Virginie Lemay-Vriesde

EXPERIENCE

Virginie Lemay-Vriesde turns managers into true global leaders.

Virginie Lemay-Vriesde decided to become a coach because she has lots of knowledge and experience to share. She wants to help people so that they do not have to reinvent the wheel. So that they have someone who has been in their shoes.

Over the last 20 years, Virginie Lemay-Vriesde has coached and/or mentored people, men, and women, from different cultures and nationalities. She has helped them overcome the challenges they were facing. She has hired great people, contributed to their personal development, and in some cases, to their promotions. Virginie Lemay has always been passionate about helping people and did everything she could to lead by example, to be a good listener, to provide guidance, to challenge and inspire people.

While she was working for big international companies, Virginie Lemay-Vriesde was fortunate to hold several fantastic managerial positions. In her early days, when she went to Amsterdam. She already started helping people as soon as she joined at Stream International (now known as Convergys) to help the French-speaking, English speaking and German speaking customers solve the technical issues they had. She quickly became a mentor, Team Manager, and EMEA Quality Program Manager. Virginie Lemay had to onboard, train, coach and mentor new colleagues. She was often sent to different European subsidiaries to give training, to coach people and to deliver presentations to management and (potential) clients. In 2007, Virginie Lemay-Vriesde became the Italian Quality and Training (Q&T) Manager.

Virginie Lemay-Vriesde came back to Amsterdam and was hired by ABN Amro (which became RBS) to set up a team in Chennai, India. She mentored some of her Indian colleagues. Besides that, she helped them deal with the cultural differences while some of them were in the Netherlands. After the bank, she moved to Luxembourg to work for Amazon EU Customer Service. As the Senior Quality Manager, she was responsible for improving customer satisfaction across EU and managing some strategic quality programs.

Two years later, Virginie Lemay-Vriesde changed role to become the EU Customer Service Senior Learning and Development Manager. She was responsible for improving the new hire and tenured associates’ training experience. Virginie Lemay-Vriesde also delivered leadership training (such as Women’s leadership training, leadership brand etc.). As well as presentations to onboard new colleagues from other departments.

In all these organizations, Virginie Lemay-Vriesde had to deal with direct reports, peers, colleagues, managers, clients and customers from different backgrounds, different nationalities, and different cultures. Along the way, she has had lots of challenges. She set up, managed and led international teams.

Dealing with so many different cultures, she even once managed a team that had 17 different nationalities! Misunderstanding, miscommunication often happened, but every time, by trying to understand her team members’ point of view and by putting her in their shoes. Virginie Lemay-Vriesde was able to come up with a solution that was suitable for all parties involved.

More than 20 years of global experience in leading international/virtual teams as well as customer service, specializing in training, coaching, learning, and development, leadership development as well as process improvement has shaped her in the person that she is now. Virginie Lemay-Vriesde has been described as a motivating and inspiring leader. Always positive and full of energy, as a person who has a natural talent in “reading people” but also in developing them, and who is genuinely driven to invest in people and push them to get the most out of their potential.

As you saw, Virginie acquired lots of knowledge and skills over the years. She learned to communicate with people; she got to know and understand other nationalities, other cultures and became a true advocate for diversity. That is why Virginie Lemay-Vriesde wants to help turn managers into true global leaders, so that they can move to the next level and be successful

EXPERIENCE

Virginie Lemay-Vriesde turns managers into true global leaders.

Virginie Lemay-Vriesde decided to become a coach because she has lots of knowledge and experience to share. She wants to help people so that they do not have to reinvent the wheel. So that they have someone who has been in their shoes.

Over the last 20 years, Virginie Lemay-Vriesde has coached and/or mentored people, men, and women, from different cultures and nationalities. She has helped them overcome the challenges they were facing. She has hired great people, contributed to their personal development, and in some cases, to their promotions. Virginie Lemay has always been passionate about helping people and did everything she could to lead by example, to be a good listener, to provide guidance, to challenge and inspire people.

