When Friisberg supports clients in acquiring Turkish businesses, or when we audit management teams as part of integration or executive search processes, one question arises repeatedly, “What defines Turkish business culture?”
Externally, Turkey is often viewed as a uniform system. Its business environment includes both locally owned, often founder- or family-led organisations and multinational corporations that operate according to their own global cultures.
This mix is shaped by historical traditions, European economic integration, and one of the youngest workforces in Europe. These elements create a commercial landscape that is relationship-driven, fast-moving, entrepreneurial, and highly adaptive. The experience varies depending on the type of company involved.
Below, Kıvanç Ersöz, from our office in Istanbul, shares the cultural insights international leaders most often encounter.
Many Turkish companies, especially local ones, maintain clear hierarchies. Seniority and titles are respected, and leaders are expected to be visible, decisive, and protective of their teams. Leadership is also personal - managers are expected to show genuine interest in employees' wellbeing, and a distant or overly formal manager is usually seen as disconnected.
Important distinction:
Local companies often revolve around a central "boss" figure whereas multinational companies follow global processes, policies, and leadership structures which usually override local habits.
In Turkey, trust comes before business. Meetings often begin with personal conversation about family, background, or mutual contacts, so what may seem unrelated to foreign visitors is often an essential step in building rapport. Once trust is established, cooperation tends to move quickly and with strong commitment.
In multinational firms, global procedures and governance frameworks reduce, though do not remove, the emphasis on personal rapport.
Communication is often indirect. Instead of saying “no” directly, people may say “Let’s think about it,” or “It might be difficult,” which typically signals disagreement or the need for alignment. Emotions are expressed openly, but usually in a way that preserves group harmony.
Flexibility is also a distinctive strength. Economic shifts and an entrepreneurial environment have made Turkish professionals highly adaptable and quick in their responses.
Local companies often rely on strong, centralised leadership. Decisions can be very quick, and priorities may change rapidly. In multinational organisations, global structures and governance rules lead to a more systematic approach, and while this can feel slower, it provides consistency and alignment across regions.
Because of these differences, leaders entering the Turkish market should understand the type of organisation they are joining. Moving from a multinational culture to a local, boss-driven environment can be challenging, particularly for executives used to structured processes. Expats working inside multinationals typically adjust more easily since they remain in a familiar corporate culture.
Extended availability is common in many local firms, and responsiveness outside standard working hours is often seen as a sign of commitment. Younger professionals, especially in multinationals and the technology sector, increasingly push for more balance and flexible working models.
Team cohesion is valued. Colleagues often socialise together, and personal and professional relationships overlap, so once trust forms, loyalty to leaders and organisations can be very strong.
Foreign investors and integration teams often find indirect communication, the emphasis on personal relationships, and rapid changes in priorities challenging. Centralised decision-making and expressive discussions can also feel unfamiliar.
At the same time, many of these characteristics turn out to be advantages. Turkish organisations often excel in adaptability, entrepreneurial thinking, commitment once trust is established, and speed of execution. The country also benefits from a young, educated, and ambitious workforce, with more than half the population under 45.
At Friisberg, we support leaders navigating cross-border complexity through management audits, executive search, integration projects, and cultural alignment work. We help foreign investors understand both local and multinational norms, support Turkish leaders entering global corporate environments, and guide executives as they move between these very different systems.
In a market where trust, agility, and relationships strongly influence performance, cultural intelligence is a strategic advantage.
These insights describe general tendencies observed in professional settings. Every leader and organisation is unique. Our aim is to highlight patterns that international executives may encounter in Turkey and to show how Friisberg helps clients navigate these differences with clarity and respect.
Lithuania’s business culture continues to evolve at high speed, shaped by three decades of transformation, global integration, and the rise of new growth sectors. Through our work across Friisberg’s Lithuanian office, and in comparison, with other markets, we observe a culture that blends ambition, adaptability, and a growing international mindset.
