From Elite Gymnast to Controlling the Bank's Money

In five years Rebecca Jansson wants to be a financial leader. With a background as an elite gymnast from an early age and her result-driven mindset - no one would doubt she won’t make that happen.

Bognandiphotography

When Rebecca Jansson was eight years old she was headhunted to the elit gymnastics team "Uppsalaflickorna" in her hometown, which meant a 20h exercise week and when she was 12 she was competing for the Swedish National Team.

I never thought about the hours, I just did what I loved - gymnastics and backflips and I realized the harder I worked the greater results I could achieve.

But the decision to become an elite gymnast and later on make a career in finance was never a paved path for Rebecca. Her mother works as a teacher and her father is in the haulage industry and they have never pushed her in a specific direction, although, they have always been supportive.

When Rebecca started university to complete a Master of Science in Industrial Engineering she realised that the master program in Risk Management was not considered as an alternative for women due to the amount of programming and the stereotypic view of the financial industry. Instead, she made it her driving force.

If that is the reality then I have at least one reason to choose the financial master.

She continues, "It is important to break the norms that females are not interested in these types of career." Rebecca is an active public speaker, often through "Unga Aktiesparare" and a member of the advisory board for the female network "Kvinnovation" to inspire students, especially females, to choose a career in tech and finance.

In leading positions, women are underrepresented and it is the classical that money is power and men want to keep that control, says Rebecca. For her, it is instead result that matters and to break the stereotypical view she means that we must integrate men and women. "We must support each other and drive the change together, or else we lose competence."

Rebecca works at the Treasury Department at Handelsbanken to control and analyse the risks of the bank’s securities. "I thrive with the fast-paced industry of finance and the complexity, because you always have to be in the forefront. I love that."

Bognandiphotography

Rebecca is also a mentor for young professionals and a leader for the Adidas running group “Female BOOST” where 20 women meet up every Wednesday morning at seven o clock at Hötorget in Stockholm.

It is not about competition or running the fastest, it is all about empowerment. It’s my favourite morning of the week!

It is easy to tell that Rebecca’s a passionate person. Her driving force comes from her passion to make an impact for our future generation. When society doesn’t believe in her, she rather proves it wrong. When I ask her about her best career tips she answers, "Follow your passion even if it doesn’t fit in to the norms, our society needs that power! And throw yourself out there- try and fail. Because then, you will either win or you become an experience richer!”