Sofie Blakstad π
CEO and Founder at hiveonline ApS- Claim this Profile
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French Limited working proficiency
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Italian Limited working proficiency
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Danish Elementary proficiency
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English Native or bilingual proficiency
Topline Score
Bio
Jan StΓΌve
I worked very closely together with Sofie for a bit over a year in different roles at Nordea, including running the Nordea payments programme for a few months together. Sofie is a strong visionary with an impressive track record of implementing change in grown organisations. Her experience, together with an incredible amount of creativity to use this experience and create new ideas has allowed her to drive multiple initiatives at the same time, changing the world around her. I was deeply impressed by her ability to link abstract concepts to real world problems, solving problems on a different level. I really enjoyed working with Sofie and wish her all the best for her new endeavour at hiveonline
Rob Allen
Sofie is a force of nature. With a long list of accomplishments of turning stuffy, hierarchical organisations into sharp, customer service-aligned businesses, and as a fearless C-level adviser in how to do this, Sofie simply gets things done. Not only does she have a deep understanding of how banks work, she knows how to change them - fundamentally, strategically and with customers at the heart of the business. As a colleague of Sofie's over the last year as Executive Advisers on Nordea's bank-wide transformation programme, I have marvelled at her ability to work on so many fronts at once. Although recruited to be the chief strategic adviser for Nordea's transformational journey, she has also created new Architectural functions and processes, a framework for Business Change, a Delivery assurance function, as well as establishing standards for tools and techniques, to name but a few. All of this while being adviser, coach, mentor and confidante. Sofie creates momentum where only inertia existed before and weaves action out of vacuum. Wherever a gap has appeared in the battle lines, Sofie is there, rallying the troops, putting herself on the line until the rest of us intellectual lightweights catch up and work out what to do while she has moved on to the next breach. It has been an absolute pleasure and a real learning experience.
Jan StΓΌve
I worked very closely together with Sofie for a bit over a year in different roles at Nordea, including running the Nordea payments programme for a few months together. Sofie is a strong visionary with an impressive track record of implementing change in grown organisations. Her experience, together with an incredible amount of creativity to use this experience and create new ideas has allowed her to drive multiple initiatives at the same time, changing the world around her. I was deeply impressed by her ability to link abstract concepts to real world problems, solving problems on a different level. I really enjoyed working with Sofie and wish her all the best for her new endeavour at hiveonline
Rob Allen
Sofie is a force of nature. With a long list of accomplishments of turning stuffy, hierarchical organisations into sharp, customer service-aligned businesses, and as a fearless C-level adviser in how to do this, Sofie simply gets things done. Not only does she have a deep understanding of how banks work, she knows how to change them - fundamentally, strategically and with customers at the heart of the business. As a colleague of Sofie's over the last year as Executive Advisers on Nordea's bank-wide transformation programme, I have marvelled at her ability to work on so many fronts at once. Although recruited to be the chief strategic adviser for Nordea's transformational journey, she has also created new Architectural functions and processes, a framework for Business Change, a Delivery assurance function, as well as establishing standards for tools and techniques, to name but a few. All of this while being adviser, coach, mentor and confidante. Sofie creates momentum where only inertia existed before and weaves action out of vacuum. Wherever a gap has appeared in the battle lines, Sofie is there, rallying the troops, putting herself on the line until the rest of us intellectual lightweights catch up and work out what to do while she has moved on to the next breach. It has been an absolute pleasure and a real learning experience.
