Femme Lead

Send us a textRebekka Gunnarsdóttir is redefining what it means to lead in the tech industry. As a Senior Manager in AI and Data at EY Consulting in Copenhagen, she brings a powerful blend of business insight, digital innovation, and a deep commitment to community. In this episode, Rebekka shares her journey from finance to tech, her passion for shaping the future of AI, and how she founded KATLA, an Icelandic women's network to help others visualize and reach their career goals. We also discuss authenticity in leadership, building inclusive workplaces, and striking a balance between ambition and family life. Whether you're navigating your next career step or curious about the human side of AI, Rebekka's story offers clarity and connection!Follow Rebekka on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebekka-gunnarsdottir/#Femmelead #Femmeleadpodcast #Femaletechleaders #Womenintech  #WomeninAI #Techcareerstories #EYConsulting #Digitaltransformation #AIinbusiness #WomeninSTEM 

Send us a textIn this special episode of Femme Lead, host Alexandra welcomes back Sophie Jelstrup, Head of FX Trading at Nordea Markets in Copenhagen. Sophie returns to share her remarkable journey from Chief Dealer to leading the FX trading desk, offering exclusive insights into career progression, leadership, and the evolving world of finance.Whether you're curious about what it takes to rise in the financial sector or want to learn how leaders like Sophie navigate market trends, innovation, and inclusion, this episode is packed with actionable advice and behind-the-scenes stories.Follow Sophie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophie-jelstrup-70bb0343/ Key Topics & Questions CoveredSophie's Career Evolution:How Sophie transitioned from Chief Dealer to Head of FX Trading and what her current role entails.A Day in the Life:What a typical day looks like for Sophie and which aspects of her work she finds most fulfilling.Pivotal Decisions & Opportunities:The key moments and choices that shaped Sophie's career trajectory.Leadership Qualities:The most important leadership traits Sophie has developed and how she's cultivated them.Redefining Success:How Sophie's understanding of achievement in finance has changed over time.Building Professional Relationships:How her approach to networking and relationships has evolved and supports her leadership today.Overcoming Challenges:The unexpected hurdles Sophie has faced as a leader and her strategies for overcoming them.Leadership in Finance:What makes the financial sector unique for leadership development and whether it's becoming more inclusive.Credibility & Impact:How Sophie builds credibility and drives impact within Nordea Markets.Early Career Preparation:The role of Nordea's graduate program in preparing Sophie for leadership.Emerging Market Trends:The trends Sophie believes will reshape financial markets in the coming years.AI & Automation:How Nordea is navigating technological change and what skills finance professionals need for the future.Evolving Leadership Styles:How the definition of a good leader is changing in finance and the value of diverse leadership styles.Shaping Workplace Culture:How Sophie and her peers are actively shaping the working environment and culture at Nordea Markets.Follow our latest updates on femmelead.com

Send us a textDigital Transformation | Leadership | Pharma | Engineering & Data | HealthTech | Step into the world of digital leadership and transformation with this episode's inspiring guest, Anja Leth Zimmer. As the Corporate Vice President of Digital Products & Software Engineering at Novo Nordisk, Anja brings over 16 years of experience spanning Pharma, Consumer Goods, and Management Consulting. Her career journey includes pivotal roles at Deloitte and Carlsberg, and today, she leads a diverse team of software engineers, designers, and project managers-driving innovation at the intersection of technology and healthcare.Anja shares the pivotal moments that shaped her as a leader, including tough choices, failures, and the lessons learned along the way. Discover how she built the confidence to create her own opportunities, and hear her unique “pizza analogy” for taking charge of your career. Anja opens up about navigating periods of status quo and personal challenges, such as returning from maternity leave and turning obstacles into opportunities for growth.We dive into her approach to authentic leadership, the questions she asks when mentoring others, and how she encourages her team to “make their own pizza” rather than wait for a bigger slice. Anja also offers her insights on the evolving landscape of digital transformation, the importance of working across the value chain, and how to foster a culture of empowerment rather than fear.Whether you're interested in digital trends, leadership development, or making a meaningful impact through innovation, this conversation with Anja Leth Zimmer is packed with actionable advice and inspiration for your own leadership journey!Follow Anja on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anjazimmer/

Send us a textIP | Branding | Creator Economy | Umntchd Mindset | Personal Branding | Community | In this episode, we welcome with Oana Leonte, the founder of Unmtchd., a media and education platform dedicated to empowering entrepreneurs with the tools they need to scale their brands. With over 20 years of experience in the entertainment, fashion, and sports industries, Oana has worked with major brands like Disney, Puma, and Warner Bros., mastering the art of brand building, intellectual property (IP) strategy, and licensing. Now, through Unmtchd., she's on a mission to help the next generation of founders create scalable, sustainable businesses. In this conversation, Oana shares invaluable insights on the future of branding, why IP and ecosystems are the next big business advantage, and the importance of storytelling in building a lasting brand. Whether you're a corporate exec looking to reinvent yourself or an aspiring entrepreneur, this episode offers powerful lessons on how to stand out, scale, and leave a lasting impact with your brand.Follow Oana on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oana-leonte/Follow the journey: Home - Unmtchd. 

Send us a textFemTech Founder | Clue App | Female Health Tech | Entrepreneur | Agency | Women's Right |In this insightful interview, Ida Tin, the co-founder and CEO of the menstruation-tracking app Clue, shares her journey from a motorcycle tour entrepreneur to one of the leading voices in healthtech. Ida discusses how she coined the term "FemTech" and the vision behind creating Clue as a tool for empowering women to track their health. She also delves into the importance of setting healthy boundaries - both personally and professionally and how these principles have shaped her business approach. Ida shares her views on the evolution of women's health technology, the challenges she faced while scaling Clue, and the future of FemTech, offering invaluable perspectives on innovation, collaboration, and inclusivity in healthcare.Her passion for technology and women's health led her to co-found Clue in 2013 to provide women with a smart, reliable way to track their menstrual and fertility cycles. Her vision has not only transformed personal health but also created an entire movement within the tech industry. Ida is credited with coining the term "FemTech," which has become synonymous with technology dedicated to women's health, ranging from fertility to menopause.Under Ida's leadership, Clue has grown exponentially, with over 10 million users in 190 countries. Along the way, she has received numerous accolades, including being named Female Web Entrepreneur of the Year. Beyond Clue, Ida's influence extends into shaping the future of women's health tech, working alongside giants like Apple to develop period-tracking software for their HealthKit platform. Her journey exemplifies the power of innovation, boundary-pushing, and resilience in making a lasting impact on both technology and society!Follow Ida on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/idatin/ 

Send us a textTech Career | Engineering | AI Era | Managing Tech Teams | Leadership | Career Promotion | Visibility In this episode, Angela Timofte, Trustpilot's Global Vice President of Engineering, shares her insights on navigating the fast-paced world of tech management and the growing influence of AI. We dive into how AI and emerging technologies are transforming how tech teams are managed and how they drive efficiency and performance within her team. Angela also discusses the delicate balance between leveraging AI for workflow improvements while keeping teams agile and human-centered. Throughout the conversation, she emphasizes the importance of fostering a culture of continuous learning, setting clear objectives, and ensuring alignment between business goals and tech initiatives. Angela also provides valuable leadership tips on empowering individuals, scaling teams for high performance, and developing future tech leaders. This episode is a deep dive into the strategies and practices that set teams and individuals up for success in a rapidly changing tech environment.Follow Angela on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angela-timofte-it/

Billion Dollar Company | Entrepreneur | Tech SaaS| Career Progression| Climbing Corporate Ladder | Alina Vandenberghe is a visionary entrepreneur, tech leader, and the co-founder & co-CEO of Chili Piper, a pioneering SaaS company transforming how businesses manage meetings and customer engagement. Born and raised in Romania during communism, Alina's journey is one of resilience, adaptability, and a relentless drive for innovation.In this episode, Alina Vandenberghe shares her rapid career progression - from intern to SVP in just six years - unpacking the strategies she used to build influence, develop leadership charisma, and navigate corporate dynamics. Alina also opens up about co-founding a company with her husband, balancing entrepreneurship with motherhood, and why women are still underrepresented in leadership. This is an episode packed with bold insights, real talk, and game-changing advice!Her career began in product development, where she led groundbreaking mobile projects for Fortune 500 companies, including Samsung, Bloomberg, and Reuters. Recognized for her ability to build high-impact tech solutions, she later ventured into entrepreneurship, co-founding Chili Piper with her husband, Nicolas. Together, they've scaled the company into a globally recognized, remote-first organization with a strong culture of collaboration and innovation.Beyond work, Alina is an advocate for women in tech and leadership, sharing her insights on entrepreneurship, personal growth, and the evolving landscape of marketing and sales automation.Follow Alina on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alinav/ 

