SelectionF upcoming events

Board Session: Shaping and navigating your Board Career (23 Oct 2026)

Fri, 23 Oct 2026 14:00:00 GMT

Board Session

Shaping and navigating your board career

Building a successful Board career requires more than strong executive experience. It takes a clear Board value proposition, deliberate positioning, access to the right networks and companies, and an understanding of how Board appointments are actually made.

This session combines a practical guide to securing your first or next Board seat with an open conversation with experienced Board professionals. The aim is to move beyond generic advice and provide concrete perspectives, tools and actions that participants can apply to their own Board journey.

Programme

Welcome & Introduction

Practical Guide to Securing Your First and Next Board Seat

• Defining your Board value proposition and building a Board-ready CV

• Identifying and prioritising the right Boards

• Creating access through networks, visibility, direct company outreach and headhunters

Panel conversation: Building a Non-Executive Director Career

• What really helps secure the first and subsequent Board roles

• Which Board profiles and expertise are most sought after

• Choosing between VC-, PE-backed, private, listed and public-sector Boards

• The role of sponsorship, networks and visibility

• Common stumbling blocks and missteps

• Practical actions aspiring Board directors can take now

Drinks & Networking

Participation in the first two events is free of charge. By registering for a third event in SelectionF, you will automatically be enrolled as a member and invoiced for a 12-month membership period.

We completely understand that plans sometimes change. At the same time, last-minute no-shows can lead to unnecessary costs and food waste. Therefore, we will introduce a no-show fee if you are registered but do not attend and have not informed us beforehand.

In the event of a no-show we will charge you 500 SEK. Please e-mail contact@selectionf.com no later than three days before the event if you can not attend.

Masterclass on managing takeover bids (10 Nov 2026)

Tue, 10 Nov 2026 16:30:00 GMT

When the Takeover Call Comes, Will You Be Ready?

Boardroom dynamics change fast when a takeover attempt is on the table. Governance and strategy collide — and every decision carries consequences for the company's future. What should you do if shareholders push for a deal you're not sure about? When confidential information starts leaking at the worst moment? How do you efficiently work with advisors and other stakeholders?

The dilemmas that arise in a takeover process are rarely black or white, and they put the board's fiduciary duties to the test.

At our upcoming SelectionF event, Andreas Dalhäll from EY joins Sofie Bjärtun and Linnéa Dolk from Vinge for an honest, behind-closed-doors conversation about responsibility, risk, and what it really takes to navigate the line of fire. Don't miss it.

Linnéa and Sofie are partners in Vinge’s Capital Markets and Public M&A team. They both regularly advise boards and offerors in connection with public takeovers. Sofie is also a member of the Swedish Securities Council (Aktiemarknadsnämnden) which issues rulings within the takeover field. Andreas is a partner at EY and has been working with capital markets transactions since he joined the firm, in 2007.

Participation in the first two events is free of charge. By registering for a third event in SelectionF, you will automatically be enrolled as a member and invoiced for a 12-month membership period.

In the event of a no-show we will charge you 500 SEK. Please e-mail contact@selectionf.com no later than three days before the event if you can not attend.

Nordic Board Summit 2026 (23 Nov 2026)

Mon, 23 Nov 2026 11:00:00 GMT

Reimagining Growth, Innovation and Competitiveness in a New Era. The Nordic Board Summit 2026 is here!

SelectionF, in collaboration with the Confederation of Finnish Industries (EK), brings together board professionals, CEOs and business leaders to explore one of the defining questions of our time:

Where will growth come from and what must boards do differently to create it?

In a world shaped by geopolitical uncertainty, technological transformation and intensifying global competition, Nordic and European companies must rethink how they innovate, create value and compete. AI is accelerating this transformation, but it is only one part of a much bigger shift. The Summit focuses on growth, innovation, competitiveness and the board’s role in building the business of tomorrow.

Through keynotes, CEO conversations and boardroom discussions, we will explore how to turn innovation into growth, strengthen capabilities and build more ambitious, globally competitive companies.

From protecting the present to creating the future. What future are we willing to build?

Board Summit moderator is Kristiina Helenius. She is a seasoned co-author, leader and transatlantic connector with more than 25 years of experience in journalism, diplomacy, business, and geopolitics. Based in Washington, D.C., she serves as President and CEO of the U.S. arm of the Nordic consulting group Miltton, supporting Nordic companies’ expansion in America.

The summit event speakers and topics:

The Growth Imperative by Minna Helle, CEO of the Confederation of Finnish Industries (EK). With extensive experience in labour markets, business policy and leadership, Helle brings a broad perspective to Finland’s competitiveness, growth and future of work.

