Holland’s most prominent business glossy, Quote, has a new editor in chief. Mirjam van den Broeke is the first woman at the helm since the magazine started 25 years ago. Van den Broeke isn’t worried about holding her own in the male dominated business world. And she doesn’t have doubts about the editorial line of her publication, which has flourished with stories about luxury and money. Though she does admit that, in crisis times, Quote should focus now and again on other things apart from filthy lucre.

Quote’s world is glitter and glamour. Success. Money. Under editor and social star Jort Kelder, ‘old money’ style was shown off in its pages. But since November, the magazine has a new leader. Journalist Mirjam van de Broeke has propelled herself to the top in this male-dominated world – from ‘‘backpage girl’ to editor-in-chief.
The business world could take a leaf from Quote’s book, Van de Broeke thinks. ‘Women are less ego-driven and more inclined to consider the interests of the group,’ she says. ‘That has advantages.’ More womenat the top would do Dutch business good. She herself almost didn’t enter this world. Her studies were done at the famous Rotterdam Dance Academy and she was asked to go further in that direction. ‘But I didn’t see myself turning into a grey office worker,’ she says. She preferred to work at Quote, where she attracted attention with her reports and portraits of entrepreneurs.
‘I spend days polishing a story till it gleams,’ she says. But as editor in chief, her ambitions are wider. ‘The magazine must go into more depth and publish investigative pieces.
’ She calls that ‘slow journalism’. Because of the rise of social media, Dutch journalism has become harder and more superficial, she says. ‘Everybody can publish their opinion online,’ she notes. ‘To get attention, your opinion has to be harder, faster, more shocking. There is little room for depth.’ The Rich-list Recently, Quote published its famous rich-list, the Quote 500. It was a remarkable one. Despite the crisis, most of the wealthy in The Netherlands have become richer. ‘A couple of people have fallen off the list’ says Van de Broeke. ‘But most are doing even better than before. You can make money if you have money.’ The parsimoniousness of the rich in Holland is also responsible, she thinks.
‘The Netherlands is known for thrift and industriousness. Dutch entrepreneurs are alert and don’t shift far from their centre. A deal has to fit on a beer mat.’
Quote doesn’t suffer from the current distaste for wealth and power in the world. ‘The reader has to decide for himself if he admires the wealthy or is revolted by them,’ says Van den Broeke.
She will also publish a book this year, entitled ‘What does the woman want?’ Together with Femmetje de Wind she has already published ‘What does the man want?’ Both are meant to be self-help publications based on her hilarious columns as Quote’s back page girl. ‘I want readers to get advice, but also to laugh.’