Maria, since January you have had an exciting and important assignment – Head of Trade and Industry Policy at the West Swedish Chamber of Commerce; what does this entail?
This is a fantastic and important assignment 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 West Swedish business and Sweden forward. We create meetings, highlight facts and issues as well as for dialogue and are themselves active in the debate where it promotes the issue.
We are curious – how do you approach this important work?
In order to earn the trust of both our members and in politics, we need to be relevant, well-read and solution-oriented. There is no shortcut. All my focus is here. I build on what I have with me from the business community and previous triple helix collaborations and listen in. Something new happens every day and we need to be on our toes.
What do you think is important to succeed with your mission and what is required of you as a leader?
I come back to the words promote, represent and trust.
The historical guiding principles of the West Swedish Chamber of Commerce require long-term work where respectful relations between us, the business community and politics are the basis for everything. This requires us to invest with our genuine curiosity, interest and attention and then manage the trust well and powerfully in our advocacy work.
West Swedish business is undoubtedly one of the strongest engines in 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 fight for competence is not taking a break. We must cooperate and create alliances where it is fruitful.
Well-founded 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 Swedish Chamber of Commerce.