Femme Lead Alexandra Ciobotaru

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.html

Learn 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 career


Follow 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-get


Book 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 among
other 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