ich bin so frei

“When you are the only woman in the room, people will remember you. You have to see the positive side”, says Celia Pelaz, Member of the Management Board and Chief Strategy Officer at Hensoldt. Hensoldt is a German company with 6500 staff in 19 different countries, that develop high tech sensor and cyber security solutions. Hensoldt develops for example the sensors that serve as the eyes and ears of airplanes and provides high tech radars, that makes air traffic control possible. Their systems support and protect military and security forces in air, sea and land missions. “Obviously today diversity is the key to success, so we have set ourselves hard targets, by 2024, we want to have 35% women in leadership positions, so we will be more women in the room” she adds. We talk about her fascination for technology, her respect and gratitude for the armed forces and role models. When asked about how she made to the top, Celia, who is an industrial engineer by training explains: “I wanted to lead because I wanted to change things. I sometimes felt a lack of respect. I realized that if I want to change things, I need to work hard and move up the ladder.” We also discuss what has changed since Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and the “Zeitenwende” in Germany. “The understanding for our industry has altered. In the past defence issues were put aside, defence was seen as a bad thing. Now the whole industry is perceived more as a necessity.” We talk about modern leadership, work life balance and self-doubt. Her advice: “At some point you simply have to know that you are good enough. In this, you are probably your biggest enemy.” To learn more: https://www.hensoldt.net Feedback, Comments etc.: Gästewünsche, Kommentare: https://www.instagram.com/ich.bin.so.frei/ https://twitter.com/Zoe_vF https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-zoé-von-finck-81b32857/

Marta is a lot: A 51 year old Italian Londoner, a philosopher turned social scientist, a single mom of two cool teens, a dancer and a cyclist - a changemaker: a woman who gets things done. She recently quit her job of nearly 20 years leading global policy research to create something new. In October 2022, she founded LAGO - Local Actions on Global Opportunities. It is a new collective focusing on cities, creativity and the movement of talent and ideas. We talk about her journey getting there, she says: “I realized that I wanted to do something new. I had written enough policy papers, so many words, trying to make a difference. Time to tell a different story, to explore new ways to make the most of local innovations to address global challenges.” We discuss why we need a different narrative and new stories on the common destiny of Africa and Europe based on cooperation and opportunities. As an example she highlights the collaboration on fashion, textiles and design between the mayors of Freetown, Sierra Leone and Milan, Italy launched last June during Milan Design Week. She says “Creative sectors create jobs and are key drivers of local economic development. So I am working with designers, artists and innovators to connect them with policymakers and other leaders interested in exploring different solutions to unresolved ‘wicked’ global problems.  And with this, creating a new narrative on our 'collective future'”. She shouts out to all other pioneers, innovators, and changemakers out there: get in touch!  To get in touch with Marta Foresti: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marta-foresti-36255334/ https://twitter.com/martaforesti https://www.instagram.com/lago_collective To learn more: https://odi.org/en/insights/creating-our-collective-future-what-the-arts-and-design-can-do-for-development/ https://moleskinefoundation.org/marta-foresti-joins-moleskine-founation-as-senior-advisor/ https://odi.org/en/events/our-collective-future/ Music/Video/Poem reading credit: On Freedom Of Movement (Wi de Muv), 2022 © Studioknxx; Directed by Julianknxx   © Studioknxx; Courtesy of the artist and Studioknxx

„Ich bin so frei“ ist das Motto des Podcast von Zoé von Finck – das spricht uns sofort an, denn was es mit der Freiheit und dem „Freisein“ auf sich hat, ist in diesen Zeiten, wo unter Freiheit soviel Unterschiedliches verstanden wird, ein spannendes Thema. Also, was ist Freiheit denn: Es ist die Freiheit, seine Meinung sagen zu können, sich frei bewegen zu können und sich frei entscheiden zu können, was man tut. Dafür braucht es Mut, sich frei zu entscheiden was man tut, auch gegen Widerstände. Aber bedeutet das denn, dass der eigene Individualismus über den Interessen anderer auf Entfaltung ihrer Freiheit steht? Nein, das natürlich nicht, Freiheit ist nur möglich, wenn alle sich frei entfalten können – es gilt Freiheit und Gerechtigkeit auszubalancieren – wie das gelingen kann, diskutieren wir mit Zoé von Finck – hört rein!