While generational differences remain visible, the overall direction is clear: Lithuania is moving from hierarchical to collaborative, from cautious to opportunity driven, and from local to global in both expectations and capability.
Leaders in Lithuania share a strong sense of responsibility, discipline, and performance orientation. Younger leaders, many educated or trained internationally, tend to favour agile, participative, and innovation-driven approaches. In contrast, older or more traditional sectors retain elements of hierarchy, predictability, and controlled risk-taking.
The startup ecosystem, now complemented by thriving sectors beyond fintech and shared services (including deep tech, cybersecurity, manufacturing modernisation, and life sciences), is accelerating a widespread shift towards speed, experimentation, and global ambition. Today’s emerging leaders are fast, motivated, highly educated, and ready to take bold steps to scale businesses internationally.
Communication in Lithuania is typically direct, efficient, and task-focused. Small talk plays a role but remains secondary to purpose and written communication is valued for clarity and accountability.
Silence appears in interactions, reflecting a slightly Northern reserve and comfort with pauses, but it is not strong enough to be regarded as a defining cultural trait. Increasingly, we observe more open dialogue, constructive challenge, and cross-functional collaboration, especially in modern or internationally oriented environments.
Despite this openness, the results orientation remains pronounced: many professionals hold themselves and others to high standards, sometimes leaning more towards challenge than support.
In Lithuanian companies, decision-making is pragmatic, analytical, and notably fast. Teams prepare responsibly, gathering data and assessing feasibility, but it is the speed and decisiveness after alignment that truly stand out. Once direction is clear, execution moves quickly and iteratively.
This combination of responsible preparation followed by rapid action creates a strong 'doer' culture. People take initiative, focus on outcomes, and push for high-quality delivery.
Generational contrasts persist, with traditional environments valuing predictability and formality, but across sectors we observe a consistent ambition and readiness to take on greater responsibility.
Ambition in Lithuania is confident and outward looking. The talent pool is digitally fluent, internationally exposed, and eager to outperform expectations. A growing number of businesses, from tech scale-ups to modernised industrial companies, are targeting global markets and competing successfully.
Lithuanians usually separate professional and personal spheres more clearly than many Southern or Eastern European cultures. Professional relationships start formally and remain task-oriented and once trust develops, relationships become warm, loyal, and long term.
From Friisberg’s vantage point, Lithuania exemplifies a culture in transition:
This blend of cultural layers can create friction, but it also fosters resilience, flexibility, and sustained growth. In a small and highly adaptable country, businesses and leaders evolve quickly.
"I recently wrote an article reflecting on how the world of work is changing, shaped increasingly by AI and how, despite these shifts, job searches remain deeply personal and emotionally charged experiences. Candidates today are navigating uncertainty, rethinking their careers, and asking how they can position themselves effectively in this evolving market.
At Friisberg, we recognise that behind every search is a person making an important life decision. Supporting individuals thoughtfully, with empathy and clarity, remains at the heart of our work. We are committed to ensuring that every candidate feels guided, respected, and supported, no matter the challenges they face.
With the holiday season approaching, it is also a valuable moment for all of us - clients, candidates, and partners alike - to reconnect, reflect on the year, and look ahead to new opportunities. We look forward to strengthening relationships, sharing insights, and continuing to support organisations and individuals as they navigate an evolving world of work. As we enter the festive season, we remain committed to combining expertise, adaptability, and a distinctly human touch to deliver exceptional experiences for everyone we work with."
Introduction from our Chair Zoltán Pethõ
COP30 Brazil reinforced a simple truth: the energy transition is advancing faster than many expected, and leadership will determine who keeps pace. Few countries illustrate this momentum better than Spain. On 16 April 2025, the country powered its entire mainland grid with 100 percent renewable energy, a milestone that signals how quickly the landscape is shifting and why Spain has become a reference point for the rest of Europe.
