- 25-06-2024
This year, Miruna Anăstăsoaie is the face of KPN in the Equals campaign. You’ll see her in various places around Amsterdam and Rotterdam.
Miruna is Vice President Digital & Platforms at KPN. She is committed to being a role model for women in tech and advocates for inclusivity. At KPN, we create a place where you feel safe and welcome. Differences make us stronger. For us, diversity is not a goal, but a strength. With the Equals campaign, we show that women at KPN have every opportunity to grow. You don’t have to fit into a single box to be successful.
From science to technology
Miruna shows how important versatility is in the tech world. She is a scientist at heart, but also has a love for forests and mountains, art and literature. She was born in Romania and has lived and worked in different countries, continents, and cultures. According to her, allowing different perspectives to exist side by side is an important condition for innovation in the tech world.
She studied the sun and particle physics, and later transitioned into technology and telecommunications. ‘Where I grew up, women in science were completely normal,’ she says.
‘Only later, in the Netherlands, I encountered environments where leadership and technology were defined much more narrowly—often with mostly male imagery.’
Leadership in a changing world
Miruna is the mother of a son and a daughter. Through them she sees how early people can differ from one another. Her international background has taught her how to deal with contrasts and change. This helps her work through difficult situations and take the lead when needed. She brings this way of thinking and working with her every day—in her role at KPN and in collaboration with others, both within and outside the company.
Working together on inclusion: Women@KPN
At KPN, we support women in several ways, including through the Women@KPN network. This network connects colleagues, creates space for meeting and dialogue, and works toward greater equality and inclusion within our organization. By sharing experiences, strengthening one another, and increasing the visibility of different role models, initiatives such as Women@KPN contribute to a culture in which everyone can be themselves and develop.
A message to young women
Miruna especially wants to share this message with young women: you shape the world, not the other way around. That doesn’t mean it’s always easy. How you look, how you dress, or how you smile does not determine your value. Your value lies in your mind and in your heart.
‘If you study technology, don’t see yourself as special because you’re a woman, but because you contribute something valuable,” she says. “Your perspective matters. Don’t let yourself be diminished. Female and male qualities can coexist—the balance between them is not a weakness but a strength.’
Her advice: look for role models that feel genuine, not perfect examples. From there, create your own path.
With role models like Miruna, we show that there isn’t just one way to be successful in tech—and that’s exactly why visibility remains so important.
If you spot Miruna on a big advertising column in Amsterdam or digitally in Rotterdam, let us know!
