Femme Lead

Send us Fan MailLeadership Development | Executive Career Track | Career Pivot | AWS | In this Femme Lead episode, Melanie McGrory, Director of the EMEA Tech team at Amazon Web Services, shares her unique career journey spanning cybersecurity, defense, and tech leadership. Known for her “zig-zag” career path, Melanie discusses pivotal moments of risk-taking, overcoming challenges in male-dominated industries, and the evolving nature of leadership in today’s digital world.Melanie and her team at AWS support digital native companies and enterprises by enabling digital transformation, innovation, and new customer experiences. With expertise across 175+ AWS services, including AI/ML, migration, security, and hybrid cloud, Melanie is a recognized leader in driving business outcomes through technology.Before AWS, Melanie held leadership roles at HP and the UK Ministry of Defence, bringing two decades of experience in strategy, consulting, and general management across sectors such as travel, transport, logistics, and retail.A STEM advocate and veteran charity participant, Melanie holds a Bachelor’s degree in Physics and Operational Research from the University of Cranfield. Tune in for career insights, leadership lessons, and practical advice for women forging paths in tech and beyond!Follow Melanie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melanie-mcgrory-4684757/

Send us Fan MailRebekka Gunnarsdóttir is redefining what it means to lead in the tech industry. As a Senior Manager in AI and Data at EY Consulting in Copenhagen, she brings a powerful blend of business insight, digital innovation, and a deep commitment to community. In this episode, Rebekka shares her journey from finance to tech, her passion for shaping the future of AI, and how she founded KATLA, an Icelandic women’s network to help others visualize and reach their career goals. We also discuss authenticity in leadership, building inclusive workplaces, and striking a balance between ambition and family life. Whether you're navigating your next career step or curious about the human side of AI, Rebekka’s story offers clarity and connection!Follow Rebekka on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebekka-gunnarsdottir/#Femmelead #Femmeleadpodcast #Femaletechleaders #Womenintech  #WomeninAI #Techcareerstories #EYConsulting #Digitaltransformation #AIinbusiness #WomeninSTEM 

Send us Fan MailIn this special episode of Femme Lead, host Alexandra welcomes back Sophie Jelstrup, Head of FX Trading at Nordea Markets in Copenhagen. Sophie returns to share her remarkable journey from Chief Dealer to leading the FX trading desk, offering exclusive insights into career progression, leadership, and the evolving world of finance.Whether you’re curious about what it takes to rise in the financial sector or want to learn how leaders like Sophie navigate market trends, innovation, and inclusion, this episode is packed with actionable advice and behind-the-scenes stories.Follow Sophie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophie-jelstrup-70bb0343/ Key Topics & Questions CoveredSophie's Career Evolution:How Sophie transitioned from Chief Dealer to Head of FX Trading and what her current role entails.A Day in the Life:What a typical day looks like for Sophie and which aspects of her work she finds most fulfilling.Pivotal Decisions & Opportunities:The key moments and choices that shaped Sophie’s career trajectory.Leadership Qualities:The most important leadership traits Sophie has developed and how she’s cultivated them.Redefining Success:How Sophie’s understanding of achievement in finance has changed over time.Building Professional Relationships:How her approach to networking and relationships has evolved and supports her leadership today.Overcoming Challenges:The unexpected hurdles Sophie has faced as a leader and her strategies for overcoming them.Leadership in Finance:What makes the financial sector unique for leadership development and whether it’s becoming more inclusive.Credibility & Impact:How Sophie builds credibility and drives impact within Nordea Markets.Early Career Preparation:The role of Nordea’s graduate program in preparing Sophie for leadership.Emerging Market Trends:The trends Sophie believes will reshape financial markets in the coming years.AI & Automation:How Nordea is navigating technological change and what skills finance professionals need for the future.Evolving Leadership Styles:How the definition of a good leader is changing in finance and the value of diverse leadership styles.Shaping Workplace Culture:How Sophie and her peers are actively shaping the working environment and culture at Nordea Markets.Follow our latest updates on femmelead.com

