"The program exceeded all expectations"

Hi Mikael! Who are you?

– Until I was 21, I played hockey in different places in Sweden and in the USA. But now my great interest is to travel and see the world, something I try to do as often as I can.

What are you working on today?

– Today I work as a strategic analyst in Procurement, Simplification & IT at Moderna försäkringar. In my profession, I am responsible for the development, monitoring and analysis of business cases, savings models, central KPIs, sourcing strategies and costs linked to our Swedish and Nordic purchasing projects.

How did you get to where you are today?

– After graduation, I was hired as a purchasing controller at a medium-sized e-commerce company that sells motorcycle, snowmobile and cross accessories in Europe. My responsibility was to develop processes and tools to optimize global purchasing.

– Then I switched to a role as Global Supply Planner at the same company. This meant that I worked closely with global suppliers to ensure delivery precision and quality, as well as optimize inventory levels and create measurable KPIs for that.

Did you get a job right after the education?

– I got my first job five months after graduation. For me, it was important to find a job that gave me the opportunity to apply the theoretical knowledge I gained at the university in practice, and I never intended to take the first best job.

What's the best thing about your job?

– The best thing about my job is that I have a role where I make a difference and have the opportunity to influence the business of Moderna försäkringar. We are owned by a Danish group which allows me to interact with other nationalities. That's interesting. The cultural difference in terms of leadership and expectations between Swedes and Danes is quite big.

What in your career are you extra proud of?

– In my relatively short career, I am extra proud of how much I have been able to teach to others about what I read at the university, and how that knowledge applied in practice can have a major impact on a company and its performance.

When you look back on your education, what was the most important thing that you learned?

– It's difficult to put my finger on something specific. But I learned how fun and valuable it is to have knowledge. Then I learned a lot about myself and the person I wanted to be.

How did you experience your time at Luleå University of Technology?

– My time as a student couldn't have been better. Everything from study areas to the campus area appealed to me and made the whole experience at LTU a very good time in my life.

– I really have to praise all teachers who are passionate about their subjects and are mindful of the students to learn and take an interest in the subject themselves.

– The fact that teachers also invite discussions, both during and between lessons, was greatly appreciated and is not always obvious at other universities in the country.

Was it what you had intended with the education, to live in Luleå and work afterwards?

– No, Luleå, LTU and the education did not turn out as I had imagined – it exceeded all my expectations.

– The absolute best thing about education is that it gives you a very broad foundation to stand on when you come out into work. The international orientation means that you have more choices when you apply for your first job after graduation.

– Luleå as a city made a very big impression on me and I will probably move back sometime. For me, it's just a great city and there's always something to do.

Do you have any tips for anyone who is thinking about to study for a master's degree in International business?

– My only tip is to take the chance. The education will give you an understanding of how companies work and the difficulties and expectations that can be expected in an international environment. If you want to specialize further in a subject, you have the opportunity. You will not be disappointed.

If you were to give a career advice, which would it be?

– Always seek new knowledge.

Is there anything else you want to tell us?

– I would recommend newly graduated students to find an area of ​​interest, perhaps already during the degree project and then continue to immerse themselves in that area. It will distinguish you from the amount of job seekers. Employers are impressed by people with knowledge that they themselves do not have.