Corporate Culture & People, 4 February 2026
“My leadership style? I remove roadblocks for my team.”
Women in Leadership with Natascha Bell
Natascha Bell is Head of Property & Casualty IT and a member of the management circle at ITERGO. She describes her role as follows: “I stand in front of my team and remove any roadblocks from their path so that everyone can do their best work, unhindered.”
Natascha doesn’t have one specific role model when it comes to leadership – although she does mention Anke Engelke: “She stands out in a male-dominated field, raised three children, and always stayed true to herself.” Natascha’s own leadership style is, as she puts it, a blend of many influences: “My own convictions, qualities I admire in other leaders, and traits I always wished my own managers had shown.”
At heart, Natascha sees herself as a problem-solver who truly thrives under pressure. “I’ve created an environment for my team and myself where we can work well together and support one another.”
Her career began with an apprenticeship as a bank clerk, followed by a master’s degree in business, before joining McKinsey. There, she advised insurance companies on IT – all while working towards her doctorate. “The proudest moment of my career was being awarded my Ph. D. – and seeing my family cheering in the audience,” she recalls.
Two phone calls from headhunters concerning job offers had a decisive impact on the direction of her career. Her advice drawn from these experiences: “Seize opportunities when they arise. Even if they’re not perfect they might be an important step towards your dream job. Don’t be afraid to take detours – whether in your career or your personal life. You never know where they might lead you.”
One of Natascha’s greatest learning experiences was confronting the impostor syndrome: “At a seminar about the ‘inner voice’, I found myself surrounded by incredibly talented people – and felt like I don’t belong here. Talking to them, I realised: we all sometimes doubt whether we’re good enough for the job.” What did she take from that? “I sit up straight, speak clearly, and am open about what I can contribute – and what I can’t. I don’t need to delve as deeply into every subject as the specialists in my team. What I can do is listen attentively, deepen my own knowledge where it counts, and in that way strengthen the team’s cohesion. And, of course, remove roadblocks from their way.”
Natascha finds balance in life through her husband and their two sons. “My husband is my best sparring partner – both professionally and personally. That’s how I keep my balance between both worlds.” For her, being open to new family models is key: “We’ve tried out a lot of things. Right now, my husband works part-time and takes on most of the childcare – that suits us best in this phase of life. When things change, we’ll adapt.”
Her motto, both for her professional and private life: “I do my best and I’m not afraid of failure. And, to my surprise, that approach is usually rewarded with success.”
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