New shareholder at Moneypenny: building the next phase together

When Marianne Sturman founded Moneypenny in 2000, she had a clear belief: work can be done differently. More human. More flexible. And better aligned with people’s lives. Over 25 years later, she still feels privileged to lead the company—and to now shape its next phase together with Charlotte Tee.

As of 1 January 2026, Charlotte Tee has become a shareholder in Moneypenny. Marianne remains CEO and ultimately responsible for the organisation. Their roles are not changing. What is changing is how they are continuing to professionalise the business step by step, while safeguarding long-term continuity—deliberately, steadily and from within.

In this blog, Marianne shares more about this new phase, the conscious choices behind it, and what it means for the future of Moneypenny.

Door Lisette Immink
Op 5 January 2026
Blog In de media
New shareholder at Moneypenny: building the next phase together

A conscious choice for flexibility

Charlotte joined us several years ago as a Virtual Assistant. With a background in hospitality and a degree from a leading hotel management school, she was bright, ambitious and highly educated. At the same time, she was in an intense phase of life with a young child. She wasn’t looking to pause her career, but to shape it differently.

That’s why she chose Moneypenny. For flexibility. For remote working. For control over her time. Our fully remote model made it possible to combine work and family life—without compromising on ambition.

Creating space to grow

What followed shows exactly why I believe so strongly in trust and autonomy. Charlotte developed rapidly. She was an outstanding VA and quickly stood out for her sense of responsibility, sharp thinking and commitment.

At a time when Moneypenny was still smaller and roles often overlapped, she grew alongside the organisation. From back office and account management to increasingly senior commercial and leadership roles. Not because she had to, but because she saw opportunities—and clearly expressed her ambition.

Charlotte is highly ambitious, and she has never hidden that. By being clear about where she wanted to go—and by consistently showing she could handle it—she earned full trust. And she has more than lived up to that trust.

Shareholding as a natural next step

Today, Charlotte leads the entire operation as Commercial Director. With her becoming a shareholder as of 1 January 2026, we are formalising what has already been true in practice for years: she is a key pillar of the business and a crucial figure for its future.

This step reflects the way we build our company. No abrupt transitions, no quick exits—just carefully developing leadership, structure and stability. In doing so, we safeguard continuity for our team, our VAs, clients and partners.

Not a ‘mini-me’, but complementary leadership

Charlotte is not a copy of me—and that’s exactly what makes our collaboration so strong.

She is a people-focused leader who strengthens processes, drives professionalisation and supports the organisation’s growth. I am the founder and innovator, focused on vision, marketing, new business and innovation projects.

Together, we complement each other and take Moneypenny to the next level.

Ambition and family life can coexist

What Charlotte and I share is the belief that an ambitious career can absolutely go hand in hand with raising a young family—provided organisations offer genuine flexibility. Freedom in where and when you work. Not as a perk, but as a foundation.

My message to employers is clear: if you want to attract and retain talented people—especially women—you need to let go of control and physical presence, and focus on trust and results instead. When you give people the space, they will thrive in their own way.

Continuing to build empowerment through work

As CEO, I remain actively involved in Moneypenny, working with the same energy on strategy, innovation and new business. My mission is far from complete. Remote working is not a trend to me, but a powerful way to give people more autonomy, equality and opportunity—while also attracting the very best talent.

With Charlotte as shareholder and future figurehead, we continue to build on that mission—step by step, from within, and with a long-term perspective.

Curious what Moneypenny can do for you?

Get to know us online and ask all your questions. Or read more about our VA services.

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