UN | Impact Career | Financial Independence | Role Models | Tech4Good | Sustainability | Creative Campaigns | Global Impact | Leadership |  Today, we're honored to be joined by a trailblazer in global leadership, social impact, and cultural innovation, Katja Iversen, the CEO of UN Live.Katja's remarkable career spans civil society, the United Nations, and global leadership training for Fortune 500 executives. She works at the intersection of arts, culture, and the world's most pressing issues, embracing music, film, arts, sports, and gaming to drive progress on the Sustainable Development Goals. From advising world leaders to embracing popular culture for social good, Katja has built a career that is nothing short of transformative.In this episode, we'll explore her incredible journey, the challenges, and triumphs she's encountered in cross-cultural leadership, and how she uses her platform to inspire action and create a sense of global belonging, or what the team at UN Live calls a "Global We". We'll also dive into her thoughts on leadership qualities, empowering women, and the intersection of personal values with global impact.Prepare for a conversation that will leave you feeling inspired to think globally, lead boldly, and take meaningful action.Follow Katja's work on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katjaiversen/ 

Venture Capital | Innovation | Mobility Trends | Sustainability | Career Transition | Investment | Community | Advice Join us for an engaging conversation with Samantha Huang, Principal at BMW i Ventures, where she focuses on early-stage investments in transformative technologies such as AI, big data, Industry 4.0, mobility innovation, and sustainability. With a passion for driving progress, Samantha dives deep into the trends shaping the future of transportation, the next generation of human experiences, and the rise of sustainable solutions.In this interview, Samantha reflects on her dynamic career journey, from her legal and research background to her role in venture capital. She shares her expertise on what it takes to succeed in the fast-paced VC world, insights into emerging opportunities in mobility and sustainability, and advice for aspiring leaders looking to navigate the evolving landscape of innovation and investment.Samantha holds a J.D. from UC Berkeley Law School and an MA in history from Stanford University. A licensed California attorney, she previously worked as Lead Researcher at the Rock Center for Corporate Governance at Stanford University, focusing on innovation, immigration, and entrepreneurship. Samantha is also a dedicated advocate for diversity and empowerment in venture capital, serving as Board Director for the Asian Law Caucus and Board Director and Head of Content for the Emerging Venture Capitalists Association, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the next generation of venture capitalists.Don't miss this opportunity to learn from one of the leading voices shaping the future of venture capital and technology! Follow Samantha's updates online: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-huang-10375b106/ 

Founder Spotlight | Climate Tech | Sustainability | Carbon Accounting | ESG | Women in Tech | InnovationIn this episode, we're joined by Lubomila Jordanova, co-founder and CEO of Plan A, Europe's leading corporate carbon accounting and decarbonization software provider. Lubomila is also the visionary behind the Greentech Alliance, a thriving community that connects over 3,500 Greentech startups with 500+ advisors from venture capital, media, and business. Her expertise extends beyond Plan A—she's a member of the International Advisory Board for Social Innovation in Germany and advises on the Sustainability Board at Chloé.Lubomila shares insights from her journey in investment banking, venture capital, and fintech, as well as her unique perspective on scaling sustainability solutions, integrating ESG into core business strategies, and supporting women in tech and sustainability. We discuss her goals for Plan A and the Greentech Alliance, the future of carbon accounting, the power of social innovation, and much more.Join us as we explore the mindset, challenges, and vision of a leader making waves in sustainability and corporate climate action!Follow Lubomila's updates online: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ljordanova/ 

Customer Experience |  Strategic Leadership | Customer Success | Well-being | Actionable Advice | Career Growth | Join us for a great conversation with Mel Simons, Global Director of Customer Experience at Dreamdata! Dreamdata is a SaaS B2B revenue attribution platform that gathers, joins, and cleans all revenue-related data to present a transparent, actionable analysis of go-to-market data. This empowers you to easily see a 360° customer journey view, understand ROI, reveal buying signals, send data back to ad platforms, and much more.Mel Simons is a seasoned professional with a strong background in Customer Success leadership roles across diverse industries. With previous roles at companies like ZeroNorth, GOODIEBOX, and Trustpilot, Melanie brings extensive experience in driving customer-centric initiatives and fostering brand growth through exceptional customer experience. With a strategic approach to career progression, Mel reflects on key decisions and milestones that have shaped her journey, emphasizing the importance of balancing external customer focus with internal team dynamics for sustainable growth.Learn how Mel ensures alignment between customer-centric initiatives and team dynamics, fostering collaboration among different departments and overcoming barriers through effective communication and problem-solving strategies. We discuss Mel's approach to fostering a culture of continuous improvement within her team while driving external customer satisfaction and internal team development. Mel shares real-life examples of navigating differences in perspectives across departments and stakeholders, and she uncovers practical steps for supporting the professional development and success of team members while driving business growth.Gain valuable insights into setting success roles, prioritizing mental health amidst career demands, and maintaining alignment between long-term career goals and day-to-day activities!Follow Mel Simons on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melaniejsimons/

Sustainable Business Transformation | Global Career | Intentional Networking | Board Member |  Empowerment | Know Your Worth | Discover the remarkable journey of Ann Rosenberg, a Denmark native now shaping the global stage from LA with over 25 years of corporate expertise in technology, sustainability, and purpose-driven endeavors.As a Senior Sustainability and Climate Advisor and Board Member, Ann co-founded the UN SDG Ambition and has dedicated her life to driving impact through initiatives that matter.  But that's not all—Ann's influence extends far beyond her corporate achievements. Listed in Mission Impact's Top 100 Women of the Future, Ann is leading the charge! In this episode, Ann unveils the secrets to leveraging your unique experiences to propel your career forward. From mastering the art of networking to setting bolder goals aligned with your mission and values, Ann's insights are gold for anyone striving for career success in today's dynamic landscape.  So, whether you're a seasoned professional looking to take your career to new heights or a budding entrepreneur eager to make your mark, this episode is your roadmap to success. Tune in now and unlock the power of networking and harnessing your unique experiences for a fulfilling and impactful career journey! Follow Ann on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/ann-rosenberg/

Regenerative Leadership | Sustainability Strategy | Co-founder | Sustainable Development | Board Member Annemarie Meisling is a visionary leader who stands at the forefront of sustainable business and organizational development. Her career has included influential roles at Chr. Hansen and Novo Nordisk, where she worked on integrating sustainability into their core strategies, as well as engagements with the World Bank and COWI, focusing on sustainable development. Beyond her professional roles, Meisling has held leading board positions in key think tanks and industry organizations, including Danish Industries and the United Nations Global Compact, underscoring her commitment to driving sustainable practices across various sectors. Currently, as a partner in Koral, she is dedicated to using the power of organizations to regenerate society, the environment, and leadership styles, demonstrating her belief in the transformative potential of businesses to create meaningful change.In our interview, we discuss the concept of regenerative leadership, sustainability, and the next era for companies looking beyond profitability and into societal impact. Follow Annemarie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annemarie-meisling-24515a2/ Learn more about Koral: https://koral.business/meet-koral 

Conscious & Intentional Leadership| Young Female Leader | Empowerment | Digital Experiences | IKEA | Women in Technology| Coaching | Parenthood | For this episode, we're introducing Christina Bizoumi, a trailblazer in product innovation and leadership. As the Senior Director of Product at Universal Robots, she spearheads the Digital Experience organization, dedicated to ensuring that customers triumph in their automation endeavors.With a career steeped in the synergy of people and business, Christina is a seasoned leader who has navigated the realms of leadership and product innovation. Before her role at Universal Robots, she spent seven impactful years at IKEA, where she led teams and introduced groundbreaking products to the market, leaving an indelible mark on the industry.Beyond her professional achievements, Christina has embarked on a new journey as a coach and strategic advisor, channeling her expertise to empower individuals and businesses in crafting remarkable careers and ventures.Join us as we delve into the dynamic world of Christina, where innovation meets leadership, and success is not just achieved but orchestrated!We discuss leadership philosophies, coaching others to thrive, parenting lessons, and how to navigate being a young woman in a senior leadership position. Don't miss this episode! Follow Christina on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinabizoumi/ 

Chief of Staff | Management Consultant | Start-up | Strategy | Leadership | Success Mindset | Building Relationships | Sponsorship & Mentorship | Advice | Violeta Todorova is the Chief of Staff at Monta, a platform powering the entire EV charging ecosystem. Before diving into entrepreneurship, Violeta was a Project Leader at Boston Consulting Group in Copenhagen. Previously, she spent five years at one of the largest marketing & communication companies - Publicis Groupe - working across clients such as Samsung and Heineken. After exploring education and career options across various locations such as the US, London, and Paris, Violeta is now excited to help Monta succeed and advance her career in the process.In this episode, we explore Violeta's international career and how she used a solution-oriented mindset not only to solve problems but also to build relationships and propel her career. What is the role of a chief of staff? Violeta shares a lot of relevant pieces of advice for people looking to change careers and have an impact working with senior stakeholders with a strategic focus. Join us for a chat about mentorship, what is a success mindset, and more!Follow Violeta on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/violeta-todorova-a974b762/Looking to build your start-up career? Join our upcoming event with Monta to learn from the best: https://fienta.com/da/femme-lead-x-monta-start-up-careersListen to our episode with Eylem Demir Sentürk on sponsorship here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5nOA4kiDwW3bxmufDYwJuj?si=0WiZ5VaXT6KqNddPnUfxOw

Co-Founder | Growth | Robotics | Logistics | Leadership | Successful Career |In this episode, we dive into the world of innovation and robotics with Oana Jinga, the Co-founder and Chief Commercial Officer of Dexory, a groundbreaking robotics and data company in Central London.

