Alumna Interview with Sarah Kuijlaars, Chief Financial Officer at De Beers Group

For our Alumna of the Month interview, we spoke to Sarah Kuijlaars (nee Simmons), Chief Financial Officer at De Beers Group.

Sarah joined Bromley High School in 1978 and left in 1985, after studying A-level Double Maths, Physics and Chemistry.  She went on to read Maths at Oxford University and has built a hugely successful career in finance, working for international companies such as Shell and Rolls-Royce.

Please can you briefly describe your current role?

I am the Chief Finance Officer at De Beers Group, the world’s leading diamond company.  I oversee all financial aspects of the business and drive the company’s financial strategy and planning as well as assessing possible risks and investments.

Having lived in various cities around the world including Moscow, Buenos Aires, UAE, Lagos and Amsterdam, I have experience of working in many different cultural environments.

Why did you choose to study at Bromley High School? 

I chose Bromley High School for its environment to pursue unconstrained ambitions.

What aspects of Bromley High School did you most enjoy, and find most rewarding?

I most enjoyed the positive learning environment.

What value do you get out of your connections with your fellow alumnae?

I would love to reconnect with fellow alumnae and hope to do so in the future!