Given this backdrop, we spoke with Gadea Zumarraga and Emiliano Sacristan Navarro from our Friisberg Spain office, who are at the forefront of appointing senior leaders across the Iberian energy sector. Their perspective, together with insights from The McKinsey & Company Global Energy Perspective 2025 and the International Energy Agency (IEA) World Energy Outlook 2025, sheds light on the evolving demands placed on today’s energy executives.
Spain’s transition is a study in contrasts. Renewables now dominate the electricity mix, yet the system still relies on conventional generation to manage demand peaks and grid stability. According to Emiliano and Gadea, this dual reality requires leaders who can think in multiple time horizons, balancing rapid innovation with continuity and resilience.
Hydrogen is another area where Spain is taking a leading role. With hundreds of projects and billions in committed investment, the country is positioning itself as a future hydrogen powerhouse. This creates a growing need for executives capable of managing long-term, capital-intensive programmes and navigating complex public–private ecosystems.
At the same time, electrification is accelerating at record speed. Data centre growth, AI-related energy demand, and the digitalisation of infrastructure are reshaping what effective leadership looks like. The ability to understand both energy systems and digital technologies is becoming essential.
Across Friisberg, and particularly in Spain, organisations are increasingly seeking leaders who combine strategic transition capability with commercial discipline and operational agility. Our Madrid office continues to play a central role in shaping leadership pipelines for companies operating at the intersection of renewables, conventional energy, hydrogen, storage, and grid modernisation.
COP30 made one conclusion unavoidable: the global energy transition will be defined by those who can lead it. Friisberg is committed to helping clients find the executives able to guide their organisations through this next, critical phase.
On Thursday, 27 November 2025, our French office hosted the International Mobility Afterwork networking event. The event brought together 40 to 45 participants, including thirty clients and prospects, as well as the MANAGING and Coffra group teams and our four speakers.
The evening showcased how international mobility can be a powerful personal, professional, and strategic lever, illustrated through a variety of experiences and insights.
Speakers and their international journeys:
Held at the Coffra Group offices in Strasbourg, the event provided a friendly and interactive atmosphere, where participants shared best practices and experiences on international mobility across the Grand Est region. Discussions highlighted how global exposure broadens professional horizons and strengthens companies’ competitive edge, talent strategies, and innovation capabilities.
Thank you to all who joined and contributed to this inspiring evening. We look forward to continuing these exchanges and supporting the growth of internationally minded talent and organisations.
"Attending the Regional Defence Summit, organized by Kapital Events, offered me a valuable perspective on how Europe is redefining its approach to security, innovation, and industrial cooperation.
Some key themes stood out:
A highlight for me was taking part in the DronAid workshop, where I assembled a real drone headed to Ukraine - a hands-on reminder of how technology and purpose can directly contribute to Europe’s resilience." Nevena Nikolova Partner and Group CFO, from our Sofia office, Bulgaria.
Dorota Cagiel from Friisberg New Delhi recently attended the SHRM India HR Conference - focused mainly on the future of work with the main tagline: "Celebrating You". Her key takeaways highlight what today’s workplaces need to thrive: courage, authenticity, connection, purpose and joy. The majority of the Conference was focused on Global Capability Centres (GCCs).
India has emerged as a powerhouse for (GCCs) being global talent pool and technology hubs driving innovation and transformation for global enterprises. Yet, only 23% of GCCs have successfully mirrored their parent organisations’ culture. The challenge and opportunity lies in moving from siloed “they” cultures to a shared, thriving “we” culture. Dorota emphasises that culture is not just a value statement; it is a brand builder, a performance driver, and the foundation for scaling future growth.
Another key insight is that the generational gap is reshaping leadership at the executive level. Leaders can no longer rely on yesterday’s playbook. With Gen X, Gen Y, Gen Z and Alpha entering the workforce, expectations are shifting fast. The solution is to hire smart, and coach intentionally. At the C-suite level, this means ensuring that executives are prepared to lead across generational differences, drive strategic impact, and sustain a strong organisational culture.