Why the next decade will be different. A high-energy opening setting the context for the Summit.

With geopolitical fragmentation reshaping global competition, growth can no longer be taken for granted. This session unpacks the "Nordic paradox" our strong societies coupled with insufficient growth and explores why productivity and innovation are now absolute strategic imperatives. Join us to uncover what will ultimately determine which companies and economies win the next decade.

KEYNOTE - Pursuing growth you can´t forecast. Henri Noste is Chief of Staff to the CEO and Corporate Strategy Lead at Supercell, the Helsinki-based maker of Clash of Clans, Clash Royale, Brawl Stars and Hay Day. He works with the CEO and the leadership team on group strategy, board work and company-wide projects.

In games, nobody can reliably predict the next hit, and growth rarely arrives where the plan said it would. Consumer behavior keeps shifting and AI is changing how products are made and used. Drawing on his work in games and strategy, Henri shares a personal view on how to pursue growth in a creative business when you can't forecast it - and how to actively create best conditions for it.

Questions for boards:

Are we investing enough in our next growth engine - or mostly protecting the current one?
When did we last stop something that was doing fine but wasn't great?
Do we really understand how our customers' preferences are changing?

KEYNOTE - FUTURE SESSION: Reinventing organisations and workforce in the age of AI. Eva Tuominen is a Partner at EY Consulting and a leading advisor on workforce, organization, and leadership transformation. She helps organizations navigate the profound changes driven by technological changes and AI, exploring how AI is reshaping work, workforce models, operating structures, and the role of leaders.

What happens when technology fundamentally changes the way we think, work, and create value? This session explores the critical shift from mere technology adoption to total business reinvention. We will examine how AI is reshaping the workforce blending human employees with AI agents, while transforming organizational structures, essential skills, and the daily impact on employee wellbeing. The keynote will also redefine the roles of leaders and managers in an AI-first reality. Ultimately, this session addresses the board's defining challenge for the next decade: moving past basic AI adoption to build organizations that can continuously create, access, and scale the capabilities required for growth.

CEO TALK SHOW: Inside the Growth Engine with Mikael Nylund and Nermin Hairedin.

Mikael Nylund is CEO at Gofore. He has worked extensively at the forefront of society’s digital transformation. He is an experienced and forward-thinking leader with more than 20 years of experience in the IT industry.

Nermin Hairedin is CEO, strategy advisor, lecturer and board executive. Her board member positions include VR Group, Ruka and Pyhä (Rukakeskus Ltd), Delipap Ltd and an AI startup Tai.ga. Hairedin has proven track record of digital transformation, successful turnarounds and growing businesses exponentially, both greenfield and M&A. Her business experience covers services, telecom, media, retail, sales, data, analytics, and marketing.

A highly practical, presentation-free conversation about how growth is actually created today. In this honest dialogue, business leaders will explore the real sources of current growth, detailing where they are investing, what they are choosing to stop, and which experiments or AI applications are genuinely creating value. The discussion will also tackle executive-board dynamics, uncovering what CEOs truly need, where boards can create bottlenecks, and what real courage looks like in the boardroom. This session gives the Summit a strong, real-world business perspective.

BOARDROOM PANEL: The 2030 Board Challenge – From Oversight to Foresight with Anne Berner & Cecilia Edström.

Anne Berner is an international board chair, non-executive director, and former government minister with extensive experience across listed companies and global industries. Her current board portfolio includes Grifols S.A., SEB, Kuehne + Nagel International AG, GETEC Group, Medicover AB, Foundation for Children´s Trauma Hospital and Institution Nadija where she contributes to governance, strategic direction, and long-term value creation.

Cecilia Edström is an experienced executive and board professional, with a broad international background from various management positions in the Life Science, telecommunications, and automotive industries. She is currently a Board member of BioArctic, A3P Biomedical, Flerie Invest and Perspetivo.

Fast forward to 2030: Some companies have reinvented themselves and built entirely new growth engines, while others merely optimized existing operations and lost ground. In this candid conversation, top board leaders explore what the winners did differently five years earlier.

We will uncover which early signals they acted on, what assumptions they challenged, and the new capabilities they built. Designed to bring genuine boardroom energy to the Summit's close, this panel tackles the ultimate governance challenge: How does a board ensure the company is actively building its next business, rather than just protecting its current one.

NORDIC COURAGE: From Protecting the Present to Creating the Future with Liisa Suvikumpu and Mikkel Birn.

Liisa Suvikumpu, CEO of the Association of Finnish Foundations. She is an experienced CEO, board professional and philanthropy expert with a strong record in governance, strategy and long-term value creation. She knows how to connect private capital and public value.

