Åse Holmberg enters Head Agents board
At the beginning of the year it was established that Åse Holmberg is entering the Head Agent board as a new board member. Åse will, with her personality and relevant working experience, contribute as a strong force to the profitability and success of the company going forward.
We took the opportunity to ask Åse a few questions.
How long did it take to consider the opportunity, before accepting to enter the Head Agent board?
The only thing I do not have enough of in life is time, therefore, accepting a board assignment is not a given priority to me. I need to believe in the core business, the vision of the owners and the company’s values before I can even consider the possibility to join the board. In addition, I need to believe that I will grow and learn from the collaboration. After having met the owners and the chairman it was obvious for me that Head Agent ticked all my boxes, therefore, when the sharp offer was presented, I accepted without hesitation.
What will be your area of focus that you wish to highlight and contribute to? What’s on top of your agenda?
As the board member with the most experience from being on the customer side and drive large operative organizations, it will be natural for me to drive the customer perspective and more specific, how HA can become a strong partner. I am also extremely focused on results, meaning that Karin will get coaching as well as a blowtorch from my direction in delivering on her goals.
What do you consider to be the greatest challenges in our industry?
To stay relevant by understanding the fast-moving environment that the customers are in. Companies as well as job positions are in constant change, meaning that a candidate who could have been a perfect match a year ago may have turned irrelevant today. If you as a recruiting company fail to understand the need of change that the majority of all companies are facing presently, you won’t become a trustworthy partner.
“Lifelong learning” has become a popular expression – what does it mean to you and do you have any tricks up your sleeve?
Development is a rather challenging process for most people. Few admit it to themselves, but deep down, we as individuals are rather comfortable and do not like to step outside our comfort zone. Thus, lifelong learning to me is about forcing myself to stay curious, not to become comfortable and no matter how experienced I am, put myself into positions where I am the “novice in the room”. That must be my best trick – make sure to, now and then, throw yourself into situations where you are the least knowledgeable party, then you will keep learning automatically.
What is your first rule of life/motto?
I have so many but one that I am found of is:” I may be wrong, I may be wrong, I may be wrong.” It is a mantra stolen from the wise Björn Natthiko Lindeblad that in all its simplicity captures the importance of trying to see all situations from more angles than one’s own.
Facts about Åse Current engagements: Interim Chief Commercial Officer at Clas Ohlson, Board Chairman at UX-design agency Osynlig, board member at Head Agent AB Family: A large, lovely bonus family Lives: In Stockholm Background: Degree of Master of Science in Business and Economics and leading positions in the past, mainly within retail and telecom.