At Friisberg & Partners International, we partner exclusively with boards and executive committees to identify and place C-suite leaders who can navigate these challenges, shape culture, and deliver long-term success. The generational and cultural shifts at the top are real, but with the right executive in place, they become powerful opportunities for transformation and growth.
Dorota returns inspired, ready to continue contributing to the evolution of executive leadership in India.
Insights from our Global Head of Marketing and PR, Alexandra Wenyon.
Working closely with C-suite leaders at Friisberg & Partners International, I’m always curious about what makes great leaders stand out. One statistic from EY immediately struck me:
94% of C-suite women have played sport.
It’s hardly surprising. Sport builds resilience, teamwork, discipline and the ability to make decisions under pressure, all core qualities of strong leadership. And as organisations continue to fight for talent and gender parity, sport can be a powerful leveller for women.
Yet many girls step away from sport early. By age 16, 64% have stopped participating, often due to confidence challenges or academic pressure. Encouraging girls to stay active is essential, not just for health, but for the leadership skills they gain.
I’ve seen this first hand. Since 2009 I’ve balanced a full-time career with competitive rowing, including time in GB high-performance programmes, at Molesey Boat Club , Oxford Brookes University and as a member of the British Rowing Paralympic Team. Juggling work and elite sport taught me focus, resilience and leadership, skills I now rely on in my work with C-suite executives.
As a cox, I learned to:
These are also the foundations of effective C-suite leadership.
The commitment was huge: long drives to training, family sacrifices and annual leave spent at races. But it taught me:
Most importantly, it taught me to enjoy the journey, because without that, nothing else works.
Whether in sport or business, the crossover is clear:
EY highlights female athletes as future leaders, but the principle applies broadly. Sport shapes adaptable, resilient, high-performing leaders. I didn’t always get the balance right, and burnout was real, but reconnecting with my purpose kept me going.
One simple action makes a difference: keep showing up for women’s sport.
I often reflect on how much the world has changed since I started working as a head-hunter more than 25 years ago. One thing, however, has never changed: when someone is looking for a new role, it is not just a process it is a very personal, emotionally charged period. I meet candidates who are excited, others who are tired, disappointed, or even rethinking their entire career, and they all ask the same question: What should I do now, in this new world shaped by AI?
I penned some thoughts below for those who are seeking direction amid this uncertainty and who want to position themselves consciously and intelligently in the future labour market.
For job-seekers, one of the most important realisations may be that industry boundaries are blurring much faster than role categories are crystallising. In my view, instead of focusing solely on traditional career paths, it is worth seeking roles that connect different domains & positions that combine human judgement with AI capabilities, or that serve as a bridge between technical systems and business needs.
If you are looking for a new role, considering a career change, or want to grow in your current or a new workplace, I suggest:
Don’t simply list what you have done so far; emphasise how you learn, how you solve problems, and how you work with new systems. Employers increasingly value people who can navigate uncertainty and integrate new tools into existing workflows. In fact, how you handled the last major change at your workplace may matter far more than your proficiency with any one piece of software.
Every organisation introducing AI faces the same challenge: how to make sophisticated technology work within a messy, human system. Look for positions and responsibilities related to management, training, or process optimisation within AI-adopting companies, and even in those where AI is not yet an integral part of operations. These roles often do not require deep technical knowledge, but they do require people who understand how organisations function when theory meets practice.
While tech hubs get most of the spotlight, every sector needs people who can bridge the gap between AI capabilities and local implementation. For example, healthcare needs professionals who understand both patient care and data analytics, and manufacturing plants need operators who can work alongside automated systems. Often, the combination of your existing industry knowledge and basic AI literacy creates far more opportunities than starting from scratch in an entirely new field.
At Friisberg, beyond ensuring client satisfaction, we place huge importance on the candidate experience throughout the search process. Every one of our consultants pays close attention to the Candidate Journey.
