Technology, board work and diversity – the key to the leadership of the future In our series on the finalists for Future Board Woman of the Year 2024, we present Stine Saatvedt, one of the rising stars of Norwegian business. With a meteoric career at Microsoft, a double master’s degree in international management and a number of board positions, she is working purposefully to increase diversity in the tech industry and in the boardroom.
An impressive career in technology
Saatvedt has already achieved a great deal in her career. Responsible for a portfolio of more than NOK 100 million at Microsoft and leading the company’s AI skills initiative in Norway, she is a central figure in the technology sector. She has trained more than 20,000 people in IT skills and was recently named one of Norway’s most influential young leaders on Kapital’s “40 under 40” list.
Board work for innovation and inclusion
Saatvedt has been active in board work in recent years, including as employee representative on the board of Microsoft Norway and as a board member of Amesto Aces. She is also Advisory Board City Lead for Girls at Tech Nordics, where she works to inspire more girls to choose a career in technology. Her driving force is to influence the strategic decisions that shape the business world of the future.
Diversity as the key to success
As Co-Chair of Women@Microsoft, Saatvedt has led initiatives for greater diversity and inclusion. She believes diverse teams create better solutions and drive innovation. To get more women into board positions, she stresses the importance of mentoring programmes, networks and visibility.
“Say yes to opportunities!”
Saatvedt’s advice to women who want board positions is clear:
- Build networks and be visible.
- Take courses and seek out mentoring schemes.
- Register on board platforms and connect with recruitment firms.
- Say yes to opportunities – even if you feel underqualified.
Or, as Pippi Longstocking would have put it: “I have never done that before, so I’m sure I can do it!”
Read the full interview with Stine Saatvedt (in Norwegian) in AW Magazine here.
