The Heels Forward Podcast powered by Montea - Episode 11

In the eleventh episode of The Heels Forward Podcast powered by Montea, host Francesca Vanthielen speaks with Sarah Timmermans, CEO of Carglass Belgium. It’s a conversation about ambition, motherhood, role models, and what it means to lead authentically after a career path that never moved in a straight line. 

From Romance philology to the automotive world 

Sarah didn’t plan on entering the car industry. She studied Romance philology, briefly started a PhD, and dreamed of becoming an investigative journalist in Central or South America. But a chance opportunity at Ford Motor Company — thanks to her strong French — sparked a career in the automotive sector, later leading her to Opel, and eventually to Carglass Belgium, where she now serves as CEO. 

What she discovered at Carglass surprised her: glass is far more complex than it seems. It’s a core safety component, tightly linked with modern sensors and precise calibration — and not just a repair job but a deeply technical craft. As CEO, she insists on understanding that complexity and staying close to the people doing the work on the floor. 

The 30 – 45 window: when ambition and motherhood collide 

Sarah is direct: the most important years of a career — for both men and women — sit between 30 and 45. That’s also when many women experience a biological desire to have children. Inside Carglass, she sees young women navigating part-time work, parental leave, and career ambitions all at once. 

“It’s all possible,” she says, ​“but you do have to sacrifice something.” 
 There are still only 24 hours in a day. 

She also sees how this differs between generations. In her early career, many young fathers focused almost entirely on work and sport, with the remaining time going to family. The new generation reacts against that model — seeking more balance — though society still tends to ask women the classic questions: ​“What about the children? Who stays home when they’re sick?” 

Five generations of working women 

In recent years, Sarah has begun exploring her family history, and a clear thread runs through it: every generation of women worked. 

• Her great-grandmother ran the local pub. 
• Her grandmother and great-aunt fought to keep teaching after marriage — and won. 
• Her mother continued working while raising two children alone after Sarah’s father died. 
• Sarah built a career in a demanding industry. 
• Her daughter is the fifth generation in that line. 

After her father’s accident, Sarah and her brother were raised in a ​“very feminine nest” by their grandmother and great-aunt. One message from that period shaped her life: 

“Make sure you are never financially dependent on a man.” 

It’s feminism lived, not theorised — rooted in experience, survival, and the right to remain economically independent. 

Non-linear careers and stepping back with intention 

Sarah’s career includes several moments where she chose to step back from top roles: 
 once because of health issues and young children, later because her values no longer aligned with a company’s life cycle. Those decisions weren’t setbacks — they were strategic pauses. 

“The road to any summit is never linear,” she says. Like moving between Everest base camps, the path goes up and down, and every detour brings its own lessons. 

Quotas, glass ceilings and the importance of role models 

For years, Sarah believed the glass ceiling didn’t exist — because she didn’t feel it personally. Today, she recognises that many women do encounter it, especially in higher roles where female candidates are less numerous. 

Her view on quotas shifted during conversations in South Africa, where majority/minority dynamics are much more visible. That’s where she realised how vital role models are for future generations. 

She’s not in favour of quotas for her own generation — but for the next? Absolutely. 
Because visibility matters. 

At the same time, she stresses that diversity in decision-making — gender or otherwise — is what truly changes the conversation.