One aspect that has always mattered deeply to me at Friisberg is the experience we create for candidates. Behind every search is a person making an important life decision, and our team never loses sight of that. I’m grateful for consultants who treat every Candidate Journey with thoughtfulness and care.
Poland has become one of Europe’s most dynamic business environments, attracting international leaders with its skilled workforce, strategic location, and competitive market. Yet achieving success in Poland requires more than strong operations or a solid entry strategy. It also depends on understanding the cultural factors that influence how people lead, communicate, and work.
Polish business culture blends structure with adaptability, clear communication with diplomacy, and traditional hierarchy with a growing focus on collaboration. These nuances can surprise foreign executives. Direct feedback may be misread as criticism, early formality may be mistaken for reluctance, and credibility must be earned through both expertise and consistency.
This article highlights the cultural dynamics that matter most for leaders operating in Poland. It explores expectations around leadership, communication, trust, work values, and market behaviour. Drawing on insights from Friisberg’s Warsaw office, it offers practical guidance to help international executives navigate the Polish workplace with confidence and cultural intelligence.
Polish organisations generally value structured leadership, where managers provide clarity, direction, and measurable goals. Ambiguity is discouraged, precision and preparedness signal competence.
However, leadership in Poland is not strictly top-down. While hierarchy is recognised, effective leaders are expected to be approachable and people focused. The strongest foreign leaders balance authority with empathy, combining confident decision-making with genuine engagement.
Polish professionals tend to communicate clearly and directly, particularly in business settings, but with a preference for tact and professionalism.
Overly indirect communication may be viewed as unclear, while very blunt feedback (common in some cultures) can feel unnecessarily harsh.
Polish business culture places strong value on reliability, competence, and consistency. Trust develops gradually and is reinforced through actions. Early interactions may feel formal, but warmth and openness grow as relationships deepen.
Poland’s workforce is recognised for:
Work–life balance views are evolving. While older generations may favour more traditional structures, younger employees increasingly value autonomy and wellbeing.
Poland remains a major hub for manufacturing, shared services, technology, and international investment. Through our Warsaw office, Friisberg consistently observes:
For expanding organisations, understanding these dynamics is essential for sustainable success.
Leadership styles, communication patterns, and work–life expectations vary across countries. A polite “yes” in one place may not signify commitment; direct feedback in another may be seen as impolite.
For leaders entering Poland, overlooking these differences can:
The world’s most successful international businesses understand that culture is strategic. It shapes decision-making, leadership effectiveness, and ultimately, financial results.
Our Warsaw office, working closely with our global teams, brings together deep local understanding and international experience. Whether supporting a Scandinavian acquisition, a UK expansion, or a global investor entering Poland, we help you bridge cultural differences with clarity and confidence.
We do not simply conduct executive search or management audits, we interpret cultures; our consultants equip clients to adapt, integrate, and thrive in cross-border environments.
This article forms part of our expanding Culture Factor series, exploring the business cultures that shape leadership and success across our international footprint.
More perspectives from our European colleagues will follow.
Culture is not soft-it is structural, strategic, and essential.
At Friisberg, we help organisations see culture not as an obstacle, but as an opportunity to build stronger, more resilient leadership across borders.
Read more here: The Culture Factor – Friisberg & Partners International
Note: These insights reflect common professional patterns. Every individual and organisation is unique. Our aim is to highlight trends that international leaders may encounter and to share how Friisberg supports clients in navigating them effectively and respectfully.
Last month, McKinsey released its Global Energy Perspective 2025, offering a detailed outlook on long-term energy trends, transition pathways, and the evolving economics of global systems. When combined with the International Energy Agency’s World Energy Outlook 2025, these perspectives create a clearer picture of what the coming decade will demand from leaders in the energy sector.
Drawing on these insights and supported by real-time knowledge from Friisberg Spain who specialise in placing C-suite and senior leaders across the energy industry we highlight the themes most relevant for today’s organisations.
