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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!
From the Olympic track to technical consulting
Before she started working at Onguard; before she ever wrote a single line of code or started solving complex customer challenges, Christine was chasing something else: Records.
“I started running longer track distances -5,000 m and 10,000 m- and turned out to be pretty good at it,” Christine says with a smile. “It became my main focus, and in 1992, I competed for the Netherlands at the Olympics. You just go and do your thing, but at the same time, you’re surrounded by people you’ve only ever seen on TV. It’s an unforgettable experience.”
Christine in Barcelona Olympics in 1992
After her athletic career, Christine went back to study IT and eventually found her way to Onguard. This was in 2007, when Onguard was still in the “castle”, a legendary office space that longtime employees still talk about today. “I had young kids at the time and wanted to work closer to home, so I applied. Outside work, I still run, but a lot slower than before,” she laughs.
Working at Onguard: A day in the life of Christine
Now, Christine helps customers with software implementation and reporting. Her mornings start early, usually at 8:15 AM, with a coffee in hand and a quick inbox check.
“No two days are the same. I might be writing a script to help a client renumber their data from a source system like SAP, or I’ll be in a meeting with the team to set priorities. There’s always a new challenge to tackle.”
What is the best thing about working at Onguard?
Christine and Ruud at a Tree Planting initiative with Onguard in November 2024
“The people. We have great products, but software is software. The team is what makes it enjoyable. We work well together, help each other out, and there’s always a good atmosphere.”
“One of my favorite memories is from 2010, when Onguard surprised us with a two-day company trip. We were picked up by buses from the castle and taken to a ferry. We had no idea where we were going! We ended up on Terschelling, staying in little chalets, biking around the island, playing beach games, and solving a treasure hunt. Another standout trip? Skiing with colleagues in Winterberg. These are the kind of experiences that make Onguard feel special.”
Working at Onguard: What does “helping” customers mean?
According to Christine, there is a golden recipe for understanding customers.
“A superpower in a role like ours is empathy. It’s important to really listen to what customers need. And never be afraid to ask questions. Whether you’re on the track or working with a customer, the most important thing is to keep moving forward. Step by step, question by question, until you reach the goal.”
Do you want to learn more about working at Onguard? Visit our careers page or contact us directly.
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.