Send us Fan MailDigital Transformation | Leadership | Pharma | Engineering & Data | HealthTech | Step into the world of digital leadership and transformation with this episode’s inspiring guest, Anja Leth Zimmer. As the Corporate Vice President of Digital Products & Software Engineering at Novo Nordisk, Anja brings over 16 years of experience spanning Pharma, Consumer Goods, and Management Consulting. Her career journey includes pivotal roles at Deloitte and Carlsberg, and today, she leads a diverse team of software engineers, designers, and project managers-driving innovation at the intersection of technology and healthcare.Anja shares the pivotal moments that shaped her as a leader, including tough choices, failures, and the lessons learned along the way. Discover how she built the confidence to create her own opportunities, and hear her unique “pizza analogy” for taking charge of your career. Anja opens up about navigating periods of status quo and personal challenges, such as returning from maternity leave and turning obstacles into opportunities for growth.We dive into her approach to authentic leadership, the questions she asks when mentoring others, and how she encourages her team to “make their own pizza” rather than wait for a bigger slice. Anja also offers her insights on the evolving landscape of digital transformation, the importance of working across the value chain, and how to foster a culture of empowerment rather than fear.Whether you’re interested in digital trends, leadership development, or making a meaningful impact through innovation, this conversation with Anja Leth Zimmer is packed with actionable advice and inspiration for your own leadership journey!Follow Anja on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anjazimmer/

Send us Fan MailIP | Branding | Creator Economy | Unmtchd Mindset | Personal Branding | Community | In this episode, we welcome Oana Leonte, the founder of Unmtchd., a media and education platform dedicated to empowering entrepreneurs with the tools they need to scale their brands. With over 20 years of experience in the entertainment, fashion, and sports industries, Oana has worked with major brands like Disney, Puma, and Warner Bros., mastering the art of brand building, intellectual property (IP) strategy, and licensing. Now, through Unmtchd., she’s on a mission to help the next generation of founders create scalable, sustainable businesses. In this conversation, Oana shares invaluable insights on the future of branding, why IP and ecosystems are the next big business advantage, and the importance of storytelling in building a lasting brand. Whether you’re a corporate exec looking to reinvent yourself or an aspiring entrepreneur, this episode offers powerful lessons on standing out, scaling, and leaving a lasting impact with your brand.Follow Oana on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oana-leonte/Follow the journey: Home - Unmtchd. 

Send us Fan MailFemTech Founder | Clue App | Female Health Tech | Entrepreneur | Agency | Women’s Right |In this insightful interview, Ida Tin, the co-founder and CEO of the menstruation-tracking app Clue, shares her journey from a motorcycle tour entrepreneur to one of the leading voices in healthtech. Ida discusses how she coined the term "FemTech" and the vision behind creating Clue as a tool for empowering women to track their health. She also delves into the importance of setting healthy boundaries - both personally and professionally and how these principles have shaped her business approach. Ida shares her views on the evolution of women's health technology, the challenges she faced while scaling Clue, and the future of FemTech, offering invaluable perspectives on innovation, collaboration, and inclusivity in healthcare.Her passion for technology and women’s health led her to co-found Clue in 2013 to provide women with a smart, reliable way to track their menstrual and fertility cycles. Her vision has not only transformed personal health but also created an entire movement within the tech industry. Ida is credited with coining the term "FemTech," which has become synonymous with technology dedicated to women's health, ranging from fertility to menopause.Under Ida’s leadership, Clue has grown exponentially, with over 10 million users in 190 countries. Along the way, she has received numerous accolades, including being named Female Web Entrepreneur of the Year. Beyond Clue, Ida’s influence extends into shaping the future of women's health tech, working alongside giants like Apple to develop period-tracking software for their HealthKit platform. Her journey exemplifies the power of innovation, boundary-pushing, and resilience in making a lasting impact on both technology and society!Follow Ida on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/idatin/ 

