Wittenborg CEO Shares Heartfelt Speech at Summer Graduation Ceremony 2024

01.08.2024

Maggie Feng Delivers Inspiring Closing Address

On 12 July, the Grote Kerk in Apeldoorn saw a memorable conclusion to Wittenborg's summer graduation ceremony as Maggie Feng, CEO of Wittenborg, delivered a heartfelt closing address. Feng, marking her first official speech at a Wittenborg graduation, shared valuable insights drawn from over 20 years of experience, encouraging graduates to embrace love, honesty and trust in their personal and professional lives. She has shared her full speech for students and graduates to read:
"Dear honoured guests, dear graduates and your family members, friends and dear colleagues,

"First of all, I think you should know how lucky you are today, as this is, out of all the graduation ceremonies I have attended at Wittenborg throughout my career, my first official speech at a Wittenborg graduation. So, you are the first to witness this, and you deserve a round of applause!

"I am going to give you a piece of advice that I have collected and thought about over the past weeks, summarising my career experience of over 20 years.

"In business and in life, I have come to understand that the most important elements are love, honesty and trust.

"Love is what you want to be surrounded with. In business, when people like you, trust you and even say, 'I love what you do', these positive emotions will lead you to possibilities, opportunities and eventually success, if you have the capability to seize them.

"Nowadays, leaders should be authentic. Many researchers have written papers about it. For me, authenticity is fairly simple. It is not about working hard to decorate your LinkedIn posts, sending out videos on TikTok or adding Reels on Instagram. It is about who you truly are and believing you can improve yourself in all aspects. In the end, be truthful and faithful, and always strive to be honest.

"Being honest at all times can be challenging in business. While it is not wise to disclose all your information and pricing scenarios during negotiations, remember that there is a thin dividing line. One side is lying, which means keeping information for too long and failing to share it in a timely manner. The middle ground is sharing information correctly at the right time. The other side might seem a bit naïve because you shared your information too early.

"Personally, I would always prefer to be on the side of transparency rather than dishonesty, as the repercussions of being a liar in both business and personal life are significant and should be avoided at all costs.

"Finally, trust is fundamental. Losing trust or being cheated on can lead to hatred, while trust is the basis for love. Trust is crucial in business; people will make deals or hire you because they have gained your trust. Building and maintaining trust requires hard work and consistent effort. I have learned that to gain trust, you must be honest, even when the news is not good, and share the reasons behind decisions.

"I have also learned to listen and emotionally connect with others. I genuinely admire brilliant people, like Dr Cara, and I make sure to express that admiration. Trust is also built by love.

"To all my graduates, be good people and responsible individuals. Be someone who can gain trust, who is honest, and who deserves all types of love.

"We love you all! Thank you."