Sales Manager | Growth | Transferrable skills | Sales leadership | Successful Career |  For this new episode, please welcome Jessica Cohen, the North America Sales Manager at Dealfront as our guest and we cannot wait to spotlight her experience!  In this episode, Jessica shares her journey from a decade as a Sales Leader in B2C to her current role as the Sales Manager at Dealfront. Dealfront, a dynamic go-to-market platform, equips sales and marketing teams with crucial data, applications, and insights to conquer leads and seal deals.Jessica emphasizes that sales revolve around one key element - human connection. Leading the North American sales team for over 2 years, Jessica strives for a personalized experience for all prospects. Beyond the products, she resonates with Dealfront's core values, particularly as a remote-first company.She delves into insights on building a thriving sales career and connecting with people to pitch new ideas. Jessica also provides tips on navigating the North American market and valuable advice for women aspiring to succeed in the field. Jessica reveals how she stays motivated and resilient in the competitive sales industry, sharing a personal experience showcasing the importance of a positive mindset. She talks about adapting the sales approach to Dealfront's global operations, specifically in the North American market, and provides insights into unique challenges and opportunities.Follow Jessica on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessashleycohen/Learn more about Dealfront: https://www.dealfront.com/ 

Formula 1 | Oracle Red Bull Racing | Powertrains | CFD Engineer | STEM | Career Development | Mental Health | CV Tips | Dream Job | Meet Andra Groapa, the driving force behind innovation at Red Bull Powertrains!

Financial Wellbeing | Financial Freedom | Wealth Management | Prosperity | Impact Consulting | Personal Transformation | Art of Kintsugi | Angel Investor | Ula Caroto is a mentor, coach, thinking partner, and a trusted welllth-being (wealth + wellbeing) advisor. She combines her extensive wealth management knowledge with powerful coaching and exquisite listening skills to help her clients find true prosperity in every area of their lives.In our interview, we discuss insights on how women approach investing and what they need to succeed in the financial realm, key strategies or advice you offer to women to boost their financial confidence and overall well-being, principles, and methods to help her clients overcome challenges, and amplify their impact, and how she helps women feel empowered with their money and in all areas of their lives. She has 16 years of experience as a wealth manager and she has been the trusted advisor to successful entrepreneurs, senior leaders, well-known families, and charities. At one stage of her career, she was responsible for nearly £1bn of clients' wealth. Unusually for the male-dominated investment world, women accounted for over 50% of her client base, giving testament to her understanding of how women approach investing and what they need to be successful. She founded UC IMPACT Coaching & Consulting - a company focused on empowering ambitious and driven people and organizations to achieve IMPACT: Inner Mastery + Personal and Collective Transformation. She helps her clients overcome challenges, accelerate growth, and amplify their impact. Ula is skilled in helping women to feel empowered with their money and across all areas of their lives. She is also a connector, Pilotlighter, angel investor, and a keen supporter of female founders. She's a passionate advocate for Sustainability Diversity and inclusion and applies her "Art of Kintsugi: Power of Imperfection" approach to help her clients turn their imperfections into superpowers and accelerate their career and life progress on the path to empowered authenticity which in turn breeds belonging, confidence and higher positive impact. Follow Ula on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/urszula-caroto/Check Ula's website: https://uc-impact.com/Street Wisdom:https://www.streetwisdom.org/ Book references:Hidden Potential. The Science of Achieving Great Things - Adam Granthttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/157095669-hidden-potentialInfluence is your superpower. How To Get What You Want Without Compromising Who You are - Zoe Chacehttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60458130-influence-is-your-superpowerEssentialism. The Disciplined Pursuit of Less - Greg McKeownhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18077875-essentialismUnbound: A Woman's Guide to Power - Kasia Urbaniakhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51205436-unboundIf you want to stay up to date with Femme Lead initiatives and events, subscribe here: https://www.femmeleadpodcast.com/subscribe

Women on Stage | Founder | Immigrant Stories | Sponsoring Women | Empowerement | Success Story | Eylem Demir Sentürk is the founder and CEO of

Diversity & Inclusion | Economist |  Mental Health | Belonging | Diverse Founders | Chisom is an Economist, a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) Strategist, and a 3 times founder of impact-driven companies. She has over 14 years of experience working with organizations like the European Commission, The United Nations, ExxonMobil, and The Economist Group. Chisom has just been honored with the prestigious title of "Diversity Leader of the Year" at the Nordic Women in Tech Awards!

Automotive | Engineering | McLaren | Leadership | Management Advice | Simone Gemkow is an automotive product engineer with over a decade of experience in British automotive brands. She boasts a robust academic background, including a Ph.D., and a wealth of industrial expertise, which have propelled her from an engineering professional to a proficient people manager. Currently serving as a manager, Simone leads a team of world-class engineers in the automotive engineering sector.Simone's journey to leadership involved rapid learning in areas like team management, building business relationships, positive influence, and strategic goal attainment. Her influence extends beyond her workplace, as she serves as the president of the International Association of Women London (IAW), actively fostering a community of professional women through monthly events and championing women's empowerment and gender equality.Recognizing the need for more accessible career progression and people management insights, Simone shares her knowledge and experiences through her blog, "Career with a View," to support young professionals in making their talents visible across their organizations.In the discussion with Simone, you can expect insights on her current role at McLaren, her career journey in STEM, her leadership philosophy, her commitment to promoting accomplishments, her strategies for handling difficult conversations, the mission of the International Association of Women, her thoughts on women's leadership development, and her reflections on her career journey, including what she might have done differently in hindsight.Follow Simone on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simone-gemkow/Check Simone's blog: https://careerwithaview.com If you want to stay up to date with Femme Lead initiatives and events, subscribe here: https://www.femmeleadpodcast.com/subscribe

Ambassador | Diplomat | Human Rights | Justice | Women's Rights | Career Change | Emma Kate Hopkins OBE took up her post as His Majesty's Ambassador to Denmark in October 2020. Prior to this, she served as Her Majesty's Ambassador to Bulgaria from 2015 to 2020. Whilst in Bulgaria she was also the senior regional lead for organised crime and rule of law projects (including modern slavery) in Central and Eastern Europe.Emma was born in Bolton and studied at St. Clement Danes Comprehensive School (Chorleywood) and Cambridge University (Fitzwilliam College) where she graduated with a degree in Law. She was called to the Bar in 1995 and practiced as a criminal barrister until 2001 when she entered public service.Before her appointment in Sofia, Emma led the UK government's Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative (PSVI), a campaign to end impunity for warzone rape. She was awarded the Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2014 Queen's Birthday Honours List, for services to preventing sexual violence in conflict-affected countries.Emma's career in government has included leading legal and policy teams at a senior level. She has worked on immigration and asylum, human rights, EU justice and home affairs, international criminal law, organized crime, as well as violence against women.Between 2006 and 2008, she developed the first UK strategy on human trafficking and delivered it through a national and international campaign. For her work, in 2008, Emma received the Civil Servant of the Year Award for outstanding contribution to public service and in 2014 her team was given the Civil Service International Award for their work on the PSVI campaign.Follow Emma Hopkins on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-kate-hopkins-966219210/ Follow Emma Hopkins on Twitter.Learn more about the Ambassador for a Day program: https://www.ambassadorforaday.dk/If you want to stay up to date with Femme Lead initiatives and events, subscribe here: https://www.femmeleadpodcast.com/subscribe

Authenticity | Agency | Transformation | Activism | Leadership | Shaping Humanity | Technology | Role Model | Consulting | Curiosity | Digital Transformation |Sarah Freiesleben is a fantastic role model and an inspiration and once you hear her speak you know you have met an extraordinary person! Sarah helps purpose-driven organizations sustainably innovate by harnessing and applying human insights to technology development. With an advanced degree in linguistics and 15 years working on global, cross-functional enterprise tech projects in a wide variety of industries, she has come to believe that tech needs the humanities to develop tech for humanity. Her passion is shaping more holistic ecosystems so groups of people who want to bring change into the world can find the coherence & agency to be able to do so. She works as a consultant at Ramskov Consulting Group in Denmark and as an Industry Fellow at the Danish Technical University.  Her top 3 lessons reflection on her career path?1. The future generations are reclaiming their multiplicity. From an innovation perspective, you will find new ideas by having more perspectives. 2. If something doesn't feel right, trust yourself. Allow yourself to leave. 3. Don't try to predict in 10 years what you want to be. Have some direction, but there needs to be space for following and sensing what can happen and trying it out. Don't miss this engaging conversation with Sarah Freiesleben!Follow Sarah on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-freiesleben-40a7701a/ If you want to stay up to date with Femme Lead initiatives and events, subscribe here: https://www.femmeleadpodcast.com/subscribe

