International Women’s Day 2024

What does your role at Heliospectra entail and how did you get here?

At the moment I fulfill two positions at Heliospectra. In addition to my position as Supply Chain Manager, I am also Segment Manager for Agtech. Since 2022 we have brought focus in our company by dividing our market into 3 segments – Greenhouse segment, Vertical Farm segment and Agtech segment. That is currently our largest market, where we are the market leader with our dynamic light portfolio, serving universities and research institutes, speed breeders and multinationals doing their own research.  For the supply chain, I am responsible for the purchase to order and order to cash processes. I joined Heliospectra ten years ago, where I was initially responsible for order management and shipping. In 2019, I became Supply Chain Manager and reported to the CFO. In 2022 I became a member of the management team.

What inspires you, both at work and in your everyday life?

I enjoy being out in nature and find it inspiring. I am a trail runner and I like to run in the forest and in the mountains. It gives me energy and a kind of meditation and calm at the same time. I share this passion with my mother and our last trip was to the mountains of Albania where we ran for a week. My mother inspires me a lot, she is the CEO of a fibre glass production company, and we have good conversations about leadership and challenges in our daily work. 

At work, I am inspired by working for a company and in a team that are working on cutting edge technology in an industry where we provide smart lighting solutions for growers to produce vegetables, flowers and ornamentals in a sustainable way.

What do you enjoy the most about your role at Heliospectra? 

What I enjoy most about my role at Heliospectra is that I have the opportunity to be involved in many activities within the organisation. We work in a business that is developing fast, both in terms of (LED) technology and new trends in growing, such as spectrum control and data-driven growing based on algorithms, which means that I am constantly learning new things, which I enjoy. I also enjoy having talented teammates who teach me new things every day.

As a member of the management team, how do you foster an environment that encourages leadership development and supports the growth of all team members, regardless of gender?

I am 32 years old and have been part of the Heliospectra management team since the summer of 2022. I have just started, and I still have a lot to learn.    

But I believe that every team member is unique, and it is important to see and know their competence and find ways to enhance and encourage their strengths and identify their development needs. So, for me, leadership means listening to personal goals and aligning them with the company’s overall goals. I want to encourage open communication and help my team members to contribute to the success of the company.

Tell us something about you that we wouldn’t learn from your CV?

What you will not find on my CV is that I am interested in history and have a monthly subscription to a history magazine. I also love cooking outdoors with my friends. 

What does your role at Heliospectra entail and how did you get here?  

I am currently working as Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) at Heliospectra. This is quite a strategic and diverse position as I handle all the marketing and communication for the company, both at the brand level, and as a listed company to our owners and shareholders. I am also head of our technical services team, helioCARE, which supports our customers with everything from installations and technical support to crop advice and educational sessions. Last but not least, I’m also focusing on heading and re-building our Vertical Farming Segment. In January 2022 we took the decision to pause our Vertical Farming Segment as we put focus on our re-organization and our offer towards our Agtech and Greenhouse segments. We are now at a point where we are confident in our solution offering, including the MITRA X platform, the updated helioCORE system and the upcoming new ELIXIA platform, so it is time to focus and rebuild our Vertical Segment. Since vertical farming environments aren’t standardized and often require more customized solutions, here we work more as a lighting partner and create longer and lasting customer partnerships for their specific environment. 

Before Heliospectra I worked for a large OEM firm called Vestel Group, in Munich, Germany, where I headed our Danish white goods brand Vestfrost. I was also involved in the build-up of Vestel’s introduction of LED lights to the European market. This was my first contact with LEDs.  When I moved back to Sweden, I got in touch with Heliospectra and immediately liked the sustainable and unique offering of their products and brand, and started working in their marketing department. That was 9,5 years ago now. 

What inspires you, both at work and in your everyday life?  

I’m a creative person who likes to express myself and be around creative people. I enjoy art and drawing, and I sit on the board of an art gallery that my husband and his brother run in Gothenburg called Interart. I love being around people who are passionate about what they do. This is part of what I love about Heliospectra: the diversity and passion the people bring – there is always something to learn. Our team consists of everything from engineers and plant scientists to creative marketers, salespeople and accountants, all of whom bring a deep interest not only in their work, but also in green technology and sustainability. I can’t tell you how many hours I’ve spent in our lab talking to our research manager about plants and plant responses. 

I also have two kids, and they keep me inspired every day! 

What do you enjoy the most about your role at Heliospectra?  

My role is diverse and I love that every day is different, from planning a product launch and campaign to organizing an event or visiting customers for sales and follow-up discussions. I get to enjoy the customer journey from start to finish. We are active in an industry that is constantly developing and becoming more technological. Needs and preferences are constantly changing and our company needs to evolve with them.   

I also love to take on new challenges and keep learning. I have been fortunate that my position at Heliospectra has developed over the years, with new challenges that have forced me to evolve. 

As a member of the management team, how do you foster an environment that encourages leadership development and supports the growth of all team members, regardless of gender?  

Heliospectra consists of a diverse team with lots of different skill sets. As a manager, I believe it is essential to get to know your employees, to understand what drives each individual and what their strengths are, as well as identify their development needs and work with them. Then, you can better utilize their strengths and build a strong team.   

At Heliospectra, we believe in a flat organization and open communication between departments. When facing a new problem or challenge, I am always amazed at how quickly our team can come together and find a solution. That is when you really see the strength in diversity. We encourage our employees to bring new ideas and solutions to the table. I think being able to take responsibility for projects and contribute to the growth of the organization is a great way to learn to lead. 

Tell us something about you that we wouldn’t learn from your CV?  

I love to ski and when I was younger, I was fortunate to live and travel around Europe, which included a ski season in Austria. 

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