Send us Fan MailBillion Dollar Company | Entrepreneur | Tech SaaS| Career Progression| Climbing Corporate Ladder | Alina Vandenberghe is a visionary entrepreneur, tech leader, and the co-founder & co-CEO of Chili Piper, a pioneering SaaS company transforming how businesses manage meetings and customer engagement. Born and raised in Romania during communism, Alina’s journey is one of resilience, adaptability, and a relentless drive for innovation.In this episode, Alina Vandenberghe shares her rapid career progression - from intern to SVP in just six years - unpacking the strategies she used to build influence, develop leadership charisma, and navigate corporate dynamics. Alina also opens up about co-founding a company with her husband, balancing entrepreneurship with motherhood, and why women are still underrepresented in leadership. This is an episode packed with bold insights, real talk, and game-changing advice!Her career began in product development, where she led groundbreaking mobile projects for Fortune 500 companies, including Samsung, Bloomberg, and Reuters. Recognized for her ability to build high-impact tech solutions, she later ventured into entrepreneurship, co-founding Chili Piper with her husband, Nicolas. Together, they’ve scaled the company into a globally recognized, remote-first organization with a strong culture of collaboration and innovation.Beyond work, Alina is an advocate for women in tech and leadership, sharing her insights on entrepreneurship, personal growth, and the evolving landscape of marketing and sales automation.Follow Alina on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alinav/ 

Send us Fan MailTech Career | Engineering | AI Era | Managing Tech Teams | Leadership | Career Promotion | Visibility In this episode, Angela Timofte, Trustpilot's Global Vice President of Engineering, shares her insights on navigating the fast-paced world of tech management and the growing influence of AI. We dive into how AI and emerging technologies are transforming how tech teams are managed and how they drive efficiency and performance within her team. Angela also discusses the delicate balance between leveraging AI for workflow improvements while keeping teams agile and human-centered. Throughout the conversation, she emphasizes the importance of fostering a culture of continuous learning, setting clear objectives, and ensuring alignment between business goals and tech initiatives. Angela also provides valuable leadership tips on empowering individuals, scaling teams for high performance, and developing future tech leaders. This episode is a deep dive into the strategies and practices that set teams and individuals up for success in a rapidly changing tech environment.Follow Angela on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angela-timofte-it/

Send us Fan MailUN | Impact Career | Financial Independence | Role Models | Tech4Good | Sustainability | Creative Campaigns | Global Impact | Leadership |  Today, we’re honored to be joined by a trailblazer in global leadership, social impact, and cultural innovation, Katja Iversen, the CEO of UN Live.Katja’s remarkable career spans civil society, the United Nations, and global leadership training for Fortune 500 executives. She works at the intersection of arts, culture, and the world’s most pressing issues, embracing music, film, arts, sports, and gaming to drive progress on the Sustainable Development Goals. From advising world leaders to embracing popular culture for social good, Katja has built a career that is nothing short of transformative.In this episode, we’ll explore her incredible journey, the challenges, and triumphs she’s encountered in cross-cultural leadership, and how she uses her platform to inspire action and create a sense of global belonging, or what the team at UN Live calls a "Global We". We’ll also dive into her thoughts on leadership qualities, empowering women, and the intersection of personal values with global impact.Prepare for a conversation that will leave you feeling inspired to think globally, lead boldly, and take meaningful action.Follow Katja's work on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katjaiversen/ 

Send us Fan MailVenture Capital | Innovation | Mobility Trends | Sustainability | Career Transition | Investment | Community | Advice Join us for an engaging conversation with Samantha Huang, Principal at BMW i Ventures, where she focuses on early-stage investments in transformative technologies such as AI, big data, Industry 4.0, mobility innovation, and sustainability. With a passion for driving progress, Samantha dives deep into the trends shaping the future of transportation, the next generation of human experiences, and the rise of sustainable solutions.In this interview, Samantha reflects on her dynamic career journey, from her legal and research background to her role in venture capital. She shares her expertise on what it takes to succeed in the fast-paced VC world, insights into emerging opportunities in mobility and sustainability, and advice for aspiring leaders looking to navigate the evolving landscape of innovation and investment.Samantha holds a J.D. from UC Berkeley Law School and an MA in history from Stanford University. A licensed California attorney, she previously worked as Lead Researcher at the Rock Center for Corporate Governance at Stanford University, focusing on innovation, immigration, and entrepreneurship. Samantha is also a dedicated advocate for diversity and empowerment in venture capital, serving as Board Director for the Asian Law Caucus and Board Director and Head of Content for the Emerging Venture Capitalists Association, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the next generation of venture capitalists.Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from one of the leading voices shaping the future of venture capital and technology! Follow Samantha’s updates online: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-huang-10375b106/