Jan StΓΌve
I worked very closely together with Sofie for a bit over a year in different roles at Nordea, including running the Nordea payments programme for a few months together. Sofie is a strong visionary with an impressive track record of implementing change in grown organisations. Her experience, together with an incredible amount of creativity to use this experience and create new ideas has allowed her to drive multiple initiatives at the same time, changing the world around her. I was deeply impressed by her ability to link abstract concepts to real world problems, solving problems on a different level. I really enjoyed working with Sofie and wish her all the best for her new endeavour at hiveonline
Rob Allen
Sofie is a force of nature. With a long list of accomplishments of turning stuffy, hierarchical organisations into sharp, customer service-aligned businesses, and as a fearless C-level adviser in how to do this, Sofie simply gets things done. Not only does she have a deep understanding of how banks work, she knows how to change them - fundamentally, strategically and with customers at the heart of the business. As a colleague of Sofie's over the last year as Executive Advisers on Nordea's bank-wide transformation programme, I have marvelled at her ability to work on so many fronts at once. Although recruited to be the chief strategic adviser for Nordea's transformational journey, she has also created new Architectural functions and processes, a framework for Business Change, a Delivery assurance function, as well as establishing standards for tools and techniques, to name but a few. All of this while being adviser, coach, mentor and confidante. Sofie creates momentum where only inertia existed before and weaves action out of vacuum. Wherever a gap has appeared in the battle lines, Sofie is there, rallying the troops, putting herself on the line until the rest of us intellectual lightweights catch up and work out what to do while she has moved on to the next breach. It has been an absolute pleasure and a real learning experience.
Jan StΓΌve
I worked very closely together with Sofie for a bit over a year in different roles at Nordea, including running the Nordea payments programme for a few months together. Sofie is a strong visionary with an impressive track record of implementing change in grown organisations. Her experience, together with an incredible amount of creativity to use this experience and create new ideas has allowed her to drive multiple initiatives at the same time, changing the world around her. I was deeply impressed by her ability to link abstract concepts to real world problems, solving problems on a different level. I really enjoyed working with Sofie and wish her all the best for her new endeavour at hiveonline
Rob Allen
Sofie is a force of nature. With a long list of accomplishments of turning stuffy, hierarchical organisations into sharp, customer service-aligned businesses, and as a fearless C-level adviser in how to do this, Sofie simply gets things done. Not only does she have a deep understanding of how banks work, she knows how to change them - fundamentally, strategically and with customers at the heart of the business. As a colleague of Sofie's over the last year as Executive Advisers on Nordea's bank-wide transformation programme, I have marvelled at her ability to work on so many fronts at once. Although recruited to be the chief strategic adviser for Nordea's transformational journey, she has also created new Architectural functions and processes, a framework for Business Change, a Delivery assurance function, as well as establishing standards for tools and techniques, to name but a few. All of this while being adviser, coach, mentor and confidante. Sofie creates momentum where only inertia existed before and weaves action out of vacuum. Wherever a gap has appeared in the battle lines, Sofie is there, rallying the troops, putting herself on the line until the rest of us intellectual lightweights catch up and work out what to do while she has moved on to the next breach. It has been an absolute pleasure and a real learning experience.
Experience
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hiveonline ApS
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Denmark
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IT Services and IT Consulting
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1 - 100 Employee
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CEO and Founder
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Dec 2016 - Present
hiveonline is building sustainable decentralised finance for financially excluded smallholders and their local ecosystems, by giving them access to credit and markets. We focus on community based market development, aggregating data and digitising validation. App for savings groups at app.vsla.online and cooperatives at myCoop.online. hiveonline is building sustainable decentralised finance for financially excluded smallholders and their local ecosystems, by giving them access to credit and markets. We focus on community based market development, aggregating data and digitising validation. App for savings groups at app.vsla.online and cooperatives at myCoop.online.
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The University of Edinburgh
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United Kingdom
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Research Services
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700 & Above Employee
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Chair, Edinburgh Futures Institute Advisory Board
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Sep 2018 - Present
The Edinburgh Futures Institute (University of Edinburgh) is working to develop Edinburgh's focus on financial inclusion and advancing societal welfare. The Edinburgh Futures Institute (University of Edinburgh) is working to develop Edinburgh's focus on financial inclusion and advancing societal welfare.
