ICMA Women’s Network event at NIB draws a crowd
On 9 June 2026, NIB, ICMA Women’s Network and Nordea hosted a Women in Finance Afternoon in Helsinki. Around 100 participants from across the financial sector gathered for keynotes and a discussion self-advocacy, personal branding, and strategic networking.
If you ask a child to draw a leader, they will often draw a man. There are many reasons women still have to fight for their place, and some perceptions prove persistent—among them the idea of motherhood as a professional penalty.
Keynote insights on networks and self-advocacy
These are examples of themes that were discussed during the event. Setting the scene at NIB’s headquarters, the afternoon opened with a keynote from Marjo-Riitta Diehl, Associate Professor at Aalto University, who highlighted the role of strategic networks in career development and decision-making.
“The higher we go, the fewer women there are,” Diehl said. “There are many reasons for this underrepresentation, and networking is one of them. Women’s networks tend to be smaller and more closed, whereas men tend to expand theirs, giving them broader access to people and information.”
The second keynote, by Julie Sonne, Chair of the Board of Directors of NIB and Director at the Danish Ministry of Industry, Business and Financial Affairs, focused on self-advocacy in professional settings.
“If you want to build strong professional relationships, you can’t only focus on what you put into a relation. You should also allow yourself to take something out. Showing that you trust someone enough to rely on them makes it easier for them to trust you in return,” said Sonne.
Women in top leadership positions are still a minority, she added, and they cannot open every door alone:
“Those who have reached the top can certainly support others, but they cannot do it alone. There are still rather few women in senior positions, which means we need to build broader networks, including with senior male colleagues, to help open doors.”
Shared perspectives on progress and responsibility
The keynotes were followed by a panel discussion moderated by journalist Annika Damström, with contributions from Eila Kreivi (ICMA), Tanja Eronen (Nordea) and Esko Paananen (NIB).
The panel explored why gender equality remains a relevant topic in 2026 and what still shapes career progression in the financial sector. While progress has been made, panellists agreed that unconscious expectations, access to networks, and visibility continue to influence opportunities.
The discussion underlined that responsibility does not rest with individuals alone, pointing to broader questions such as the sharing of responsibilities at home and evolving workplace expectations.
Panellists also emphasised that diversity is not only a question of fairness but of performance: tapping into the full talent pool, they argued, leads to better decision-making and stronger outcomes for organisations and society. While challenges remain, the overall outlook was cautiously optimistic.
“We would leave a lot of talent and intelligence unused if we didn’t ensure equal opportunities. Promoting people based on their abilities, not their gender, is ultimately about making better use of the potential that exists,” said Eila Kreivi.
By bringing together different perspectives, the Women in Finance Afternoon underscored the value of dialogue, role models and practical insights in supporting professional growth and gender equality across the financial sector. For NIB, the event forms part of wider efforts to encourage knowledge-sharing and inclusion within the financial community.
The welcoming words and introductory remarks were given by NIB’s Vice-President and CFO Kim Skov Jensen and Angela Brusas, Director, Funding & Investor Relations at NIB and Chair of the ICMA Women’s Network.