Product Management | Product at Heart | Product Teams | Product Coach | Strong Product People | Coaching | Author | Community Building | In today's episode, we have the pleasure of hosting Petra Wille, an independent product leadership coach and author with a passion for empowering product teams. With over eight years of experience in the field, Petra has been instrumental in helping product teams enhance their skill sets and elevate their performance.In recent years, Petra's focus has been on supporting product leaders in building outcome-oriented product teams. Her dedication to sharing knowledge with the broader product community led her to publish the highly acclaimed book, "STRONG Product People: A Complete Guide to Developing Great Product Managers," in January 2021. This book has quickly become a must-read for product professionals, praised by industry experts such as Martin Eriksson for its valuable insights into coaching and empowering teams.In addition to her writing, Petra developed the #52questions coaching card set, designed to help product leaders become effective coaches. These cards offer valuable prompts and guidance for enhancing coaching skills and driving team success.Alongside her freelance work, Petra serves as the co-organizer of Product at Heart in Hamburg, Germany, where she actively contributes to fostering a vibrant product community.In this episode, Petra joins us to discuss her professional development journey and share invaluable advice for product leaders striving to excel at building products that people love. Get ready to be inspired and gain practical insights from Petra's wealth of experience and expertise.Follow Petra on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petra-wille-b8b1329/ Check out Product at Heart: https://productatheart.com/Check out Petra's website: https://www.petra-wille.com/ Book - Strong Product People: https://www.amazon.com/dp/3982235103?utm_source=pw&utm_medium=website&utm_campaign=general 

Inclusive Leadership | Leader | Career Growth | Career Perspectives | Digital, IT & Data | Novo Nordisk | Research & Development | Role Model | Future Skills |  In today's episode, we have the pleasure of hosting Kathrine Hee Nielsen, a leader in Digital, Data, and IT at Novo Nordisk. With a remarkable career spanning 11 years within the company, Kathrine has held various positions in finance, quality, and clinical development. She is currently leading software development teams as the Manager of Digital Accelerator in Research & Early Development.Kathrine thrives in the intersection between people, organizational development, and transformational technology. Her passion for fostering inclusive environments is deeply rooted in her personal experiences as she belongs to several minority groups herself. We will explore the facets of leadership and delve into the concept of being an ally. What does it mean to practice inclusive leadership? What role does Kathrine play within Novo Nordisk, and how does she envision the future of skills in her field?Before joining Novo Nordisk, Kathrine gained valuable experience as a consultant and worked within the governmental sector in Denmark. Her educational background as a political scientist, her diverse international experiences living in Denmark, Greece, Sweden, Ireland, and Vietnam, and her travels to over 50 countries bring a unique perspective to her leadership journey.Join us as we embark on a thought-provoking conversation with Kathrine, where we explore the importance of inclusive leadership, delve into the intricacies of allyship, and gain insights into her role within Novo Nordisk and the future of skills in her industry.Get ready to be inspired by Kathrine's expertise and passion for creating inclusive and transformative workplaces. Let's dive right in!Follow Kathrine on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathrinehee/ Learn more about Novo Nordisk: https://www.novonordisk.com/careers/career-areas.htmlLearn more about Femme Lead's mission: https://www.femmeleadpodcast.com/

Equal IT | Co-founder | Equality in IT | Recruitment Services | DEI Partner | Interview Preparation | Entrepreneurship | Career Lessons | Reflection | Voices of Women | Representation | Women in Tech | STEM | Ellie King, the Co-Founder of Equal IT is joining us today. Ellie and her team are on a mission to support organizations worldwide in recruiting inclusive teams and building equitable cultures through their coaching and support services.At Equal IT, diversity, equity, and inclusion are not just buzzwords - they are the foundation of everything they do. Ellie and her team have cultivated a vibrant community and have collaborated with esteemed organizations such as Nordic Women in Tech Awards, Women in Tech Sweden, PyLadies, WomenWhoCode, and HackYourFuture.Ellie's passion for sharing inspiration shines through her role as the host of Equal IT's Equal Inspired Podcast. Through this platform, she amplifies the voices of women and non-dominant groups who are doing amazing work in the tech industry, creating relatable role models because representation truly matters.In today's episode, we have the privilege of diving into Ellie's entrepreneurial journey. We'll explore her insights on recruitment practices, the pressing need for increased representation across industries, and her perspective on career progression based on Equal IT's focused initiatives.Get ready to be inspired and gain valuable insights as we delve into a conversation filled with entrepreneurial wisdom, diversity advocacy, and the importance of equal opportunities. Follow Ellie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellie-king-62842777/ Check out the Equal Inspired podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nh7D0wLe6sA&ab_channel=EqualIT-DE%26IisinourDNA

CEO | Co-Founder | Start-up | Investment | Board Member | Fundraising | Global Expansion | Partners for Growth | Social Entrepreneurship | Women Empowerment | Arya Women Investment Platform | Welcome to today's episode of Femme Lead podcast, where we have the pleasure of introducing our guest, Esra Talu. Esra is not only an extraordinary businesswoman but also a renowned writer, keynote speaker, and the Founding Partner & former CEO of Deppo, the first e-commerce company in Turkey. Serving in this role from 1999 to 2014, Esra successfully transformed Deppo into one of the leading e-commerce companies in the country.Since then, Esra has been offering her expertise in advisory services to corporate firms, individual investors, institutions, and global funds, focusing particularly on startups and early-stage investment matters. Her extensive experience and knowledge have made her a sought-after advisor, providing invaluable guidance to clients worldwide.Between 2017 and 2019, Esra held the position of Chapter President at Keiretsu Forum Turkey, which is recognized as the world's most prominent angel investors network with headquarters in San Francisco. This role allowed her to further expand her network and deepen her understanding of investment dynamics.In 2019, Esra founded GoGlobal, a Miami Beach-based next-generation tech ecosystem advisory company. With strategic partners located in the USA, UK, Israel, Türkiye, and the UAE, GoGlobal specializes in facilitating sustainable and impact-driven growth, scale, and expansion for innovative startups.As an accomplished professional, Esra also contributes to academia as a part-time Lecturer at Istanbul Bilgi University in the LITE Graduate Program. Her focus lies in the areas of Learning, Technology, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship, where she imparts her knowledge and expertise to aspiring students.Esra's influence extends beyond her various roles. She serves as a board member for numerous organizations, including Arya Women Investment Platform and leading companies in the US, Europe, and the MENA region. Her diverse involvement showcases her commitment to fostering growth and development within the business community.Follow Esra on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/esratalu/ Check out GoGlobal's mission: https://www.goglobaladvisory.com/ 

CEO | Leadership | Personal Reflection | Motherhood | M&A | Crisis Management | Team Leader | Business Development | Women's Business Association | Dovilė Končak is the CEO of RAIT Group, in Lithuania, a market research company, and an active representative of key women's business associations in Lithuania. Her leadership approach is balanced and holistic, combining empathy with directness enabling businesses and teams to align and find their rhythm in a busy market place which in turn helps to achieve a competitive advantage.Her journey with the RAIT group started 12 years ago in the role of Head of Projects however she experienced many other responsibilities and roles which today have all led to the position of CEO. Currently, she ensures smooth operations and development of divisions in the Baltic and Swedish markets, as well as finding and helping to acquire new companies in existing and new markets (M&A), advising different businesses on solutions to business challenges, and both internal and external crisis management.In our interview, we discuss management lessons and how to not forget yourself in the process of becoming an organizational leader.Follow Dovilė on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dovilekoncak/ Episode Timeline:02:25 Dovile, can you share more about the scope of your work today?04:50 What were some of the lessons you learned in this process?13:55 You mentioned empathy as the key to being a successful leader. Why?20:25 Do you believe confidence can be taught?26:50 How important it is to know yourself and how do you go about growing personally and professionally?32:00 Conflict management as a way forward - Can you share your advice and reflections?36:14 What are your thoughts on motherhood and career? How did it impact your environment and your professional aspirations?41:35 Final 5 Fire Questions.

Entrepreneurship | Hooves | Start-up | Founder | Business Closure | Venture Architecture | Strategic Partnerships | Meta | Lessons | Business Development Manager | Role Model | In this episode of the Femme Lead Podcast, we have a special guest speaker, Alina Engel, who is not only a source of inspiration but also a close friend of the show. Alina's entrepreneurial journey started with the co-founding of Hooves, an app that revolutionized the expensive sport of horse riding and brought it into the sharing economy. Although COVID-19 forced the app to shut down, it had a massive impact with over 35,000 horses registered.Alina's strength in people-facing roles was evident early on in her career, and she constantly focused on building relationships to create commercial impact. After the closure of Hooves, Alina found herself at a crossroads, but she quickly found her footing as a venture architect at OBI Squared, where she worked on creating cutting-edge business models and startup collaborations.Currently, Alina is working at Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, where she uses her skills to build relationships with strategic partners, from investors in startups to clients and stakeholders in a corporate setting. In this episode, Alina will discuss the ups and downs of being a founder, as well as the importance of building relationships in both the startup and corporate worlds. Don't miss this fascinating conversation with Alina Engel, a true role model for anyone looking to make an impact in their careerFollow Alina on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alinaengel/ Article Male and Female Entrepreneurs Get Asked Different Questions by VCs — and It Affects How Much Funding They Get: https://hbr.org/2017/06/male-and-female-entrepreneurs-get-asked-different-questions-by-vcs-and-it-affects-how-much-funding-they-getBook Recommendation - The Culture Map: https://www.amazon.com/Culture-Map-Breaking-Invisible-Boundaries/dp/1610392507 Episode Timeline:03:55 Tell us about your entrepreneurship journey. 07:15 What happened with Hooves at the end, how was the decision made to close the company?11:53 Pitfalls of first-time founders. 12:57 How important is the relationship between the co-founders? 14:50 The importance of bringing together the right team. 15:45 What mindset do you have when approaching difficult conversations?19:00 Transparency as the key to moving forward. 23:10 The benefit of working for a start-up: the impact you can have. 24:15 What's the biggest learning from your start-up founding path? Would you do it again?25:00 What's the main lesson from your entrepreneurial journey? 27:50 Have you noticed any difference between men and women when raising funds?35:10 Why did you decide to move to a corporate? What guided you in your career decision? 39:35 How is it to work for Meta?41:45 What do you appreciate about the start-up world vs corporate culture?48:55 Do you have advice for listeners who are unsure about their next professional career? How do you guide your decision-making for e.g. joining Meta?50:55 If you could, would you change anything looking back?53:04 The Final 5 Fire Questions.

