As time moves forward, so do the stories of our role models. In our ongoing quest to understand the evolving landscapes of inspiration and achievement, we revisit the luminaries who have graced our platform before. These are not just interviews; they are conversations that bridge past aspirations with present realities, and the enduring legacies of those who continue to shape our world.
Previously on WE SHAPE TECH 😊… Welcome to our series of interviews where we catch up with the inspiring role models we have had the privilege of speaking with in the past. We are thrilled to reconnect and dive into the journeys of these remarkable individuals, exploring the paths they have traveled since our last conversation. Join us as we eagerly explore the latest chapters in their lives, seeking insights, inspirations, lessons learned, and their view on the state of diversity along the way.
Read the original Role Model interview
with Stephanie Sievers
It has been a while, since our last interview in March 2019. What has happened since?
In May 2023, I started a new role at Philips, as CEO for the Nordics (covering Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark, and Iceland), and the path to it was somewhat unconventional! I had previously been Head of Marketing for Europe at Philips, where I had successfully built the European marketing team from scratch, and this had been a very satisfying role for me.
In early 2023, I was tasked with re-organizing the marketing division to align with the company’s new operating model. Even though this re-organization involved a potential promotion for me, I recognized this was a juncture where I could pursue what I had now come to want, which was a more commercial role. This meant I had to find a new landing spot and my place in the company was an open question.
So, I presented my manager with the new, requested organizational chart, stating that I no longer wanted to be in the marketing division, even though I was so proud of the tremendous work the marketing team had done. It was clearly a risk, as I wanted to stay with Philips, but I knew I was valued by the company, and I knew in my gut this was the moment to leave marketing and the safety that represented for me. So, I followed my instincts—which I think we often have to trust—and pitched for the new role. It was a calculated risk, which I believe we must sometimes be willing to take.
I was an expert in B2B marketing, not B2B sales, and did not have an established network of sales contacts or even experience selling healthcare products. I had to ask myself, what do I bring to the table? I knew I would bring vision, a commitment to collaboration that would drive efficiencies across the organization, leadership that would inspire staff, and a willingness to think out of the box in ways that I was sure would incentivize our teams and increase productivity. Knowing – and trusting – one’s own skills, and having the confidence to ask for the things you want – this is something that doesn’t always come naturally for many women. But it can open up whole new landscapes, and for me, it did; I assumed the role of CEO for the Nordic region.
I was surprised that the impact we were able to have in my new division was often driven by basics, not sophisticated innovations, and by readily available technologies. For example, I saw the team worked in silos; information did not travel efficiently through the region and we often talked about the same thing in meetings with different groups. We then put everything onto online forums so all the leaders and their teams could “self-serve,” increasing efficiencies and facilitating collaboration, since information was now accessible to everyone.
We also committed to a simple, jargon-free growth strategy that everyone could understand – and therefore advance. (Several team members told me this was the first growth strategy they actually understood!) We had to increase profitability, so I decided to aim for generating more revenue. By encouraging the teams, helping them identify what they needed to expand, empowering them to use the full breadth of their skills, and inspiring them to believe they could do what they did not think possible, we achieved double-digit sales growth and outperformed our profitability targets. We only had to unlock skills the teams already had to achieve these gains – and then follow up with detailed, disciplined measures to cement them.
There were other factors driving my professional trajectory that I think are relevant to many women. I had a mentor at Philips, a woman who was a senior executive at the company, and this was huge. I could ask her things that I was unsure about, sound out ideas, and reach out whenever I needed advice. She gave me so much tangible and practical support!
I also had a manager that trusted me and was willing to take a chance with me. He knew my work, and this speaks to the fact that we have to do our jobs really well, we have to give it everything we have wherever we are – there are so many touch points in which people will form an opinion of us and our work, and this will greatly impact the opportunities that are opened to us down the line.
Equally important, I had a supportive partner. I think this is relevant to many women, who may often feel a disproportionate share of the responsibility for the well-being of the family, and a hesitancy to ask for significant compromises from their partners. My promotion involved a move from The Netherlands to Sweden, and my partner was supportive of my decision to take on the new role and willing to build new lives for ourselves together there.
I also think one’s attitude is key. I had previously hoped to move to Spain, and now here I was in Sweden, where it is cold and dark for four months! But I put myself all the way in, learned to love the beautiful winters, and committed to learning Swedish! As leaders, we have the responsibility to learn – the language, the culture, and in a real sense to learn how to make a new life. There needs to be this willingness to invest deeply and to find beauty and happiness where one lands.
How has your perspective on diversity and inclusion in tech-related academic domains evolved since our last conversation?
