My name is Annika. I am an adept arranger, a learner and very disciplined! I love change and am passionate about making the world a better place for future generations..
In 2017 I took a strength finder test. Like many automated tests, it spits out a personalised assessment of who you are. Mine said, Arranger, Learner & Discipline. It made sense because I do love arranging complex variables & factors into the most productive configuration.
I also love the challenge & journey from ignorance to competence. And, yes, I am very structured & disciplined and do like to ensure we don’t get distracted along the way.
These three strengths make me very skilled in supply chain management and bringing about change in working environments and in myself. By creating Altrubi, I am linking my strengths and skills with ambition and a deep sense of purpose to change the world we live in today. And here’s why.
I spent my entire life embedded in change. From a young age, I moved countries and schools, changed languages and cultures, industries and sectors and I always adapted and connected with new people; gained new friendships; learned new things.
While working in supply chain management for global corporate organisations in traditional manufacturing industries, I learned fantastic tools and ways of working to improve efficiency, profitability, cash flow; and how to turn fixed costs into variable, do tenders, create partnerships and make continuous improvement part of the organisations’ DNA. Whilst doing all this “learning” and “arranging” I suddenly realised something was missing for me. What had struck me was that profit was always being prioritised over the environment, society and doing the right thing for future generations. What about the purpose of what we were doing? Surely business couldn’t just be about profit? This was an attitude I wanted to change. So I made a huge U-turn in my life and joined the UN in my search for more meaning and purpose in my life.
During my time at the UN I learnt about the Sustainable Development goals for 2030 and forged a deep commitment to them. Now, as an entrepreneur, I want to help the much talked about, very wasteful, polluting and damaging Fashion Industry, transform their supply chains into efficient and flexible and innovative assets. In particular, to help supply chain leaders influence business practises in the 21st century and become “a force for good”.
I love clothes and admire fashion, design and artistic talent. Fashion is the most creative industry I have ever worked in. It touches every consumer on the planet and is also under huge pressure to change. I want to play a positive part in this change, by drawing on my strengths and connecting people. To enable fashion businesses to be profitable and do good socially and environmentally, so it’s a win for business and a win for the planet.
My insights from other industries bring a fresh perspective to fashion supply chains. My unique skills and experience are very pragmatic, organised and logical (left-brain), whereas the world of fashion is so very spontaneous and creative (right-brain). I believe great synergies can be achieved when left- and right-brains, logic and creativity, can connect and come together in symphony.