McKinsey’s scenarios show that the transition will not unfold along a single predictable path. Spanish energy companies are experiencing rapid policy evolution, fluctuating subsidy structures, and fast-changing regulatory expectations.
This dominance of renewables means organisations increasingly need leaders with strong strategic foresight, the ability to navigate uncertainty, and the depth of regulatory understanding required to operate successfully in solar, wind, hydrogen, and grid-modernisation markets.
Despite the rapid growth of renewables, McKinsey still anticipates meaningful fossil-fuel demand well beyond 2050. Spain reflects this hybrid reality:
Friisberg Spain frequently conducts searches for executives who understand both conventional energy operations and emerging transition technologies. A combination that is becoming more valuable across the Iberian energy landscape.
McKinsey highlights that technologies such as green hydrogen will expand gradually unless supported by strong regulatory intervention. Spain, however, is an exception:
This environment requires leaders comfortable managing long-horizon projects, working with investors, and collaborating across government and industry.
Both McKinsey and the IEA emphasise that energy transitions will progress unevenly between regions. Spain is positioning itself as a European energy-export hub:
Friisberg Spain plays a central role in this network, especially as Iberia emerges as a strategic link between the EU and Latin America.
The IEA notes that the world is entering the “age of electricity.” Spain is already seeing this surge:
Friisberg Spain is increasingly supporting clients who require leaders capable of managing these diverse needs.
According to the IEA, renewables continue to grow faster than any other source of energy. Spain’s 2024 electricity mix illustrates this:
Nuclear remains a stabilising force, while solar continues rapid expansion. Leaders must balance innovation in renewables with long-term infrastructure planning.
Across Friisberg, organisations are increasingly seeking leaders who combine strategic transition capability with commercial discipline, operational excellence, and digital fluency. In Spain, this is especially pronounced as energy businesses accelerate efforts in renewables, storage, grids, hydrogen, and industrial decarbonisation.
Friisberg Spain continues to play an essential role in shaping leadership pipelines for these sectors, identifying individuals capable of driving transformational change while ensuring operational and financial performance.
Friisberg’s global reach combines deep sector understanding, partner-led search quality, local-market knowledge, and strong cross-border cooperation. Our office in Madrid has become a flagship practice in the energy sector, consistently placing C-suite executives, transformation leaders, board members, and senior P&L heads who are shaping one of Europe’s most dynamic markets.
McKinsey and the IEA both reinforce a fundamental truth: the energy transition requires leaders who can bridge legacy systems and emerging technologies, navigate uncertainty, and deliver sustainable, commercially viable growth.
Friisberg Spain is ready to support clients in meeting this defining leadership challenge.
Hosszú, 25 évnyi közös út után Németh Árpád ügyvezető partnerünk baráti és kölcsönös megegyezéssel lemond ügyvezető pozíciójáról és távozik a cégtől.
A vállalatot továbbra is Pethő Zoltán és Zalai Márton alapító partnerek viszik a megszokott lendülettel, energiákkal és stratégiai fókusszal, míg az operatív feladatokat Kádár Zoltán kollégánk veszi át.
Szívből köszönjük Árpi az elmúlt negyed évszázadnyi nagyszerű közös munkát, élményeket és sikereket.
Sok szerencsét és örömöt kívánunk neki a szakmai és személyes terveiben!
Köszönjük, hogy velünk vagytok ezen az izgalmas úton továbbra is!
We would like to share an important piece of news from the life of the Friisberg family.
After a long and successful journey of 25 years together, our Managing Partner Árpád Németh has decided to step down from his executive role and leave the firm, in a spirit of mutual respect and friendship.
The company will continue to be led with the same energy, momentum and strategic focus by our founding partners Zoltán Pethő and Márton Zalai, while Zoltán Kádár will take over the operational responsibilities.
We would like to express our heartfelt thanks to Árpi for the wonderful collaboration, shared experiences and successes over the past quarter of a century.
