Female club restarts and broadens business network
Since 2016, SEB has organised a business network for women in Sweden called Klubben (The Club). "Through Klubben, we create an arena where female entrepreneurs have the opportunity to exchange experiences and be inspired by each other," says Özge Özen Zink, responsible for SEB's entrepreneurial collaborations in Sweden.
The business network was started by SEB and then targeted female founders of companies with a turnover of 10 million Swedish kronor (0.9 million euro) and above. The members were mainly customers from the bank's Corporate & Private Customers division.
Many say that the platform we provide through Klubben gives them security and a stable network that they previously lacked.
Since then, the criteria have been broadened and also include female top managers of companies with more than 200 million kronor in turnover, women with prominent positions in business, women who manage larger land and capital assets and selected people from the bank's partners in Entreprenörstrappan (Entrepreneurial Ladder).
”By broadening the target group, we create a more dynamic platform where both young and more senior female entrepreneurs can share their skills and experiences,” says Özge.
The plan is for Klubben to arrange meetings four times a year, and the members undertake to attend at least two of them.
”Inspirational lectures are always a valued feature of our meetings. But the great value of Klubben is the forward thinking and problem solving skills that arise when the members meet. Many say that the platform we provide through Klubben gives them security and a stable network that they previously lacked,” says Özge.