To inspire our members and women in the financial industry beyond our doors, we’re reaching out to ladies who have reached the C-Suite. In this first instalment, we have asked Pia Kåll who has recently been promoted to CEO of publicly-listed Finnish private equity fund manager Capman to share how she got where she is today!
“When you feel like it’s the right time to commit, have kids or reach some other important milestone, go ahead and do it, and trust that you will find a way to make the rest of the equation work.”
Can you tell us about your background and the experience that led you to your position as CEO of CapMan?
I have for the past seven years been Managing Partner for CapMan Buyout, with a focus on majority investments in small and mid-sized Nordic companies. As Managing Partner, in addition to leading the team of investment professionals, I also did new platform investments and were responsible for several of our portfolio companies, as well as, investor relations and fundraising. Before joining CapMan I was on the Executive Board of Outotec, leading an international organization within metals and minerals processing technology, and before that almost ten years at McKinsey&Company as a management consultant. I have a Master’s degree in Engineering physics and mathematics with a focus on nuclear physics. I’m married and we have a 10 year old daughter.
Is this appointment something you have been aiming for? Or did you consciously decide not to have a plan?
I have never had any career plans (probably obvious after you read about my background in the previous question ?). And so I was not planning this move either, but as the opportunity was offered, I feel very excited about the new journey ahead. I have always been curious to learn new and open to take on new challenges. I enjoy working together with people from various backgrounds and with different experiences, to jointly solve challenging problems. That is a red thread throughout my career, that has taken very different forms and shapes over the years.
Do you have any advice for ambitious young women based on your personal experience?
I don’t believe in making too rigid plans. Anyway, life will never work out the way you planned it, and if you let it, life can be more interesting and rewarding than you could ever have planned or imagined it. Be ready to work hard but make sure to work on things you enjoy, stay open for new challenges and grab the opportunities that are presented. It’s OK to feel scared or uncertain when you are jumping into something new (I always do, and I think it would be strange not to), but that should never be a reason to say no. For those who want a family and kids and a career, my only advice is not to try to plan and time your family around work, it is too important for that. When you feel like it’s the right time to commit, have kids or reach some other important milestone, go ahead and do it, and trust that you will find a way to make the rest of the equation work.