Mikkel Birn, CEO at Birn+Partners, Chair of SelectionF. He has more than 30 years of experience in executive search, board education, and leadership development. He is an experienced trusted advisor to many executives. Over the years he has gained knowledge and network from helping various executives in different industries.

In this concise closing reflection, we bring the Summit's core themes together with a powerful call to action. Moving beyond merely protecting today's operations, this session emphasizes three critical takeaways. First, growth requires ambition, we cannot build tomorrow's competitiveness by optimizing yesterday's business. Second, innovation requires courage, demanding that boards actively create the conditions for experimentation and long-term value creation. Finally, the future requires action. While AI and geopolitics accelerate the pace of change, the ultimate strategic question remains profoundly human: What future are we willing to build?

EVENT REGISTRATION: We completely understand that plans sometimes change. At the same time, last-minute no-shows can lead to unnecessary costs and food waste. Therefore, we will introduce a no-show fee if you are registered but do not attend and have not informed us beforehand.

In the event of a no-show we will charge you 50 euro. Please e-mail contact@selectionf.com no later than three days before the event if you cannot attend. Please register via this page.

Seats are limited.

Event address: Eteläranta 10, 00130 Helsinki.

For SelectionF Members - Pre-Summit Meet & Greet at EK.

Let's meet up early! Join us in Helsinki for a relaxed pre-summit mingle at EK, together with SelectionF, Birn+Partners and EK. Come by to meet, greet, and network with fantastic peers before the main program starts. Looking forward to seeing you! Please RSVP to the Meet & Greet to Satu Yrjänen, Chair of SelectionF Finland at sy@selectionf.com

Staying in Helsinki after the summit? If you are passionate about the future of Nordic board recruitments and cross-border cooperation, we would love for you to join us. Together with our partner Birn+Partners, we are hosting an intimate and welcoming Post-Summit Nordic Chat on the 24th of November led by Managing Director Mona-Maria Ilola who is also an Advisory Board member at SelectionF Finland.

With over 20 years of experience shaping leadership across the Nordics including six years living in Denmark and fluency in Finnish, Swedish, and Danish, Mona-Maria brings insight into building dynamic, cross-cultural boards.

This is a fantastic opportunity to share your perspectives, expand your network, and discuss the future of leadership in a relaxed setting. We want to keep the conversation meaningful and allow everyone to participate, so seats are limited.

Secure your spot by RSVP to: mmi@birn-partners.com

Personal Positioning and Branding - Stockholm (26 Nov 2026)

Thu, 26 Nov 2026 08:00:00 GMT

In this workshop, you will gain insights and tools to position yourself as an attractive board candidate and how to use communication as a tool to showcase your expertise and value added. Boards are composed of individuals based on their competencies, but also on their willingness to influence and drive change. Through effective leadership communication, you can highlight both.

In this workshop, you will receive practical tips and examples of how to build your brand and position yourself to stand out from the crowd.

The workshop will be highly interactive and led by Åsa Magnusson from SelectionF and Sofie Lambertsson, Managing Director Birn+Partners.

This event is free for SelectionF members. For non members the price is 3000 SEK. A no-show fee of 750 SEK is applicable for members.

Strategic Networking (4 Feb 2027)

Thu, 04 Feb 2027 09:00:00 GMT

Strategic Networking

We are pleased to welcome Astrid Jørgensen back to Stockholm for a practical and inspiring session on strategic networking:

4^th of February 2027

Many board roles are shaped through networks not only through formal applications or searches. Strategic networking is therefore about building meaningful, two-way relationships that can open doors to opportunities, collaborations, and the hidden market where many board roles take form.

In this session, we will work on shifting the mindset from networking as something uncomfortable or random to networking as something strategic, authentic, and deeply purposeful. Together, we will explore how to:

Clarify the match between your profile and your ambitions
Define a strong personal value proposition
Map the network you need to activate - not just expand
Prepare, pitch, and follow up on networking opportunities that matter
Build an action plan that can go straight into your calendar.

Astrid Jørgensen is a strategic advisor and board professional with deep expertise in subscription business models, digital transformation, and strategic growth. She has 17 years of leadership experience from major Scandinavian media groups and now advises organizations on recurring revenue, digital development, and the role of strong networks in creating new opportunities.

Only open to MEMBERS of SelectionF.

Seats are limited, and we recommend signing up early to secure your seat.

In the event of a no-show we will charge you 500 SEK. Please e-mail contact@selectionf.com no later than three days before the event if you can not attend.