Brand Management | Communication | Digital & IT Comms | Jewelry Industry | Career Change | Decision Making | Reflections | Laura Dzurna was Communications Manager at Pandora from August 2020 until September 2022, with a special focus on digital & technology. In October 2022, she took on a new role at Pandora as Brand Manager, managing one of Pandora's collections.Her career in the jewelry industry spans a variety of roles within Brand Communications & PR and internal communication, driving various initiatives and campaigns. A recent example is setting up internal communications for Pandora's digital & technology function and working to establish the digital & technology community with various initiatives amongother Hackathons.Laura has a master's in Brand & Communications Management (Copenhagen Business School).  She loves sports, reads voraciously, and enjoys exploring new cultures.In this interview we discuss Laura's career progressions, lessons learned, and the thought process behind deciding to change the department within an organization. She will share more about the importance of community building and how to tackle a career change. Follow Laura on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-dzurna/ Episode Timeline:02:30 Laura, tell us more about your current work setup. 04:45 How does one start to build communities within organizations?11:30 What are the challenges you've encountered and how can one be successful? 15:45 Is community building important outside engagement inside the company? What does it help with?19:00 For those of our listeners who want to start a career in brand management and communication, what skills should they focus on building?For the leaders who listen, what is your advice on building you career in this field? How do you navigate your career progression?25:20 You shared with me that deciding on a career change was not easy, what were your main focus areas when deciding to make the switch? 28:57 What is one of the latest reflections you've had about your career?32:25 What are the 3 main leadership lessons you've learned from your professional endeavors?33:20 What is the biggest surprise of your career? What is one thing you would change if you could about your career? 38:05 The Final 5 Fire Questions.The podcast is available on all major streaming platforms. More details on www.femmeleadpodcast.com

Coaching | Self-Awareness | Career Development | Bring Your Whole Self to Work | Career Progression | Reflection | Mindfulness | Women in STEM | Role Model | Our guest is a former Latvian diplomat with more than 21 years of experience in stakeholder management, negotiation, advocacy, and communication.Inese Podgaiska is the Secretary General of the Association of Nordic Engineers, ANE, and previously worked for the European Environment Agency. She received the 2019 Women Economic Forum Award for Women of the Decade in Science Leadership and was included in the 100 Brilliant Women in AI and Ethics list 2021.She is a mentor and certified mindful coach and advocates for engineers' role in advancing responsible AI and achieving sustainable development goals.We're discussing bringing your whole self to work, and how we can combine our professional aspirations with our personal development plans and not divide the two instances of our life. Follow Inese on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/inesepodgaiska/ Check out Inese's coaching practice: https://beyoumindfulcoaching.dk/index-en.html Episode Timeline:02:00 Inese, tell us more about your work on empowering women. 04:50 What made you decide to start a coaching practice on the side?09:25 What is your opinion on ‘bringing your whole self to work'? 15:50 What is your inspiration for hosting workshops on assertive communication? What can we learn from you? 18:48 Example of assertive communication in practice. 23:20 What were 3 important career lessons you learned in your career?27:25 What is your view on career progression?31:32 How do you tackle work-life balance?35:10 Looking back, is there anything you would change about your career?37:15 Final 5 Fire Questions. The podcast is available on all major streaming platforms. More details on www.femmeleadpodcast.com

Cultural Adjustment | Living Abroad | Culture Shock | Consultant | Integration | Well-Being Specialist | Intercultural Awareness | Founder |  Role Model | Trainer | Our guest is Kathy Borys Siddiqui the founder of Active Action, an organization supporting International companies as well as internationals and their families in the intercultural transition when moving abroad. Active Action focuses on raising awareness and bringing solutions to challenges that internationals, their families, and employers are faced with, in order to create thriving and positive environments. Kathy lived in 4 countries and on 2 continents and holds MA's in Cultural Studies and in American Studies. A firm believer that "if you are lacking something - create it."  She has been able to combine her passion and profession as an Intercultural Trainer, and owner of Active Action, with public speaking and branding initiatives, and describes herself as a well-being specialist. We discuss cultural adjustment and the notion of identity when moving abroad and we deep dive into the stages of cultural adjustment to a new country, culture, and environment.Follow Kathy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathybsiddiqui/ Episode Timeline:01:58 Kathy, can you share more about the focus of your work?05:50 What does it mean to help companies with intercultural awareness?12:00 The definition of subtext. 13:25 What are the phases of cultural adjustment? 22:10 What are the Nordic cultural adjustments differences you've noticed compared to other places?30:35 What does it mean to feel at home once you move abroad? What about your career prospects?38:30 What are the 3 important lessons you learned in your career?43:30 Final 5 Fire Questions. 

Career Break | Career Development | Digital Innovation | Digital Agency | People Leader | Goals | Reflections | Learnings | Career Progression | Pause | Our guest today is Sonja Lakner. Originally from Austria, Sonja studied communications and media and after a few years of working in digital agencies in London, she has worked in leadership positions in Sweden for the past 15 years. Sonja is passionate about people and helping them develop their full potential in the work environment and loves to work with people from different cultures.Her latest position was Managing Director for the Swedish office of the digital consultancy Futurice. She is on a career break since the end of November 2022 and she's joining us to talk about what it means to take a career break and how can it help your career development. Taking a career break can be scary for most people, and in this episode, we explore the steps Sonja took to ensure that her career break will benefit her current career setup. Sonja worked for the past 4 years at the same company and is now taking the time to reflect on what is next while sharing how she plans her future career. Connect with Sonja on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sonjalakner/ Episode Timeline:02:45 Sonja, tell us a bit about your current career gap.06:20 Weren't you worried to take a career break? 08:15 What is your career motto?Share with us more about the importance of taking a break and what are you experiencing now.10:15 How do you start planning your next career step? 22:25 How to decide that a career break is for you?27:10 What is the setup of working in a digital agency? Who inspires you in your professional life?31:11 Did you change the way you look at work-life balance?36:30 What inspired you to document your journey on LinkedIn? 39:10 What is one thing you would change if you could about your career?  41:20 Final 5 Fire Questions.

In this episode, we review all the career breakthroughs that 2022 brought along, including hosting our first career conference and planning new community events in Denmark. Join our next event in Copenhagen on January 25th, 2023 with AWS: https://www.femmeleadpodcast.com/events Stay up to date with all of our events via email: https://www.femmeleadpodcast.com/subscribe Follow Femme Lead online for more inspiring content:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/femmeleadpodcast/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/femme-lead-podcast/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/femmeleadpodcast/ Share the news with your friends! 

Finance | Trading | Chief Dealer | Capital Markets | Nordea | Career | Progression | Leadership | Graduate Program | Role Model | Women in Finance |  Sophie Jelstrup is the Chief Dealer & Functional Lead - Global Trading at Nordea Markets. Sophie is based in Copenhagen, Denmark, studied economics and has a double master's degree in Finance from the University of Copenhagen and Imperial College London. She worked within the financial industry since I started at a pension fund as a student worker while studying and continued since then through the graduate program at NORDEA Markets. She is also the co-founder of BlueTomorrow - the Large Corporates & Institutions' shadow board that connects top management with employees' voices. Nordea Markets is the leading capital markets partner in the Nordics.  Nordea Markets takes part in the Nordea Graduate Programme. The Nordea Graduate Programme is an extensive program that covers a variety of business areas whether that is in markets, IT, business, or compliance – all in which you will be able to accelerate your career and evolve both professionally and personally.Connect with Sophie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophie-jelstrup-70bb0343/ Sign up for the Nordea LC&I and Markets Graduate Open House (Oct 26th, 2022): https://email.nordeamarkets.com/public/event/RegistrationForm/43425F4B7143415E417740 Apply to the Nordea Graduate Program 2023 (deadline Oct 31st, 2022): https://careers.nordea.com/job/K%C3%B8benhavn-S-Tech-and-Finance-Graduates-to-Nordea-Markets%2C-Investment-Banking-and-ESG-2300/856005401/?feedId=335801&utm_source=CareerSite Episode Timeline:03:55 What does it mean to be a dealer at Nordea Markets?08:11 How did you start your career in the finance sector?10:41 What do you think are the 3 most important skills to consider to pursue this career path?14:43 How would you describe your career path?20:32 What advice can you share for professionals looking to enter the financial sector?25:00 Networking and the transition to a full-time role. 28:05 What is financial freedom? 33:20 How do you manage challenges at work? 37:20 What is the culture like within the financial sector?38:28 What does it mean to build a showdown board like Blue Tomorrow?41:30 What was the impact of the graduate program when you started?49:00 Final 5 Fire Questions.