While she was working for big international companies, Virginie Lemay-Vriesde was fortunate to hold several fantastic managerial positions. In her early days, when she went to Amsterdam. She already started helping people as soon as she joined at Stream International (now known as Convergys) to help the French-speaking, English speaking and German speaking customers solve the technical issues they had. She quickly became a mentor, Team Manager, and EMEA Quality Program Manager. Virginie Lemay had to onboard, train, coach and mentor new colleagues. She was often sent to different European subsidiaries to give training, to coach people and to deliver presentations to management and (potential) clients. In 2007, Virginie Lemay-Vriesde became the Italian Quality and Training (Q&T) Manager.

Back to Amsterdam

Virginie Lemay-Vriesde came back to Amsterdam and was hired by ABN Amro (which became RBS) to set up a team in Chennai, India. She mentored some of her Indian colleagues. Besides that, she helped them deal with the cultural differences while some of them were in the Netherlands. After the bank, she moved to Luxembourg to work for Amazon EU Customer Service. As the Senior Quality Manager, she was responsible for improving customer satisfaction across EU and managing some strategic quality programs.

Two years later, Virginie Lemay-Vriesde changed role to become the EU Customer Service Senior Learning and Development Manager. She was responsible for improving the new hire and tenured associates’ training experience. Virginie Lemay-Vriesde also delivered leadership training (such as Women’s leadership training, leadership brand etc.). As well as presentations to onboard new colleagues from other departments.  

In all these organizations, Virginie Lemay-Vriesde had to deal with direct reports, peers, colleagues, managers, clients and customers from different backgrounds, different nationalities, and different cultures. Along the way, she has had lots of challenges. She set up, managed and led international teams.

Dealing with so many different cultures, she even once managed a team that had 17 different nationalities! Misunderstanding, miscommunication often happened, but every time, by trying to understand her team members’ point of view and by putting her in their shoes. Virginie Lemay-Vriesde was able to come up with a solution that was suitable for all parties involved.

20 years of experience

More than 20 years of global experience in leading international/virtual teams as well as customer service, specializing in training, coaching, learning, and development, leadership development as well as process improvement has shaped her in the person that she is now. Virginie Lemay-Vriesde has been described as a motivating and inspiring leader. Always positive and full of energy, as a person who has a natural talent in “reading people” but also in developing them, and who is genuinely driven to invest in people and push them to get the most out of their potential.

As you saw, Virginie acquired lots of knowledge and skills over the years. She learned to communicate with people; she got to know and understand other nationalities, other cultures and became a true advocate for diversity. That is why Virginie Lemay-Vriesde wants to help turn managers into true global leaders, so that they can move to the next level and be successful.

MISSION

Virginie Lemay-Vriesde mission is to turn managers into true global leaders by improving their confidence and international leadership skills.

VISION

To inspire and positively impact the lives of people around the world.

VALUES

  • Trust: I earn the trust of others. I say what I do and I do what I say. Most importantly, I try to lead by example so that people can see they can trust me. I listen to people and treat them with respect.
  • Authenticity: What you see is what you get. I am very honest and authentic. I provide constructive feedback so that people understand their strengths and their areas of improvement.
  • Passion: I am passionate about what I do. I love developing people, helping them to become a better version of themselves.
  • Commitment: I am committed to helping people. When I start something, I do not give up. I always like to achieve my goals and my clients’. I do not sacrifice the long-term for a short-term gain.
  • Tolerance: I hate any kind of discrimination. We all have something to offer and to learn from. I strongly embrace diversity and inclusion because I not only love diversity, I need it and I live it, every single day!
  • Growth: I am never done learning and always seek to improve myself. By becoming a better person, I can continue to provide value to others.

History

Virginie Lemay-Vriesde was born and grew up in a small town in Northern France. She went to the University of Valenciennes, where she studied international trade and foreign languages (Master’s degree in English and German). For her studies, she went to Germany for several training periods. Until the last one where she was offered a job. This was the beginning of her expat life and she never looked back. Virginie Lemay has lived in 6 different countries, worked in 17 countries and speaks fluently 5 languages (French English, German, Dutch and Italian). She also speaks a bit of Spanish.

Always traveling

From a young age, Virginie Lemay-Vriesde has always wanted to speak different languages to communicate with people around the world. That’s why she has always loved traveling. she could do so while she was working. When she was not working, she was traveling to discover new cultures, new people, new landscapes, etc. The more she traveled, the more she wanted to travel. This is probably one of the reasons why diversity is such a big part of her life.  Virginie Lemay-Vriesde has friends of all nationalities, cultures, and religions over the world.  In addition, her husband is from Suriname (a little country in the north of South America).  Also, her brother now lives in the UK with his British girlfriend.

