No Day the Same: Daphne on Eight Years at VAEX
Daphne just helped a colleague with an administrative question. The phone rings again: this time it’s about a personnel issue. That’s how it often goes for her. Windows open, coffee at hand, and she’s ready to start—she doesn’t need any more ritual than that. “I mostly go with the flow,” she says. “I just pick up whatever needs to be done at that moment. That unpredictability really suits me.” While many people seek comfort in structure, for her it works exactly the other way around. The less her day is set in stone, the easier it is for her to switch gears.
That variety suits her. And she’s been doing it for eight years now.
From Numbers to People
She started out as a controller, and what stuck with her most from that very first job interview was a feeling. “The atmosphere attracted me most, and I still think that’s the most important thing. The first interview was so much fun, I immediately knew I wanted to work here.“
In hindsight, the number crunching wasn’t quite her thing, so she moved on to become head of administration. Suddenly, there was room for something else: mapping out processes, and especially solving things together with people. From there, she moved into sales support, and now she combines that with HR. “I like to take on different things. Back in the Pigarné days, I’d just step in as head of sales support and on the administrative side too.“
If you ask Daphne what her job actually entails, you won’t get a straightforward answer—and that says a lot. Outsiders often think she mainly does sales support, with HR as a fixed part on the side. In reality, her role goes much further: she jumps in where needed, thinks along, and picks up whatever needs attention. Wherever something is needed, she’s there. In HR, she has a conversation twice a year with every colleague about goals, development, and growth. Not a checklist, but a moment to pause and reflect on where someone is and where they want to go.
Preferring Variety Over a Fixed Routine
What makes her work so valuable to her is exactly the opposite of a fixed routine. “I don’t like repetitive work, so the more variety, the better. I prefer my days to be a bit ad hoc.“
On an average day, she has a lot of meetings, mainly with sales support and with Willem, the controller. “Just brainstorming for a bit, so it’s out of my head. Then I can move on.” She also works with Willem on an internal audit. Together, they check whether processes and documents at VAEX are still correct and up to date. But they’ll also chat about the weekend, just asking how it was. “We’re considerate with each other. It makes sense, VAEX really is a family business.“
On her desk, among all the screens and systems, there’s always a notepad. “I’m a bit old-fashioned, but that works best for me.” A small detail, but it says something. While her work is constantly in motion, she likes to keep an overview—literally, on paper.
Outdoors, at Home, and on the Road
She prefers to live with plenty of space around her, and she has just that. She lives with her husband and children in the center of Empel, with a large garden. “I love being outdoors, and that fits the way I live.” Both at work and at home, she likes having room to move, with just a bit of adventure within the familiar.
South Africa is high on her wish list, though she still has to convince her husband. “Visiting new places, and planning it, I love that. I can already picture myself on safari.” Not surprising, since as an eight-year-old she already dreamed of being a flight attendant. “Traveling from place to place sounded fantastic to me. As a child, I thought being a flight attendant meant you’d fly all over and always have plenty of time to look around. Of course, now I know the job is a bit different.” She chose a very different path, but that fascination for new places—and especially for discovering and planning them—never left her.
Moving with VAEX
In November 2026, Daphne will have been with VAEX for eight years. Did she ever think she’d work here this long? “Actually, yes. As long as I’m happy, I like to stay.“
In eight years, she’s filled various roles and gotten to know many sides of the company. Her job changed along with what VAEX needed, and at the same time, she always had the space to take on new things herself. Maybe that’s exactly what suits her: no day the same, but always knowing she’s in the right place.
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