor of Bucharest, JCI senator and 2018 JCI Vice President who co-founded a party built on education, skills and meritocracy.
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Lessons from the Edge: Leadership, Resilience, and Exploration. A Conversation with Explorer Louis-Philippe Loncke
Explorer Louis-Philippe Loncke shares lessons from the edge of human endurance, where leadership, resilience and purpose are tested to their limits.
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“Leadership is not about being the strongest voice in the room. It is about creating a room where every voice can contribute.” – Nihal Zoroğlu, 2026 Chief Executive Assistant to the President
Nihal Zoroğlu, 2026 Chief Executive Assistant to the President, talks about leadership strategy, emotional awareness and creating a room where every voice can contribute.
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“I am guided by the philosophy of Kaizen and the relentless pursuit of continuous improvement. I am inspired by the theory that a 1% daily improvement can compound into unbelievable results over time.” – Elvin Teo, JCI Secretary General
JCI Secretary General Elvin Teo talks about Kaizen, continuous improvement and leading behind the scenes, from his first chapter in Singapore to World Headquarters.
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“A legacy of clarity, connection, and reliability. Not centered on me, but reflected in others feeling stronger in their leadership, is what I aim to leave behind.” – Stefanie van der Sman, 2026 JCI Executive Vice President for Europe
JCI Europe's 2026 leader, Executive Vice President Stefanie van der Sman from JCI Netherlands, opens the Leadership Interviews series with her views on connection and impact.
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2026 JCI President, Alejandra Castillo: “There is something powerful that lives in the mind of a woman: persistence—the stubborn determination to reach her objective.”
In the last interview of 2025, the 2026 JCI President Alejandra Castillo of JCI Bolivia, the fifth woman in the role, talks about persistence and leading JCI worldwide.
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“An effective leader must set the tone, define the path forward, and have the courage to make the call, even if it isn’t unanimous.” – Kevin Hin, Founding Director General of WenCHAM
Kevin Hin, founding Director General of WenCHAM and JCI Secretary General from 2019 to 2024, explains what makes an effective leader and how JCI shaped his career.
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“I wasn’t born a leader — I became one through failure, mentorship, and learning by doing” – Ismail Haznedar, 2015 JCI President
Ismail Haznedar, 2015 JCI President, explains why he believes leaders are made through failure, mentorship and learning by doing, and what three values defined his path.
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“When you introduce someone to JCI, you give them the greatest gift, the chance to discover their true potential” – Keira Keogh, Member of Parliament in Ireland
Keira Keogh, a Member of Parliament in Ireland, explains how JCI shaped her political career and why introducing someone to JCI is the greatest gift you can give them.
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Alexandra Botos, 2025 EDC Chair: “If you think you are leading and turn around to see no one following, then you are just taking a walk.”
Alexandra Botos, 2025 European Development Council Chair from JCI Romania, explains what leadership means to her and how she builds and motivates teams across Europe.
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Ana Nikolova, the journey of a JCI Leader
Ana Nikolova from JCI Bulgaria, 2025 JCI Executive Vice President, looks back on her path from a first-year member to leading JCI Europe.
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