Innovation | CEO | Venture Capital | Board Member | Agile Leadership | Energy & Maritime Industry | Top 50 Women in Technology | Braving Innovation | Nada Ahmed is a public speaker, writer, and innovation and tech advisor with over 15 years of corporate leadership experience in the Energy and Maritime industry. She is the CEO and founder of Agile Leadership- an innovation consulting company helping startups validate their products and scale. Previously she served as Vice President of Innovation and Transformation at a leading engineering firm in the Nordics. Nada is passionate about Innovation, particularly in tech, and loves to help companies think creatively to develop breakthrough solutions. She is also an angel investor in tech startups. Nada strongly advocates diversity and inclusion, particularly in tech and investment communities. She has her podcast: Braving Innovation, in which she interviews leaders and shares her own thoughts on topics related to Innovation, entrepreneurship, and venture capital. Follow Nada on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nadaahmed-agileleadership/ Follow Nada on Instagram: @thisisnadaahmedCheck Nada's work: https://www.nadahmed.com/Book Recommendation: https://www.amazon.com/Art-Possibility-Transforming-Professional-Personal/dp/0142001104 Episode Timeline: 04:45 What is your professional focus right now?08:35 What made you leave corporate for entrepreneurship?12:30 Stepping into entrepreneurship to follow her passion. 15:45 Inspiring others to build a career path. 19:00 How do you build a brand? 25:50 What advice do you have for women who fear the negative interactions at work will follow their career?32:45 We need to build up women's support systems through collaboration. 36:08 What is your view on the diversity & inclusion topic in the investment world?41:56 Where can people follow communities around investment and impact?43:43 Final 5 Fire Questions. 

Company Culture | Organizational Development | Global Transformation | Coaching | Education | Transition at Work | Role Model | Emotional Intelligence at Work |Summing up all aspects of her work Tamilla Mahkamova is a psychologist, HR, Organizational Development and Transformation expert, coach, and educator.Over the last 15 years, she has worked in HR, OD, and Transformation roles in a corporate and non-profit environment through East and West. Currently, as Global Change Director at GrandVision, she leads change management in large-scale business and IT programs.In addition, within her Coaching & Education practice, she works with senior leaders going through a personal change and transition at work or leaders aiming to implement complex change in their organizations. Whenever she has a chance, she facilitates conversations and teachings around working with young adults' social and emotional aspects. Whatever the role or assignment, she intends to serve as a vehicle for building connected, creative and effective workplaces.In our interview, we discuss work as a force for good, how to retain talent in an organization and how to attract new talent. We focus on the workplace as a place of fulfillment and how we can increase our chances of building a culture that helps employees flourish. Follow Tamilla on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamillamahkamova/ Check Tamilla's coaching business: nowwhat.globalInstagram account: @nowwhatwithtamillaCompanies with an excellent company culture statement based on Tamilla's notes:https://www.buurtzorg.com/https://www.patagonia.com/home/https://www.benjerry.com/ Book recommendations: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/241823.Women_Who_Run_With_the_Wolves https://www.amazon.com/Reinventing-Organizations-Frederic-Laloux/dp/2960133501 Episode Timeline:02:20 What does the role of the global transformation change director mean?04:38 How should we understand the term 'company culture?10:30 What should companies look to do outside providing remunerations to retain new talent?13:35 How should we mention our activism or projects outside work? 15:02 How should we retain current talent in the workplace?20:52 How can we build a culture that helps employees flourish?29:17 How do you plan your career progression based on your passion?36:50 How do you incorporate self-knowledge in your coaching practice? 42:-3 Final 5 Fire Questions.

Chief Product Officer | Mentor | International Speaker | Top Women in Product | Career Advice | Contract Negotiation | Non-Negotiables at Work | Corporate Advisor | Digital Transformation | Femme Lead welcomes Alexandra Lung, an internationally recognized product leader, C-suite executive, public speaker, corporate advisor, and leadership mentor. Her experience spans international roles in large companies and high-growth tech scale-ups.She started her career working as a consultant in strategy. She also held positions in marketing, communication, product strategy, and consulting in digital transformation. She is listed among the top women in Product in Europe 2018, the Elite business women to follow in 2019, and the Top 25 PLG influencers in 2021. Alexandra is passionate about building great products that positively impact and drive exponential growth for the business. She is always looking for ways to grow and empower the people around her. Today we will discuss career development and how to navigate your career path. Alexandra prepared valuable advice, giving us her step-by-step process to find your next professional adventure by putting yourself first. Follow Alexandra on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandra-lung/ Episode Timeline:03:05 Tell us, what are your non-negotiables? And please let our audience know what does it mean to have non-negotiables?05:45 Where do you mention your non-negotiables in the interview process?07:15 Do you have a strategy for the interview questions?09:30: Do you advise the audience to look for subtle cues on their next career step?14:30 Did you ever feel that your career path was in jeopardy?16:50 What can you share with women unsure about their family plans?22:18 Why do you want to reassure women their career paths will be ok?24:40 How can you navigate a career path successfully?29:05 Applying for roles that seem out of reach.34:05 How do you advise people to set up for a new role?39:45 Stakeholder management when starting a new role. 45:55 Remember to think about what can happen right.48:30 Final 5 Fire Questions.

How People Learn | Subject Matter Expert | Learning & Development | Passion | Entrepreneur | Learning | Book to Courses | Learning Design | Instructional Design | Thought Leader | Olimpia Mesa is a leading expert and consultant on brain-based learning design. President of Instructional Design Ltd., a company behind hundreds of successful corporate and educational programs, both online and in-person, delivered in various languages. Olimpia designs and consults with organizations on learning projects for leadership development, transformational change management, coaching, and the development and implementation of learning strategies. Olimpia's broad industry experience includes banking, insurance, retail, real estate, technology, and manufacturing.In addition to consulting Fortune 500 organizations on learning projects, she is the founder of Book to Courses™ Online School, whose primary goal is to consult authors on how to transform a nonfictional book into online academies or apps.In our interview, we discuss the career path of an instructional designer, what it means to teach people how to learn and what a successful career looks like. Olimpia opens up about her challenges in starting a company and shares the learnings that helped her turn her passion into a business.  She is the author of "How People Learn" book: https://howpeoplelearnbook.com/ Follow Olimpia on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olimpia-mesa-45345310/Learn more about Olimpia's mission: https://olimpiamesa.com/Episode Timeline:00:30 Thank you note from the Femme Lead team.02:40 What does it mean to work with learning and instructional design systems?06:10 How did you start working with instructional design?10:30 What is the focus of the ‘hoe people learn' concept?13:55 How can we best integrate learning experiences?20:45 Are there ways to learn faster?25:40 How can people build subject matter expertise?29:55 What are the steps to ensure the learning efforts work? 33:11 Changes when starting a business: the entrepreneurship life. 37:38 One key piece of advice.42:40 Final 5 Fire Questions.

Director | Career Path | Media Industry | Gen z | Adolescent Content | Advertising Agency | Promoting Talent | Entrepreneur | Diversity & Inclusion | Content Creators | New Generation | Ramaa Mosley is a commercial director, filmmaker, and advocate. Ramaa came across her passion for content creation and advertising at the young age of five when she directed her first documentary, screened at the United Nations, by the time she was 15. Not long after that, she began directing commercials and music videos and now has hundreds of commercials, feature films, and numerous documentaries under her belt. Today you'll find Ramaa as the founder of Adolescent Content, a Black - and female-founded Gen Z media company with an advertising agency, content studio, digital platform, app, and global network of over 4,000 GenZ, Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) and LGBTQ+ creators in 20 countries. She found her inspiration beyond the agency, not only because of her extensive experience but also because she wanted to bridge the gap between agencies and Gen Z creators by starting an agency to help support them to thrive in creating branded content they care about. In this interview, we discuss a filmmaker's career path in the creative realm, entrepreneurship lessons, and how Ramaa plans to inspire the new generation of leaders to be more inclusive through her work.Follow Ramaa on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ramaa-mosley-02a73211b/ Follow Ramaa on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ramaamosley/ Check out Adolescent Content: https://adolescentcontent.com/ Episode timeline: 02:15 What is Adolescent Content and how did you decide to start the business?05:10 What are some key differences when you look at the consumer behavior of GenZ? 07:50 How should we promote more women & people of color in the audio-visual space? 13:00 What feedback do you receive from Adolescent Content clients? Tell us more about the impact GenZ creators have?16:47 What traits do you see in an entrepreneur to succeed in the media industry?20:25 When it comes to difficult moments, how do you handle situations when things don't work your way? 25:10 You started your career as a director: What inspired you to pursue this career path?31:10 How do you see the field changes since you started your career? 33:07 Final 5 Fire Questions.

