Blogs

She’s an Olympian, a record-breaker, a marathon runner, and, believe it or not, a medical biology graduate. But that’s not all. Christine Toonstra is also a technical Consultant at Onguard!

If you were just about to start your career in a traditionally male-dominated sector, what advice would you give yourself? Women currently make up only 28% of the global tech workforce. So, on this International Women’s Day, 7 Onguardians, the real women in fintech, share their voices as an inspiration for new generations of women in the sector. 

Persistent, motivating, and passionate: these are the words his friends use to describe him. He is one of the main actors in the success of CreditY, he has a passion for politics and, in his free time, he teaches children about the importance of financial independence. Meet Stijn Horlings, Customer Success Manager at Onguard! 

A total of 71% of organisations are already leveraging AI to enhance their financial operations, with adoption set to reach nearly universal levels within the next three years, latest KPMG research shows. Financial accounting and reporting account for the biggest AI use in finance, but the AI use is spreading across more finance areas. 

She has been working at Onguard for 24 years, she loves philosophy and art, and she is Onguard’s go-to person for sustainability, a former active member of the work council, the organisation’s Unicef project team member, and a gender diversity advocate. Meet Natascha Umans, Senior Account Manager at Onguard! 

The trends of today are shaping the trends of tomorrow. How has 2024 unfolded and what is expected for 2025? As this year has come to an end, we gathered a list of the top themes that caught our attention through the past year.

While fewer than 20% of strategic decisions currently leverage AI in the Dutch finance sector, this figure is projected to surge to nearly 50% within the next five years. This is according to the latest Deloitte CFO Survey, based on a sample of over 130 Dutch CFOs from various sectors.

Relatively little has changed over the past 25 years in the credit management profession. Yes, we now send e-mails and text messages instead of faxes and letters. Moreover, we have “fancy” systems and AI. However, in essence, outstanding receivables have not declined structurally within organisations, said Meri Nasole, at the first Onguard University event.

Digitalisation and vulnerability are two sides of the same coin. When we lock our doors leaving the house but skip the 2FA setup to secure our digital assets, it’s time to “act the other way around” and start learning from the younger, said Adriaan Kom, Managing Director, Onguard, in an article posted on VCMB.

The surge in popularity of ChatGPT in late 2022 has put AI in the spotlight for its potential to streamline work processes in every business, including the finance sector. How do organisations perceive and leverage AI to optimise their processes and what is the role of the finance professional in this landscape? 

Earlier in 2024, we surveyed 300+ CFOs and financial professionals in the Netherlands to study how they view current technology trends and their impact on the finance sector. The research findings were shared in four different whitepapers, entitled the FinTech Baropapers. Let’s sneak a peek at the key takeaways.

She has been with Onguard for 6 years, she started as an intern to climb to an Event Manager, and she effectively shares her energy between two roles in the company! This is Denise Rossen, Event Manager, Onguard, and All-round Marketer, Outstanding24. 

Following Visma’s example in 2022, Onguard is now a member of the UN Global Compact Network Netherlands, officially committing to align its operations with the Ten Principles for responsible business practices and drive awareness in the corporate world. 

When he was a child, he wanted to become a pastry chef. At 21 years old, he had his own business providing IT services to small companies. And in his free time, he is a music producer! This is Jordy Zijp, team lead at the CreditManager Customer Service department. 

Research by Onguard in 2024 showed that almost half of organisations in the Netherlands have to wait more than 30 days for their invoices to be paid. The findings are confirmed in a recent study by Allianz, unveiling an increase in DSO by +3 days in 2023. 

You know he is the one passing by your desk because you hear a whistle. He is an early bird, he enjoys asking questions to keep everyone busy, and he recently saw a meeting room in the office named after him.

Did you know that in 2023 we sent 6.241 empty cans for recycling? Sustainability is not a sprint, it’s a marathon, and a difference comes with a few small steps every day. This is why we are excited to join Visma’s Sustainability Month this May.

Encourage customers to pay their accounts on time. Read 5 tips that can be implemented right away and which will ensure a constant cashflow.

It’s crucial to reflect on the importance of security for our digital lives in an era where information is more valuable than ever.