International Women’s Day 2017 – Interview: Pernilla Heidenvall

Taylor Root is proud to be supporting International Women’s Day 2017. We have interviewed a series of our female clients asking them how they have been bold for change #BeBoldForChange

Taylor Root interviewed Pernilla Heidenvall, Vice President, Head of Legal, Volvo

Do you have any secrets to having a successful career?
I am not afraid of the unknown and often take chances to develop and find new challenges throughout my career. However, this will not be successful if you do not know what you do and do not want. I have my own personal “review” every quarter where I analyse my current situation and determine my next steps. You should not do this too often, but with a certain regularity to avoid a situation where you wake up one day and wonder what has happened with your life!

What advice would you give aspiring women in your industry? 
Be yourself but always with respect to the environment and culture that you operate in. Try to be a good listener and be kind to yourself. Very often I meet women who are too self-critical.

How do you achieve work life balance? 
This is a difficult area. For me it is sport, in particular horses. When you ride a horse you need to completely focus on the present, otherwise you will fall off and hurt yourself. At work I try to establish an environment where I portray a good energy to the people around me.