SFNET COMMITTEE SPOTLIGHT
SFNet’s Emerging Leaders Committee BY EILEEN WUBBE
This column highlights the hard work and dedication of SFNet’s Committee volunteers. Here we speak with Boudewijn Smit, partner at NautaDutilh and chair of SFNet’s Emerging Leaders (Young Professionals) Committee.
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THE SECURED LENDER JAN/FEB. 2026
BOUDEWIJN SMIT NautaDutilh Please provide our readers with background on your career. How did you get started in this industry? My journey into secured finance began somewhat serendipitously in 2011 when I joined NautaDutilh as a student intern at age 20. I had no idea what to expect from big law, but I landed in the finance practice by chance and was immediately captivated—primarily by the people. The diversity and professionalism of the team made a lasting impression on me. For the first few years, I balanced my studies with work at NautaDutilh, and in 2015, immediately after completing my degree, I joined the firm full-time as an associate. NautaDutilh gave me tremendous opportunities early in my career, including extended stints working abroad—first in New York from 2019 to 2020, then in London from 2021 to 2023. These experiences allowed me to fully immerse myself in cross-border finance practice and develop a truly international perspective on secured lending. I returned to New York in 2023, where I’m now a partner in NautaDutilh’s Finance practice, focusing on complex cross-border transactions. Looking back, what started as a chance placement in a finance practice has become a career I’m genuinely passionate about. How and why did you decide to get involved in SFNet’s Emerging Leaders (Young Professionals) Committee? What did you enjoy about it? I first encountered SFNet while living and working in London. At my first International Lending Conference in 2021, I was introduced to young