We wish him every success and happiness in his future professional and personal endeavours!
In recent years, technological changes have been reshaping the world of work in ways that profoundly transform employment. Artificial Intelligence (“AI”) does not “just” automate: it generates new ways of working, new professions, and new competencies. While many fear that AI will “take people’s jobs,” and we often discuss which roles are at risk, it’s equally important to examine the other side: which jobs will thrive in the future.
If we look at broader fields, the following areas may contain roles that will be the winners in the coming years:
AI excels in structured, repetitive tasks: collecting data, automating repetitive decisions, generating text or code. For example, IT development, customer service, and simple administrative work are already visibly changing.
In contrast, roles that require creativity, human intuition, emotional intelligence, or strategic thinking - such as product development, strategic consulting, creative agency work, and leadership roles - will be in a strong position in the AI era. Here AI doesn’t replace; it augments, freeing humans from routine tasks.
Introducing and operating AI requires more than end-users: it needs people who design, run, interpret, and adapt AI systems. Such professions include data and machine-learning engineers (Data Scientists, ML Engineers), AI product developers, and AI ethics and governance leaders.
Companies aiming to become “AI-mature” will compete for these specialists, meaning demand for these roles will grow.
While automating highly structured and mechanizable jobs is easy, roles requiring strong interpersonal skills, empathy, and complex human-to-human interaction remain relatively safe. Examples include healthcare assistants, mental-health professionals, counsellors, and creative employees.
AI can support efficiency here, but cannot replace the human element.
Many jobs won’t disappear but will transform. AI will take over routine, rule-based tasks, while humans take on higher-level responsibilities.
For example, the data analyst role used to focus on modelling and reporting; today, interpreting data, supporting decisions, and drawing strategic conclusions are the priority.
In other words, the professions that win are those where humans and AI work together and where humans retain final control, creativity, and value creation.
As AI technologies spread rapidly, roles with a high share of automatable tasks will become disadvantaged - typically administrative work, data collection and entry, simple customer service, invoicing, and repetitive internal activities.
But success requires more than simply “avoiding automation”: we must prepare for the AI era - learning how to collaborate with AI and create comparative advantages that AI cannot generate alone.
• Develop skills AI cannot replicate: creativity, emotional intelligence, critical thinking, complex decision-making.
• Learn to use AI tools, enabling true human–machine collaboration not merely fearing automation.
• At the organizational level: build operations where AI implementation is not just a technology initiative but a business and operating-model transformation.
• Reskilling and adaptation: those who do work today that AI may take over tomorrow should consider how to transition into higher-level roles.
AI likely won’t eliminate all jobs, but it will significantly transform many. Those roles will thrive where humans perform deeply human tasks: creative, complex, relationship- and intuition-driven work.
The “AI-winning” professions combine human value that algorithms cannot independently generate with the technological fluency required in the future of work.
If we recognize this direction as professionals or business leaders, we can not only adapt but gain a competitive advantage.
Here is the list of 65 specific occupations with the highest expected growth that could be winners of the AI era in the next 5–10 years, according to the US Career Institute.
After reading through - especially seeing my position ranked 64th - I felt reassured that I still have a future. 😊
As someone working closely with C‑suite executives at Friisberg & Partners International I’m curious to find out what makes leaders excel. A recent statistic from EY immediately stood out:
It’s no coincidence. Sport develops resilience, teamwork, discipline, and decision-making under pressure all the qualities that make leaders thrive. As EY puts it, while we’re all competing in the war for talent, there’s another battle ongoing: the fight for gender parity. Women gain a crucial advantage when sport becomes a lever to level the playing field.
Yet, too many girls step away from sport early. By the age of 16, 64% of girls have stopped participating, often due to fear of judgment, low confidence, or academic pressures. These numbers show why it’s so important to encourage girls and women to stay active and share the lessons learned along the way.
