Maria, since January you have an exciting and important assignment - Head of Business Policy at the West Sweden Chamber of Commerce; what does this entail?
This is a fantastic and important position of trust where my task is to promote and represent the West Swedish business community, creating the conditions required for continued development and competitiveness. We do this, among other things, by ensuring that politics and business meet on the issues that take the West Swedish business community and Sweden forward. We create meetings, highlight facts and issues as well as engage in dialogue and are active in the debate where it promotes the issue.
We are curious - how do you approach this important work?
To earn the trust of both our members and politicians, we need to be relevant, informed and solution-oriented. There is no shortcut. All my focus is here. I build on what I bring from the business world and previous triple helix collaborations and listen in. Every day something new happens and we need to be on our toes.
What do you think is important to succeed in your mission and what is required of you as a leader?
I come back to the words promote, represent and trust.
The West Sweden Chamber of Commerce's historical guiding principles require long-term work where respectful relationships between us, the business community and politics are the basis for everything. This requires us to invest our genuine curiosity, interest and attention and then manage the trust well and powerfully in our advocacy work.
West Sweden's business community is undoubtedly one of the strongest drivers of the Swedish economy and we need to continue to be the best at what we do and be at the forefront of the green transition. Competition outside the country's borders is not slowing down and the battle for skills is not stopping. We will cooperate and create alliances where it is fruitful.
Well grounded in the needs of our members, I look forward to being a natural ambassador for West Sweden's strengths and excellence together with all my colleagues at the West Sweden Chamber of Commerce.