The broader your network, the higher the chance you’ll find support – Commercial Director

From a small village in Sweden to a senior commercial role in the Netherlands, Malin Morin’s career has been shaped by curiosity and connection. Now working as Commercial Director at Royal Polak Spices, she told Make it in the North how internationals can build confidence, adapt locally, and turn global experience into a real career strength.

I was born in Sweden and grew up in a small village in the south. Both my parents were very active in the HORECA business and from an early age I developed a passion for food, people, and social interaction. Later, I studied technology and chemistry, mainly because I saw it as a broad foundation that could open doors to many different career paths.

When I started working, I naturally gravitated toward the food ingredients industry—a perfect combination of my passion for food and my technical background.

At the age of 22, I left Sweden for a job opportunity in Germany, and the rest is history. Over the past 35 years, I’ve held various technical and commercial roles in international companies. This has involved relocating several times and travelling extensively around the world for exhibitions, customer visits, seminars, and internal meetings.

Thirteen years ago, I married my Dutch husband, which is how I ended up in the north of the Netherlands—simply for love.

Six years ago, I joined Royal Polak Spices as Commercial Director. We are a small spice company located in Steenwijk, but despite our size, we play a significant role in the European bakery industry. We supply cinnamon and spice blends to most of the industrial and artisanal bakeries. So if you’re enjoying speculaas, gingerbread, kruidnoten, or ontbijtkoek, there’s a good chance our spices are part of that experience.

We import raw materials directly from their countries of origin and process them into customer-specific spice blends.

My role is very diverse—that’s one of the advantages of working in a smaller company. I’m involved in many different areas: customer relationships, strategy development, sustainability initiatives, production, raw materials, quality … a bit of everything. It’s a balanced mix of visiting customers, being part of managing the day-to-day operations, and shaping the company’s long-term growth strategy.

When I first moved to the Netherlands, I worked for an international company where the working language was English, so the transition wasn’t too difficult.

Joining Royal Polak Spices was a different experience, as the company language is Dutch. In my first months, I attended an intensive language course in Vught—often referred to as “the nuns”—which helped me integrate much more quickly into the workplace.

There wasn’t a single defining moment, but rather a continuous development over time. My international experience and exposure have played a big role, as well as the opportunity to work with inspiring people.

Combining a technical background with business skills, along with a strong drive for innovation, creativity, and determination, has helped me grow into my current role.

Cultural differences and language barriers have definitely been the biggest challenges. The key is to listen carefully, stay open-minded, and ask questions. Taking the time to understand different perspectives makes all the difference.

Having worked in international environments, I’m comfortable navigating different perspectives, communication styles, and ways of working. So strong social skills, cultural awareness, and curiosity are core strengths I bring to my role.

I also bring a strong drive for solutions. Working across cultures often means dealing with ambiguity, unexpected challenges, or differing viewpoints. Instead of getting stuck on obstacles, I focus on finding practical ways forward, keeping momentum while respecting everyone involved.  I believe that maintaining a good sense of humour and keeping in mind that all business is about people.

Networking is always important—both professionally and personally. The broader your network, the higher the chance you’ll find support, advice, or solutions when you need them.

I approach networking by staying open, building genuine relationships, and maintaining connections over time.

Be open, curious, and maintain a positive mindset.

Find a good balance between staying true to yourself and adapting to your new environment. And most importantly—learn the language and connect with the local community. It makes a huge difference both professionally and socially.