I’ve seen the impact of this personally. I’ve been rowing since 2009 and, since 2016, have balanced a full-time career with training and competition, including years in GB high-performance programmes, at Molesey Boat Club, Oxford Brookes University, and with The Paralympic British Rowing Team. Managing work alongside rowing taught me lessons in focus, resilience, and leadership that continue to shape how I operate today.
Alex Wenyon pictured with Frankie Allen at The International Para Rowing Regatta
The EY article argues that athletes often become exceptional leaders because of the unique pressures and demands of sport. As a cox, I learned to:
These are the same skills that make for an effective C‑suite executive: clear decision-making under pressure, motivating diverse teams, and adapting strategy on the fly.
While this was extremely rewarding, it included many hours a day driving to training, family sacrifices and annual leave being used up on competition. The experience taught me lessons about resilience, focus, and balance that I now bring into my work with executives:
Sport teaches you that leadership is not just about personal excellence - it’s about lifting the entire team and sustaining performance under pressure, but my main takeaway is to make sure you enjoy the journey. Otherwise, what's the point?
Whether you’re in high-performance sport, a professional environment, or both, the crossover is clear:
The EY article highlights female athletes as future leaders but the principle applies to all leaders: the lessons learned in sport create exceptional, adaptable, and resilient leaders.
I acknowledge that I sometimes didn't get the balance right along the way which left me burnt out, but the reminder of why I was doing this, always pulled me through.
So how can we close the gender gap? Keep showing up for women's sport. Simple.
When Friisberg supports Swedish clients in acquiring foreign businesses, or when we audit management teams in acquired units, we frequently hear echoes of the same reactions: ‘What is Scandinavian business culture all about?’ These reflections often stem from an expectation that “Scandinavia” acts as a uniform system, yet nothing could be further from the truth.
Scandinavia is a region, not a country. Within it lie nations such as Sweden, Norway, and Denmark - each with subtle but consequential differences in how work is done, how leaders lead, and how people relate.
Many say ‘The Finnish design, the Swedes build, the Danes sell and the Norwegian buys’. Michael Karlsson from our Swedish office offers his take on the cultural nuances in Sweden.
Swedish organizations tend to emphasize equality. You might see senior executives grabbing lunch in the staff canteen, and open dialogue is encouraged, even when expressed views diverge from the majority.
One of the more striking, and sometimes frustrating, behaviours to outsiders is how decisions are made: only after lengthy discussion and with broad buy-in. Some see this as overly cautious or consensus-driven, and I agree it can be slow at times.
Swedish managers are typically strong on defining objectives, but less directive about execution. Topics like politics or religion are avoided. Emotions are usually kept in check, confrontation is muted, and critical feedback is often delivered indirectly.
Outside office hours, Swedes generally respect strong boundaries. Socializing outside work is limited unless it’s an organized event. At the same time, benefits such as generous parental leave, extended holidays, and solid pension contributions are highly valued and contrast favourably with many local norms elsewhere.
For many acquired firms, the Swedish way can feel frustrating and not very transparent: the deliberative decision process, indirect communication, and strict work–life boundaries represent a different rhythm than they’re used to.
And for businesses entering Sweden from abroad, a common and unexpected hurdle is the cost and legal obligations tied to Swedish employment norms - especially around parental leave, vacation entitlements, and pension contributions.
But those very attributes - equality, fairness, and balance - are also what many come to admire and adopt over time.
At Friisberg, our experience blends local insight with global reach.
We regularly support clients navigating cross-border transitions, whether via management audits, integration projects, or executive search mandates.
Our role is not just to explain culture, but to bridge it helping clients connect foreign ways of doing business with Swedish norms sustainably.
Note: These insights reflect common patterns observed in professional settings. Every individual and organisation is unique, and no culture can be defined in absolute terms. Our aim is to highlight trends that international leaders may encounter when working across borders, and to share how Friisberg helps clients navigate these differences with respect and effectiveness.