Women in Leadership | Product Leader | Executive Team | Professional Advice | Career Progression | Role Model | People, Product & Process | Healthy Company Culture |  Poorvi Shrivastav is the GM and VP of Products at HubSpot. She has more than a decade of experience leading global customer, product, and engineering teams. She has launched products, built high-performing teams across enterprise SaaS companies, and is known for scaling emerging businesses. Poorvi Shrivastav is passionate about education, technology, and culture and is an investor and advisor for multiple educational and software organizations. She holds a Bachelor's in computer science engineering from India and an MBA in strategic management from The Wharton School.In our interview, we discuss Poorvi's career progression and pillars for success. We also look at building healthy company cultures and the highlights that can make a difference in a company's progress. Poorvi shares: I am looking at Femme lead as a platform for connecting with more women by highlighting my story, talking about female mentors and managers who paved the path to my success, how we invest in female leadership at HubSpot, and highlighting the importance of investing in people, process and product to grow strong leaders for tomorrow. I'd also like to bring in how we [at HubSpot] build teams and cultures that resonate with equality and efficiency, empathy and outcomes, humility and confidence. Follow Poorvi on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/poorvishrivastav/Episode Timeline:02:15 Poorvi, what do you consider makes a career successful?04:20 When could you identify the pillars for success in your career progression?09:24 How to balance empathy with the skills you need to succeed in your role?12:48 What are some insights for women in leadership? 14:30 What is the advice for listeners at the beginning of their careers?15:24 How to approach mentorship in our career path?18:05 How can we support more women in leadership?20:15 How do you advise we approach difficult conversations? 23:14 How do you see us investing in the leaders of tomorrow?25:27 What is your stance on building a healthy culture? 28:08 Looking back, would you have done anything differently?29:52 Final 5 Fire Questions.

Career Transformation | Career Growth | Pivot | Life Sciences | Life in Denmark | Inclusive Leadership | Diversity & Inclusion | Women of Color | Mentorship | Role Model | ProWoc | Life Science | Researcher |  Phaedria Marie St. Hilaire is a Dominican-born Science Business Leader with over 20 years of experience in the Pharmaceutical and Biotech industries with a passion for people development and making a difference. She has a proven track record of inspiring and driving cross-functional, multicultural teams to deliver results from her leadership positions at global companies like Carlsberg, and Novo Nordisk; and from her non-profit organization, Professional Women of Color Denmark.In addition to a Ph.D. in Chemistry, Phaedria has over 45 publications and patent applications in Chemistry and Biochemistry. She is passionate about diversity, inclusion, and belonging and changing the gender and race narrative. Phaedria believes in empowering self and others, continuous learning, self-reflection, and reinvention. She is a Mentor and Executive Coach. She enjoys pushing mental and physical boundaries and being out of her comfort zone.In our interview, Phaedria shares how she managed to transform her career multiple times. Transformational journeys are inspiring because these are the moments when you must get out of your comfort zone more than ever and trust that things will turn out OK. This is the central message of our interview: things will turn out OK. Phaedria also shares thoughts on her inclusive leadership work, advice for other leaders, and advice for young women looking to join for the first time a managerial role. We also discuss ProWoc Denmark (Professional Women of Color Denmark) and its mission.Follow Phaedria on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phaedria-marie-sthilaire/Follow Phaedria on Instagram: @thesainteddoc Check our ProWoc's mission: https://prowoc.org/Follow ProWoc on Instagram: @prowocdk  Episode Timeline:03:15 What makes a career successful?06:50 When did you realize a career path is not about the outcome?14:40 How do you connect your identity with your new path?18:00 Did you have a safety plan for your career path? 23:38 How do you advise others to take the first step towards their career transformation28:15 Your career path is going to turn out OK.29:30 What is inclusive leadership?33:28 What is the mission of Professional Women of Color Denmark?41:39 Final 5 Fire Questions.

Personal Branding | Thought Leader | Entrepreneurship | Career Advice | Failure & Success | Leadership | Hiring Tips | Role Model | Amelia Sordell is a thought leader in personal branding, and as she describes herself: “I brand people, not businesses.” She started the agency Klowt in a small bedroom in the middle of a global pandemic. She believes that the future of branding is personal. People buy from people, and trust is vital in any interaction, whether personal or professional. And that is what a personal brand does, it builds trust. Amelia Sordell, the founder of Klowt agency based in the UK, is joining us for a special interview about branding yourself and building an engaged audience online. Amelia has an impressive following on LinkedIn, where she shares content daily, and you can find her accounts below to hear more snippets of her interviews.Follow Amelia on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ameliasordell/ Follow Amelia on Instagram: @ameliasordell  Check our Klowt's website: https://klowt.io/ Episode Timeline: 02:10 Introduction to Amelia Sordell, Founder at Klowt, the personal branding agency.03:56 Why is personal branding important?07:55 Entrepreneurship spirit & founding a company in personal branding. 13:38 Failure is part of success. 15:36 The fear of failure is real. 17:10 What changes when you become an entrepreneur?20:20 Interviewing your manager and the hiring process at Klowt.  24:35 What do you see as key to a good personal branding strategy? 29:10 Inspiration for sharing content and the creative process. 30:57 Where do you start to share content? What about confidence? 34:40 Comparison paralysis when building a personal brand online.39:45 What should businesses focus on in branding? 42:06 What is the #1 tip for building an online audience?44:20 Final 5 Fire Questions. 

Product Management | Leadership at Google | Career Progression | Promotion | Career Planning | Technology | Scale-up | Corporate | HR |  Innovation | Growth | Gurpriya Bhatia is a product leader at Google. She works on product strategy for Google's Platforms (e.g., Android, Chrome, and emerging platforms such as Auto and Wear).Gurpriya has over 15 years of experience in growth strategy and business model innovation and has worked across the UK, the US, India, Japan, Switzerland, and Zimbabwe.After growing up and studying in New Delhi, India, she moved to the UK in 2007 to pursue a Master's at the London School of Economics.Gurpriya started her career in the UK in management consulting with Accenture's graduate program. She then moved to EY, where she started working with tech and fast-growth companies, which started her career in tech. While at EY, Gurpriya also did a 9-month part-time coding boot camp to further understand how technology stacks work. She then joined Google in 2020. She describes her career as a jungle gym. In our interview, we discuss her career breakthrough and how to grow your profile to reach the next professional step. Gurpriya shares the scope of her role at Google, what framework she followed in her career growth, and her mindset when it comes to professional development.Episode Timeline:02:30 What does it mean to work on Product Strategy at Google?04:20 How can you progress in your role at Google? What is the process?08:00 How can you showcase the skills for your next career step? How can we exhibit preparedness for the next steps without stepping on their toes?09:35 Can you tell us your experience and advice on asking for a promotion?16:30 Should we consider a framework for career planning? 18:00 What is your professional motto?22:40 Is there anything specific you do at Google that you have not encountered before in your career and would like to share?26:00 What are three key factors to consider if you want to scale a business?28:50 How do you manage difficult situations? 31:55 Did you ever feel pressure to continue to reach higher, and what do you do to take care of yourself?35:44 Looking back, would you do anything differently?36:35 Final 5 Fire Questions.

EdTech | imagiLabs | Girls Education | STEM | Entrepreneurship | Coding for Future | Creators with technology | Dora Palfi is the co-founder & CEO of imagiLabs, an ed-tech company making products that empower girls with the skills, confidence, and community to create with technology. Dora worked as a developer at Morgan Stanley and as a UX Designer at Cisco, and has substantial experience teaching programming to children and teenagers as well as advocating for women in technology. Originally from Hungary, and true to her fictional namesake Dora the Explorer, she has lived, studied, and worked in 10 countries across four continents. In addition to her work to bring technology closer to girls, she is also a yoga instructor, bringing mindfulness closer to engineers.Dora has been recognized on the Forbes 30 Under 30 2021 list as one of Europe's leading social entrepreneurs and as a Cartier Women's Initiative Fellow in 2020.In our interview, we discuss the role of technology in shaping the future for women and girls. Dora co-founded imagiLabs with the wish to empower young women to pursue a career in STEM. The interests of both boys and girls in technology, math, and science are similar until the age of 12 years old. After that age, it seems that gender stereotypes play an important role in how teenagers see their life options and this shapes their choices in their careers as well. imagiLabs' mission: To build diversity among technology's creators so it can benefit everyone. Incredibly, women still make up less than 25% of the tech workforce in Europe. We give coding superpowers to girls and nonbinary kids so that the next generation is equally equipped to use technology to shape the future. How do we do it? image has worked with hundreds of young people to make learning Python fun and relevant. Our team is building the only mobile-first community targeting 300 million pre-teen girls worldwide with the goal of encouraging them to start coding. The imagi apps introduce Python programming through a visual and gamified learning journey, where colorful designs can be created + shared. We also made a programmable accessory, the imagiCharm, which enhances the learning experience by making code projects more tangible and easy to show off!Follow Dora Palfi on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dorapalfi/Read more about imagiLabs:  https://imagilabs.com/Episode Timeline:02:30 Tell us more about imagiLabs and where are you now in your entrepreneurial journey?05:05 What product does imagiLabs sell?06:28 How many users do imagiLabs have now, and what engagement do you see?08:29 When did you decide to become an entrepreneur?11:15 How did you find the confidence to start your start-up, and how did you get started?13:33 What is the target group of imagiLabs and how do you target parents as part of your business strategy?17: 37 What do you think is the key to success when putting together a team? Tell us more about your team setup.21:04 How do you tackle scaling your business? What piece of advice do you want to share for those looking for investments?23:05 What is your experience pitching your business and any advice worth sharing?25:07 How does your day look like as a co-founder and CEO?26:55 What is next for imagiLabs?29:45 As an entrepreneur, how do you take care of yourself and your mental health?32:40 Looking back, is there something you would have done differently?33:40 What is one final thought you want to share with the listeners?34:56 Final 5 Fire Questions.

