Alumni interview with Nina Fagerholm: "A degree from Hanken is highly appreciated, also in Sweden"
Nina Fagerholm started studying at Hanken in 1986, majoring in business administration and minoring in commercial law. For Nina, it was important to broaden her knowledge as much as possible.
“The studies were very rewarding and interesting. The social life at Hanken during my studies was very nice and I still meet with friends from that time. Hanken’s education is of high quality, it has an excellent reputation and is also appreciated here in Sweden.”
Nina graduated in 1990 and her thesis was awarded as the best master’s thesis of the year in business administration. After working for a few years in Finland, she moved to Stockholm in 1998 and took a job at Nike and later in the pharmaceutical and telecoms industry as HR Manager. For Nina, working within HR and having a degree in business administration is the perfect combination, as the business degree gives her an understanding of the bigger financial picture.
After a few more years as Head of HR at the organisation Friskis&Svettis, Nina moved on to become Head of HR at the Royal Court of Sweden. This is an organisation with around three hundred employees, all of whom work for The King and members of the royal family.
“There are many different positions in the Royal Court - we have everything from palace guards to chefs, gardeners, drivers and stable staff. Then there are also more common positions such as business administrators, communication officers and marketing personnel. Part of the organisation works exclusively with The King’s and The Royal Family's official appearances and representation.”
Much of the work at The Royal Court involves assisting The King and The Crown Princess with their official duties, but a large part involves showing and managing historical and cultural heritage. Several of the palaces are also museums and the parks are well kept.
"Here I have the chance to do an ordinary HR job but in a very special environment. Many things are not ordinary in this job because your employer is The King. You get to be involved in building history, even though The King is of course the main character.”
Although the Stockholm Palace is Nina's workplace, she meets The King and The Crown Princess only on rare occasions. She meets them a few times a year with work-related matters, but also the annual Christmas lunch for the entire staff, which The Royal Family attends.
"This is a very loyal organisation. The employees feel pride in what they do and to be working for The King and The Royal Family. People tend to work here for a long time, at least 10-12 years. The core values of why we work here are very strong.”
In her spare time, Nina enjoys running and training for marathons. She has run 10 marathons, including the New York Marathon six times. This year she aims to run both the London and Chicago marathons.
What would you say to Hanken's current students?
“Focus on the social side and enjoy your studies! Don't be too focused on certain subjects and broaden the scope of what you include in your studies. Choose for instance a completely different course that just feels interesting or fun. Make sure you get the most out of your time at Hanken, both socially and from the courses you take!”
Text: Marlene Günsberg
Image: Nina Fagerholm's private archive
In this article series we interview alumni from Hanken. Do you know someone who you think we should interview? Or do you want to participate yourself? Send us an e-mail with your tip to alumni@hanken.fi.