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he winner, a female student from the school, rece
ives a scholarship and Barbro herself is mentor and promotor. Susanna Francke Rodau, today Head of Healthcare Development at Roche Diagnostics Scandinavia, received the 2005 award, including a tailor-made trainee program at Pfizer. “Besides the fact that it was a great honor, it was also FEOY who opened the door into the life science industry for me, where I have had a challenging and rewarding career for the past 14 years. In addition the scholarship gave me an extensive network of both other scholarship holders and other people connected to the Stockholm School of Economics, Barbro Ehnbom and the scholarship, which still gives me great joy and benefit,” Susanna Francke Rodau says. For those who don’t get this type of opportunity, Barbro advises women and men aiming for a leadership role to target the traditional male-dominated work environments, not the HR department. She also advises creating a strong network and maybe a mentor who believes in you and can help promote you. “Become committed to something outside your work environment, perhaps a charity or something cultural. It also enriches your life. Seek out new networks by yourself, not together with your closest friends; this will broaden your network,” she says. Barbro herself has been very involved in cultural activities and exchange between Sweden and the US. She has for example been Director of the Northern Lights Theatre and she is a member of the board at the Jussi Björling Society and the Taube Society. In 2001 Barbro founded the female professional network Barbro’s Best & Brightest (BBB), which today has over 200 members, predominantly from Sweden and New York. The members have experience in everything from finance and medicine to diplomacy and stage performance. The network also has many partners who can act as mentors and promote the member’s careers. “The network has led to over 100 new jobs I would estimate,” says Barbro proudly. She describes BBB as her passion in life and quotes her favorite poet Oscar Wilde about it, “Put your talent into your work, but your genius into your life.” “It might sound pretentious but it gives me so much energy to be able to help others and make someone happy. The contacts and the collaborations at BBB are my greatest inspiration and joy. Our meetings also spur new business ideas, which I love, and through my contacts I can help my members find financing partners,” says Barbro. Sana Alajmovic went to the Stockholm School of Economics, just like Barbro, and when she was 23 she got a scholarship to go to New York, just like Barbro. She worked at the Swedish-American Chamber of Commerce and at a party she met Barbro, who attracted her to the life science industry. “She was my mentor and we soon became good friends. I joined BBB as Project manager for SALSS in 2012,” says Sana, who today is CEO and co-founder of the biotech company Sigrid Therapeutics. “Through BBB I have made friends for life and gotten the opportunity to meet both men and women within the Swedish business sector who have been both inspiring and helpful to my career. Barbro is incredibly generous with her contacts and very skilled in matching together people who may benefit from one another.” ecause of the circumstances of being one of the few women in those early years, Barbro herself did not have any professional female network supporting her in her career. “Although I didn’t have the benefit of any female sounding board, I got very involved with everything Swedish in New York, including several Swedish women associations. I am also lucky to have super role models in my sisters.” The closest to a mentor she has had was Dr. Hans Werthén, former Chairman and CEO of Electrolux, who acquired over 500 companies. “He pushed me in my career, for example he told me “apply for a job within M&A” so I did what he said,” says Barbro and laughs. The idea behind the Swedish-American Life Science Summit (SALSS) was born in 2000/2001, when Barbro assisted Swedish Consul General Olle Wästberg in arranging meetings at the popular 600 Park Avenue in New York. The concept was that Barbro would invite investors and the owners of investment companies to meet new hot Swedish biotech companies. She initiated the first SALSS meeting in Stockholm 2005 and down the years the event has highlighted important progress and challenges within the life science industry. On the agenda are the most interesting topics and the most exciting people. This is mixed with Barbro’s sense of creating relaxing settings where conversations can grow and new contacts can be made. Everybody I have spoken to for this article repeated the same words, “SALSS is a very unique event.” “It is the only meeting that has succeeded in attracting people from the top of the US life science industry – scientists, companies and investors – to Sweden,” says Nikolaj Sørensen, CEO of Orexo. “There is no doubt that Barbro’s commitment and network in both the US and in Sweden is the key to this success. Without Barbro this meeting would probably have been like all other meetings in Sweden; mainly Swedish representatives and perhaps an occasional lone American.” “In every encounter I have had with Barbro I am struck by her commitment, her professionalism and warmth. Thanks to her personality, her experience and broad network SALSS has received the status and the extremely interesting content that it has,” agrees Maria Strömme, professor in Nanotechnology at Uppsala University. NORDICLIFESCIENCE.ORG 49