Virginie Lemay-Vriesde has continuously helped people professionally but also personally. She has always had family, friends, colleagues and even third-party employees from different parts of the world coming to her to ask for advice. She has always loved helping them.

However, like all of us, Virginie Lemay-Vriesde also had her share of ‘bad luck’. In 1998, she had a very serious car accident and had to spend 3 months in the hospital. It took her another 6 months before she could go back to work full time. While Virginie Lemay was in the hospital, doctors and surgeons first thought she would be paralyzed. Then they told me she would limp, and then they said she would have to wear a heel insert… Fortunately for her, none of these became true. Once her life went back to ‘normal’. She kept traveling and picked up a new hobby that became one of her passions: salsa dancing! Two years later, she was dancing at an advanced level and was asked several times to give lessons and to participate in shows.

Life is full of surprises

Yes, life is full of (good and bad) surprises. It throws at you lots of challenges, professionally and personally. Even if it’s tough to deal with these challenges (and to make things worse, they often come at the same time). She has never given up. She always tells herself ‘It’s not the challenges that define us, but how we react to them’. Virginie Lemay always decided to look on the bright side of things. Because when something is not going as planned, you never lose: you either win or you learn.

So overall, Virginie Lemay-Vriesde is a passionate and positive person. She has always liked to improve and develop herself further, both from a personal and professional point of view. Virginie Lemay reads a lot; does not watch TV;  sports regularly drinks juice and eats healthy. She has managed to keep the same weight as she had 25 years ago. Overcame her car accident and got rid of the monthly migraines she had. Just to name a few of her personal achievements.

Differences – Why Virginie Lemay-Vriesde?

Thanks to Virginie Lemay-Vriesde’s professional and personal experiences, as well as the skills she acquired along the years, Virginie Lemay can support people like you, who want to have a successful international career.

Are you in one of the following situations?’

Professionals

–       Do you have to set up a team, ideally virtually, but you’re not sure where to start or how to manage it?

–       Have you promoted someone in your team who does not have any experience in managing/leading an international team and you do not have time to train or coach this person?

–       Have you been offered a job abroad where you’ll have to manage a team virtually, but you do not know if you can handle it?

–       Do you (or your organization) now have to deal with a diverse workforce and are experiencing challenges at work?

Professional Women

–       Do you want to have a successful career but you’re lacking confidence?

–       Do you want to grow the career ladder but are not sure how?

–       Does your organization want to empower women and help them grow?

Career Advice

–        You have just been laid off after many years in the same company and you do not know anymore how to write a CV or a cover letter

–       You would like to go and work abroad but do not know where to start

–       You would like to change career but you do not know if it is the right step and how to deal with it

How is this delivered?

Virginie Lemay-Vriesde can provide one-on-one coaching, group coaching, and workshops or training in any of the five languages she speaks. Therefore all these sessions can and will be customized to your needs or those of your company.

Because of all her professional and personal experiences, Virginie Lemay is able to relate to your story; She’s been there! If you are reading this, there is a big chance you have many points in common. You’re going through some changes and she knows it’s never easy. You know you have to do something different, you know you have to get out of your comfort zone. You may feel some fear, you may be afraid of the unknown, and it is totally normal! Again, Virginie Lemay knows how you feel. But please know you are not alone! And you already have made the first step in the right direction: you have found Virginie Lemay-Vriesde! 🙂

Summary

If you would like to speak your own language, such as French, English, German, Dutch or Italian, so that you won’t have to search for words or be afraid you use an incorrect expression;

You’re looking for someone who is an engaging, motivating leader and coach and who will radiate all her positive energy;

If you are looking for someone who is passionate about developing and empowering people;

But mostly, if you are looking for someone who is trustworthy, driven, open and honest. Who is committed to doing her best to help you move to the next level and become a better version of yourself;

Then you have come to the right place! Virginie Lemay is here to help you, support you and provide guidance. We live in a small world: Virginie is just an email, a Skype call, or a Whatsapp away…

Together we can work on any issue or challenge you’re facing. So that you can achieve the goals you set, encounter the success you want, and so that you finally don’t dream your life but live your dream…

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