Ylva Bäckström

Sweden
Written By Ylva Bäckström
 

Ylva Bäckström

Chief of Strategy & Innovation

Profile Picture of Ylva Bäckström, Chief of Strategy & Innovation at Alumni Global

Ylva has 25 years’ experience from commercial roles in different industries and company structures, in the Nordic region and more than 15 years experience from leadership roles. Today her focus lies within Alumni Global’s strategic business development, being a part of the management team heading strategy and innovation, including branding, marketing and IT.

Bio

Ylva has an entrepreneurial mindset combined with a passion for business development, networking and diversity, as a driver for growth. With her proven ability to grasp development opportunities and build relations, her focus now is to advise and support companies to scale up and develop. 

Ylva has a particularly extensive track-record delivering searches for executives within the following functions: Commercial, Sales & Marketing and Sustainability.

Ylva holds a Master of Science in Industrial and Management Engineering from Luleå University of Technology, Sweden. She has also studied marketing at business school FEI in Stockholm, Sweden.

A central part of her remit is guiding how the firm and its clients approach innovation and the responsible adoption of artificial intelligence in leadership, alongside a long-standing commitment to diversity and inclusion as drivers of growth.

Areas of expertise

Strategy and innovation

  • Strategic business development

  • Innovation leadership

  • Responsible adoption of AI in leadership

Marketing and communications

  • Branding

  • Marketing and communications

Sustainable and inclusive leadership

  • Sustainable leadership

  • Diversity, equity and inclusion

Contact

Office location: Stockholm

Tel: +46 73 066 90 89

E-mail: ylva.backstrom@alumniglobal.com

LinkedIn: Ylva Bäckström

Featured Insights and Commentary

Read selected perspectives and interviews by Ylva Bäckström

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When AI Has the Answers, Leadership Must Provide the Why
Perspectives
Ylva Bäckström
When AI Has the Answers, Leadership Must Provide the Why
Perspectives
Ylva Bäckström

Executives no longer compete with AI on speed or information. Their value lies in judgment, courage, and framing the human why that data cannot provide.

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Perspectives
Ylva Bäckström
Empowering Leaders to Embrace New Technology and Drive Purposeful Innovation
Perspectives
Ylva Bäckström
Empowering Leaders to Embrace New Technology and Drive Purposeful Innovation
Perspectives
Ylva Bäckström

In today's climate of perpetual change, innovation is often hailed as the holy grail of competitiveness. But for organisations committed to long-term impact, innovation must be more than a buzzword or a race to adopt the latest technology. It must be redefined - not just as the introduction of new ideas, but as a disciplined, inclusive, and purpose-driven process led by people who understand that sustainability is not separate from innovation, but fundamental to it. What's needed is a deeper shift - one that positions a sustainable leadership at the core of technological transformation.

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Perspectives
Ylva Bäckström
Are we maintaining the human essence of recruitment?
Perspectives
Ylva Bäckström
Are we maintaining the human essence of recruitment?
Perspectives
Ylva Bäckström

As AI continues its transformative influence across industries, the recruitment industry find itself at a pivotal juncture. The allure of efficiency, scalability, and data-driven precision is undeniable. From CV parsing to automated assessments and chatbot-facilitated engagement, organisations are rapidly integrating AI into talent acquisition to remain competitive. There is a race for innovation in our industry, but we must be careful to find a balance between automation and human insight.

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Perspectives
Ylva Bäckström
A positive influence - executive search
Perspectives
Ylva Bäckström
A positive influence - executive search
Perspectives
Ylva Bäckström

With increasing complexity and challenging times ahead, the need for good leadership in our societies is becoming more pressing. At the same time, concerns are being raised about the profiles of those leaders in power and in positions of authority. It is worrying that so many senior level placements are still affected by gender, ethnicity, age and geographical location. Acting behind the scenes of top executive placements, are often executive search firms. Executive search firms are in a prime position to take larger responsibility for helping to ensure executive placements that better represent the interest of their organisation’s entire community. As the market for C-level and senior leadership profiles is rapidly evolving, can the executive search industry keep up?

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Perspectives
Ylva Bäckström
Finding Sustainable Leadership
Perspectives
Ylva Bäckström
Finding Sustainable Leadership
Perspectives
Ylva Bäckström

So much has changed for business over the last few years, globalisation, tech disruption, climate change, geopolitical instability and it is fair to say that this will continue. This new business landscape requires something extraordinary in leadership: individuals who can navigate volatility, harness resilience, foster agility and integrate paradox. This unicorn breed of leaders are sustainable leaders, and their value has never been clearer.

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Perspectives
Ylva Bäckström
 
Ylva Bäckström
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