Sara Flach Svedjedal grew up in the Swedish countryside where her parents nurtured her curiosity and gave her the confidence to explore the world – leading her to Dubai in her early 20s.
The PR and communications specialist was working in Stockholm when a Dubai Government entity made a move to acquire a strategic stake in the Stockholm Stock Exchange, creating an opportunity for her to move to Dubai. The surge in corporate dealmaking that fueled Dubai’s rapid growth in the early 2000s often led to late nights working in the office. During this time, she befriended Ram, a Nepalese guest worker who was an office assistant. “Ram was always there for me, bringing me coffee when I worked long hours,” she recalls.
When the devastating earthquake struck Nepal in 2015, Flach Svedjedal knew she had to help. She flew to Nepal to deliver essential supplies, coordinating with Ram, who was on the ground. “I learned that they needed not just food but also practical items like mobile phone chargers, as solar-powered batteries were running out. So, we arranged hundreds of those, along with diapers and baby formula,” she says.
One of the most impactful purchases Ram made with the funds was a moped.
“It helped build up his village, providing a delivery service. Ram would transport goods from one place to another, making money from it, and he eventually bought more mopeds. Today, he runs it as a business,” she says.
A sense of security
After a decade of living and working in Dubai, Flach Svedjedal decided to pursue an EMBA at IMD. She credits Ben Bryant, Professor of Leadership and Organization, for helping her to realize two important things about herself: her curiosity and her sense of security.
“He helped me understand why I’m so curious, and it comes from a sense of safety, knowing that I could always return home to my parents,” she said. You don’t have to succeed all the time. It’s one thing to strive for success, but it’s also okay to come home if you feel emotionally drained or low. You always have a safe space at home.”
The second key lesson Bryant taught her was the importance of independence.
“IMD made me reflect on what matters most in life. For me, it’s crucial that I can choose what I do and continue working in areas that are evolving.”
It is fitting then that following her EMBA she has focused on how to lead change, particularly how to communicate and drive sustainable business transformation in organizations, and, more recently, how to navigate and apply artificial intelligence. She currently works as Head of Change Management & Communication at Brunswick Real Estate in Stockholm.
“In my daily work, I frequently draw on the concepts learned during the EMBA. More importantly, the program gave me the confidence and agility to navigate both strategic and operational challenges. It’s about being effective and relevant, whether dealing with specialized tasks or engaging in boardroom discussions.”
One example of Flach Svedjedal’s projects involved establishing a property company with social sustainability at its core – where city-center properties in socioeconomic weak areas were acquired and developed in collaboration with the residents, entrepreneurs, municipalities, and civil organizations. The insight gained from this venture led to the creation of another, and now she focuses on helping develop a social index to create a social standard for the real estate sector.
A gem of an idea
The clearest illustration of Flach Svedjedal’s thirst for new knowledge, however, comes from her decision to train as a gemologist. In 2011, she co-founded an advisory and consultancy firm in Dubai and became curious about which commodities had held their value during the financial crisis.
“I realized that while other commodities depreciated, rough stones and diamonds had actually sustained or even increased in value,” she recalls.
She pitched the idea of creating a fund focused on capital preservation through diamonds. Her team was initially skeptical, but they agreed to her proposal on the condition that she educate herself about diamonds. Flach Svedjedal leaped at the challenge and took six months off to train to become a certified gemologist.
Although she didn’t manage to create the fund before leaving the firm, she still privately trades diamonds for herself, friends, and family. “It’s a fun and unique knowledge to have, and not many people know about it,” she says.
Flach Svedjedal is also an active member of the IMD alumni club in Sweden, having joined upon her return in 2017.
“I’m excited to see what we can achieve together as alumni,” she says. “There’s tremendous value in bringing people together, especially after years of virtual meetings during COVID. The need for networking has never been greater.”
She senses that people are eager to reconnect now. “Everyone wants to meet face-to-face; it just takes someone to organize it. The alumni club has both the motivation and resources to make that happen. If you build the road, people will come.”