Mia Therese Wagner is a lawyer, founder, executive, and one of the four investors of the Danish version of Dragon' Den, 'Løvens Hule'. When Mia started her career, she became a defense attorney, and later she became a partner in “Wagner attorneys”. In 2017 Mia became CEO of the family-owned company, Freeway until 2020. In November 2020, Mia co-founded Nordic Female Founders together with Anne Stampe Olesen, and she is currently the CEO. Nordic Female Founders is working towards equal rights and terms for male and female entrepreneurs in Denmark.Mia is known for her performance in the Danish television show “Dragon's den” on DR1 and is currently the only female investor on the panel.It is important for Mia to use her voice to ensure justice and equality, and she is especially active in the gender equality debate for female entrepreneurs. She is a board member of UNICEF in Denmark with the important mission of helping all the children of the world.In her spare time, Mia loves to read a good book, a nice glass of rum, and spend time with her family and friends.In our interview, we explore her career, life, and decision to start a new venture after a prolific career as a CEO. Follow Mia on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/miawagner/ Episode Timeline:02:52 Did your experience change your idea of success?03:50 What lessons did you bring from your experience as a lawyer and CEO of Nordic Female Founders?05:33 How did you decide to start a new venture in 2020?08:24 How important is it to have a good relationship with your co-founder?10:54 What advice do you have for entrepreneurs starting up?13:00 Do you feel any pressure to be the only woman on Løvens Hule?16:00 How can men be promoters of women in leadership?17:00 What do you see as traits to succeed in entrepreneurship?18:45 What surprised you most when working with women entrepreneurs?19:46 What is a winning strategy for a pitch?21:55 What sort of profiles are you looking for at Nordic Female Founders?26:20 What do you advise women about sexism in business?29:05 What is your view on being feminine and being taken seriously? 32:05 What surprised you in your career?33:15 Would you do anything differently looking back?34:18 How do you manage work-life balance? 37:40 What are the new plans of Nordic Female Founders?42:35 Final 5 Fire Questions.

Journalism | NGO | Purpose | Career Change | Public Speaking | In the Spotlight | Charity | Inspiration | Career Path | Personal Growth | Media Training | A former TV anchor, Melania Medeleanu is a seasoned journalist from Romania that now specializes in speech training & public speaking. She left the spotlight and returned to school to study for a master's in speech therapy. Melania wanted to focus on charity and community work, and this is exactly what she started doing instead. She founded MagiCamp, and more recently, the NGO 'Zi de Bine' (A Good Day), inviting people to donate their birthdays for charitable causes.⁣In today's episode, we touch on a lot of things, including:⁣⁣1. Melania shares her perspective on career transition and actions she did to find out how to shape her passion for good into a full-time role;⁣2. Day-to-day management of tasks while running an independent NGO and her public speaking business;⁣3. What does it mean to change your career from the spotlight to helping people personally;⁣4. Life lessons from her career as a journalist and her new career as an NGO founder.⁣Follow Melania's updates: https://www.facebook.com/melania.medeleanu Find Melania's classes here: https://melaniamedeleanu.ro/ Episode Timeline (in Romanian): 03:55 Cum arata viata ta de zi cu zi?05:20 Spune-ne mai mult despre Zi de Bine. Cum putem contribui?10:06 Ce tabieturi ai a.i. sa ai grija de tine?12:14 Cum ti-ai ales domeniul profesional?14:38 Ce sfaturi ai pentru ascultatorii care vor sa urmeze o cariera in jurnalism?17:25 Ce piloni ai luat in viata din cariera de jurnalist?19:20 Cum ai decis sa iti schimbi cariera?24:53 Cum gestionezi frica si nesiguranta? 29:15 Ce secrete poti impartasi despre vorbitul in public?32:50 Ai schimba ceva din parcursul tau in viata?34:22 Planurile organizatiei 'Zi de Bine' pentru 2022. 

Education | Sport Management | Women in Sports | Football Education | Volunteer Manager | UEFA EURO 2020 | Leadership | Mindset | Athlete | Tennis Player | A former Romanian international tennis player, Diana Pirciu studied communications and sports marketing in the USA before joining the Romanian Football Federation (FRF) as a corporate social responsibility manager and education specialist. For EURO 2020, she was the volunteer manager in Bucharest, overseeing a team of 850 to ensure the city's four matches go to plan. Diana is now the education manager of the Romanian National Football Academy and leads engagement projects in FRF.In 2021 she was recognized by UEFA (Union of European Football Associations) as a top woman in football and her profile was showcased among the ‘Five stars of UEFA EURO 2020.'In our interview, Diana shares insights into how to create your role within an organization by knowing your priorities and giving yourself the opportunity to change your mind. Her athlete background shows up in everything she does. Diana is the type of person who starts projects without having the title or official role for it, but rather as a proactive approach to make things happen and push innovation forward.As a good source of inspiration for our mental health, Diana shares tips from when she worked with a mental coach. Follow Diana Pirciu on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/diana-pirciu-43113731/ Here you can read the UEFA article ‘Five Stars of UEFA EURO 2020.' Episode Timeline:02:35 What is your role at the Romanian Football Federation?05:48 How did you decide to stop your professional sports career and pursue a different career path?10:07 How did you decide from such a young age what your professional path will be?14:22 What did it mean for you to be recognized by UEFA?21:00 What is one realization about your role as an educational specialist?24:45 How should we tackle the pay gap between women and men in sports?28:15 What are the surprises or lessons of your career in sports management?37:00 How did you approach your mental health?40:38 Final 5 Fire Questions.Video & Audio Editing: Laura de Nuzzo.

Success | Entrepreneur | Introvert | 60 Day Startups | Founder | Leadership | Mental Health | Boundaries | Media Platform |  Role Model | Women in Media |Mashal Waqar is a serial entrepreneur who loves being in the midst of startups, cool tech, writing, and good people.Her first media startup, The Tempest, impacts millions of readers globally through powerful storytelling. Mashal Waqar also co-created a business accelerator taking women founders from early-stage to revenue in 60 days.  She is passionate about gender equality, accessibility, and intersectional growth and has previously worked with the United Nations, Xerox, and startups as an advisor and founder.Among her awards, we find Forbes Middle East 30 Under 30, Entrepreneur Middle East's Achieving Women, 19th World Economic Forum Young Leader of the Year, and many more. She is also a speaker at 2 TEDx talks, Harvard Bold Conference, Stanford MENA Forum, and many other events. In our interview, we discussed the definition of success and what it means to “make it.” Mashal confesses her tactics for handling situations as an introvert and how she navigates her entrepreneurial journey.Follow Mashal on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mashalwaqar/ Episode Timeline: 02:37 How do you manage your success? 09:52 How do you set boundaries for work? 15:44 How did you decide to become an entrepreneur?21:02 How do you define success now?25:45 How did your idea of “making it” change?31:55 What are the barriers of women in entrepreneurship?38:24 Fire 5 Final Questions.

The Imposter Experience | Imposter Feeling | Cybersecurity Specialist | Thought Leader | The Human Element of Cybersecurity | Personal Growth | Organizational Culture |  Confidence | Joy Beland is a cybersecurity expert & thought leader. She gained worldwide attention for her thought leadership in the Human Element of cybersecurity while successfully training over 3,000 people on cybersecurity fundamentals. She has many accreditations and has successfully contributed to the cybersecurity world. Her mission is to protect organizations from cybercrime, whether caused by external or external internal threat actors. In addition to being a CMMC Registered Practitioner, Provisional Assessor and Provisional Instructor certifications, Joy holds the CISM certification from ISACA, the SSAP certification from SANS, Carnegie Mellon SEI certificates for Insider Threat Program Manager as well as Insider Threat Vulnerability Assessor. We discuss the imposter experience, phenomenon, or feeling in our interview rather than the imposter syndrome. We deep dive into the topic by asking what it means to experience this feeling of vulnerability. Follow Joy Beland on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/joy-belinda-beland/Episode Timeline:02:27 Introduction to the human aspect of cybersecurity.05:40 How do you make the switch to focus on the human element in cybersecurity?08:40 The imposter syndrome: what is it, how does it manifest in our daily lives?15:00 What do you think the Imposter Phenomenon creates when it comes to barriers for growth?22:07 Is there a good part of experiencing the imposter feeling?25:50 What do you recommend to people who do not know where to start changing their imposter experience?32:50 Self-doubt and representation: how can we manage the imposter experience?36:20 Final 5 Fire Questions.