Louise Hiort af Ornäs

Competing with the national equestrian team for seven consecutive years, BSc in Business and Economics and MSc in Business and Management alum and Controller at Investor, enjoyed the drive she found at SEE. Her project 'Innovationstrappan', a project to inspire more young women to start an entrepreneurial career within their passion for sport, turned out to be the most successful projects in the Center for Sports and Business during the years it was live.

Describe your role and what it is that you do overall and on a day-to-day basis.

I work in the controlling team at Investor, a small team of four people covering Investor’s three business areas. My primary focus is the wholly-owned subsidiaries that are within Patricia Industries and I work closely together with the CFO and investment entity of Patricia. My day-to-day job involves analyzing the companies’ financial performance, producing and delivering management reports, excel modeling, budgeting and cost follow-up, as well as involvement in the production of Investors’ quarterly and annual reports. A quite broad scope involving both highs and lows.

What interested you about the field/company/role you are currently in?

Investor is a small organization with an inclusive culture that truly lives its values, something that was important to me when applying for jobs after graduation. Investor, being family owned, has a long-term perspective but is still impatient with driving improvement and value creation. This, blended with a care for people and a sense of familiarity is an environment that I thrive in.

What excites you about your work? What are the challenges?

The positive work environment and the constant focus on value creation excites me every day. It is particularly exciting to follow the subsidiaries, their challenges and opportunities, analyzing their financials and producing reports that goes straight to the top management at Investor. Making sure that top management gets the right information keeps me on my toes. The broad scope of my role can sometimes be a challenge. Knowing how to handle different one-off events and special cases is something that I find challenging but something more experience will help me overcome. My sole focus right now is to continue my learning journey and with time I will be able to handle the highs, the lows and everything in between more independently.

What was so appealing about SSE when you were deciding where to study? Or what was so appealing about the Business & Economics Bachelor program?

Coming from a long career within equestrian sports, competing in the national team for seven consecutive years, I knew SSE was a great choice for me. Extracurricular activities such as mine open up another quota that students can apply for SSE, and these types of experiences are seen as valuable, something that many other universities neglect in their application process. I also had heard about the drive among the students at SSE, and after some time at SSE, I realized most students share a mindset of determination and curiosity which I previously had only found within the sports community. If I set my mind to something I strive to become the best I can be, and SSE being the leading business school in the Nordics, I knew I could get a great foundation for my future career.

How did your time/education at SSE help guide you so far in your career?

SSE has helped me to develop my business mindset further, I learned how to tackle and analyze different business-related challenges in a live setting with real companies and real issues. SSE is also exceptional in facilitating networking, both between students, faculty, and companies in different industries. During my first year at SSE, Martin Carlsson Wall, Head of the Center for Sports and Business, reached out to me and wanted me to lead an outreach project within the Center for Sports and Business with the purpose to inspire more young women to start an entrepreneurial career within their passion for sports. Innovationstrappan turned out to be the most successful projects in the Center for Sports and Business at the time and a truly valuable experience for me in developing my skills as a Project Leader and a lecturer.

Following your time studying, do you have any words of wisdom or advice you would like to share with our current students?

Be curious, try to think outside the box, do not compare yourself to everyone else and stay true to yourself and your values. With a lot of driven people around you it is easy find yourself following the same path as everyone else. Do not be afraid to do a mental halt sometimes and listen to your gut, ask yourself if you are comfortable with where you are, and where you are heading. Lastly, have patience and try to enjoy the ride. Balance is key for a happy life.

What are three words that sum up your time at SSE?

Hard work, tenta-ångest and lifelong friendships.