SheSays AMS presents: WHEN CULTURES COLLIDE: Navigating Work Across Borders
Most of us work in international environments. Different passports, languages, accents. But what happens when those cultures collide at work? No one hands us the rulebook.
At WHEN CULTURES COLLIDE, we unpack the invisible cultural codes that shape how we communicate, build trust and make decisions - and the moments we realize the rules in our head don’t match the rules in the room.
Join us for an evening of real stories and sharp insights as our speakers explore how national culture shows up in everyday workplace dynamics, from email tone to meeting style, from hierarchy to decision-making.
💡 What to expect: Lived experiences of working across cultures and what happens when “my normal” clashes with “your normal” Practical language to understand direct vs indirect communication, hierarchy, pace and context Honest reflections on misunderstandings, frictio nand adaptation Insights you can immediately apply in your own work environment
🔥 Why come? Because once you’ve worked across cultures, you realise everyone’s normal is a bit weird - including your own.
Leave with more clarity, less frustration, and the confidence to navigate cross-cultural moments with curiosity instead of confusion.
🎟️ Grab your ticket for WHEN CULTURES COLLIDE (11 March, at Equals) and join the SheSays AMS community. Expect an evening of intelligent conversation, connection and cultural reality checks.
🗣️Who you’ll hear from:
✨ Antoinette Hoes: Global Business Lead & Strategy Director Having led strategy teams in Berlin, Dubai and Seoul, Antoinette has experienced first-hand how power, hierarchy and communication shift across cultures. Now based in Amsterdam, she works with global brands on MarCom transformation and AI integration. She will reflect on working within different cultural systems, what corporate life taught her about unspoken rules, and how identity, ambition and context intertwine across borders.
✨ Ashley Knight: Global Head of Strategy, Dentsu Lab Ashley brings a global lens to innovation, having built and led strategy teams across London, Amsterdam, EMEA and APAC. Working at the intersection of brand, experience and emerging technology, she partners with international clients to imagine future opportunities across markets and cultures. Ashley will explore how cultural context shapes innovation, collaboration and the way we define vision and purpose across borders.
✨ Annelie Wambeek: Intercultural Consultant and Lecturer Raised across continents and cultures, Annelie embodies interculturalism both personally and professionally. Drawing on her lived experience as a Third Culture Kid and her academic background in sociology and international relations, she works at the intersection of DEI and intercultural practice. Annelie will share practical insights on inclusion, belonging and navigating cultural complexity with awareness rather than assumption.
🎤Moderated by Kerrie Finch Kerrie Finch is a speaker, stage MC, event host and moderator. As a strategic communications expert focused on creativity and tech innovation globally, Kerrie works with brands and leaders to polish their positioning and to become thought leaders. She is the founding insurgent of SheSays AMS, the country rep for the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, and an alumni of Wieden+Kennedy.
About SheSays AMS SheSays is the first – and largest – global network for creative women and non-binary people, with 55+ chapters worldwide. It’s an award-winning non-profit organisation focused on engagement, education, and advancement. The Amsterdam chapter was formed in 2013. We lift as we climb.