One aspect of diversity that I’ve become increasingly aware of in my own work, is that true inclusion goes beyond gender. In Europe, diversity typically means including women, and in the U.S., it usually includes race as well. But diversity should also refer to age, culture, background, intellectual approach, work style, and so on.
I’ve come to feel the issue of diversity regarding age has particular relevance to technology, and specifically, the use of technologies to spur growth across industries. One of the volunteer activities I recently took on was with “Startup Teens,” a prominent German NGO that encourages youth entrepreneurship and innovation. I was part of the jury for their annual “Start-up Teens Challenge,” which is a business plan competition that they hold for students who submit ideas for start-ups. The winners receive capital and mentorship for their plans. The review process gave me a close-up view of how our youth are integrating technology, and I was so impressed with their level of digital knowledge! This generation has grown up immersed in technology; they all knew the latest technologies and have such a comfort level integrating them into all aspects of their work. I have so much confidence in this younger generation and how they will advance innovation and growth due to their digital expertise! So, I think when we are focusing on advancing diversity we would do well to enrich our teams with younger (less-credentialed) talent.
Interestingly, girls were present in this competition, but not prominent. Afterwards, I reflected on the fact that relatively fewer girls participated in the challenge, and that overall, the boys tended to deliver stronger pitches.
What challenges have you encountered in promoting diversity and inclusion within the tech sector, and how have you addressed them?
My own team has 44% women, and this reflects the diversity that characterizes the Nordic countries. But even here I still see the enormity of the task ahead of us regarding diversity. When I set out to expand our commercial team, I found that often only men responded to our initial job postings. We often had to take several rounds to find a diverse pool of candidates. Moreover, I tasked all the applicants with developing a 90-day plan, and I was frequently surprised by the difference in the level of diligence and effort that went into many of the women’s plans. But often these women had not replied to the initial opening because they did not think they met all of the requirements.
The lesson for me was that we have to invest time and effort into finding women. And we have to use application and interview processes that allow us to reach a diverse pool of candidates who can fully demonstrate their strengths. Women will often not put themselves forward as confidently as men, who tend to be more comfortable talking and selling themselves, and they will not talk as loud. But when you give women a chance to show what they can do, as we did when we asked all applicants to develop a 90-day plan, they shine. We have to encourage women to dare to throw their hats into the ring.
I have also seen up front the role of policy in advancing gender diversity as an executive woman in Sweden, where there is real equality regarding raising children. Parental leave is parental leave, for both men and women, and this has huge implications for women’s work. The men really take care of the kids! We have all-day kindergarten and it is completely normal for women and men to have to leave at 4:00 to pick up the kids! Advocating vigorously for these kinds of gender-neutral family policies is central to advancing gender diversity.
What are your ambitions and wishes for your career moving forward?
There is need for more women in sales, managerial positions, and leadership roles. I hope to advance that by the insights I have gained over the last years regarding finding female talent and nurturing it.
I also see the need to strengthen the connections between the stakeholders in healthcare – industry, governments, and hospitals. We need to work together more effectively on numerous issues, including the fast-evolving integration of AI, data storage, cybersecurity, and sustainability, and technology can help advance this collaboration. But there is a lot of fear surrounding technology, especially now regarding AI and job security, and many people also often feel intimidated by the growing array of technological products and services. Our task as leaders is to help our teams not to be afraid of it, to address the barriers, educate ourselves, and identify the ways in which we can use technology to improve healthcare. I believe that supporting the next generation, their ideas and their dreams, and encouraging them to use their digital skills to advance innovation, will be central to success in this.
In addition, I also want very much to have a socially positive impact. I continuously ask myself, “Where can I contribute most? How can I use my skills to advance healthcare through technology? Where is the greatest need?” This kind of intentional reflection on the things that matter most to us is so important to me.
You shared your advice for other women in tech in our last interview. What advice would you give today, looking back at your experience and what has happened since?
From the heart, I tell women what a mentor once told me, “think big – and then think bigger.” Striving for what we truly want, and actively working to achieve it because we believe it is possible, does not come easily for many women. I urge women, in all industries, to deeply reflect on their personal and professional goals and dreams. Write them down. Then reflect upon what the milestones toward these goals would look like, and which small steps must be taken to get there. Reflect regularly on any progress. They will be amazed at what they are able to achieve!
But it is also critical to have a strong network.
I would also urge women to do more things outside their own companies, go to events, be intellectually curious, build their networks, connect with people and ask questions, including how they got to where they are. I would also encourage women to ask for feedback, and to listen carefully to it. We may not always agree with what we are told, but this is a critical piece of self-awareness and growth. And usually, the feedback is much better than we expected, because we women are usually hardest on ourselves!