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Research Lead and Expert Advisor
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Mar 2017 - Sep 2020
UN/Ant Financial joint initiative to shape policy for innovative applications of digital finance/fintech to supporting delivery of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). I support the Alliance through expert advice at high level summits and on policy papers/reports. UN/Ant Financial joint initiative to shape policy for innovative applications of digital finance/fintech to supporting delivery of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). I support the Alliance through expert advice at high level summits and on policy papers/reports.
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Nordea
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Finland
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Banking
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700 & Above Employee
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Executive Advisor, Bank Transformation
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Jan 2015 - Dec 2016
Advising on delivering radical whole bank transformation. Established Business Architecture, Release Management, Delivery Assurance and Quality Assurance. Programme Director for Payments programme while identifying long-term Programme Director. Advising on delivering radical whole bank transformation. Established Business Architecture, Release Management, Delivery Assurance and Quality Assurance. Programme Director for Payments programme while identifying long-term Programme Director.
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Royal Bank of Scotland Business
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United Kingdom
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Banking
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700 & Above Employee
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CIB Programmes Director
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Nov 2011 - Nov 2014
Managing a portfolio of strategic change for RBS Corporate Banking including a new core banking system, payments systems, etc. Supporting Build of client challenger banks with expert advice, creating a new approach to bulk account migration in partnership with Industry Payments Schemes, Regulators, Payments Council and Consumer Authorities. Managing a portfolio of strategic change for RBS Corporate Banking including a new core banking system, payments systems, etc. Supporting Build of client challenger banks with expert advice, creating a new approach to bulk account migration in partnership with Industry Payments Schemes, Regulators, Payments Council and Consumer Authorities.
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Citi
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Mexico
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IT Services and IT Consulting
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100 - 200 Employee
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Head of Business Transformation O&T EMEA
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Jan 2008 - Oct 2011
Leading international teams delivering Service Aligned transformation for Retail Banking, Technology and Operations to enhance customer service offering and realise cost saves, using self-developed Service Aligned transformation methods. Transformation Council chair. Achieved radical shifts in customer experience, cost savings and employee satisfaction.
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Head of Programmes, Core Technology Infrastructure
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Jan 2005 - Dec 2007
All core technology infrastructure programmes and projects in EMEA including data centres, new builds, compliance, etc.
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UBS
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Switzerland
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Financial Services
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700 & Above Employee
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Programme Manager
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Jun 1998 - Apr 2002
Hired as a developer, graduated to Programme Management and leading transformation for Y2K, building UBS's first online bank, Wealth Management whole business transformation including Core Banking replatforming, trading systems refresh, working in multiple global locations (APAC, EMEA, US) with global teams. Programme Recovery on two Whole Business programmes. Hired as a developer, graduated to Programme Management and leading transformation for Y2K, building UBS's first online bank, Wealth Management whole business transformation including Core Banking replatforming, trading systems refresh, working in multiple global locations (APAC, EMEA, US) with global teams. Programme Recovery on two Whole Business programmes.
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Full Stack Developer / Consultant
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Jun 1997 - Jun 1998
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Lehman Brothers
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Capital Markets
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700 & Above Employee
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Head of Technology Services, Corporate Finance
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Apr 1993 - Jun 1997
Restructured the department to increase output by 40%, cut costs, remove a layer of management and increase focus on customer service Restructured the department to increase output by 40%, cut costs, remove a layer of management and increase focus on customer service
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Andersen Consulting
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United States
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Computer Networking Products
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1 - 100 Employee
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Help Desk
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Apr 1992 - Mar 1993
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Proprietor
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Dec 1989 - Apr 1992
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Random House
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Australia
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Book and Periodical Publishing
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1 - 100 Employee
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Copywriter/Publicity Manager
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May 1988 - Dec 1989
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Pan Books
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United Kingdom
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Press Assistant/Copywriter
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Jan 1987 - Apr 1988
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Education
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2021 - 2022
INSEAD
Impact Entrepreneurship Program, Entrepreneurship/Entrepreneurial Studies -
2016 - 2016
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
FinTech -
2003 - 2004
City University (GB)
MSc, Information, Systems and Technology
Community
