Written by Nina Wickström (formerly Aunula), Executive Chair 2019-2023,
Dear Reader,
when I was requested to write something about my years as Chair of IMA (2019-2023), my first thought was to have a look at our Annual Reports and take it from there. Then I decided against it, I would rather reflect and look back now, and write from my heart .
After my appointment to Chair in Geneve in 2019, our team had an interesting start. Our brand-new Association Secretary (today called Executive Governance Officer) landed a dream job and had to step down almost immediately. Luckily our trusted and very capable Karin Hélène took on the challenge, interim at first, but today she is still a member of the Executive Committee. The other members were Sabrina Franchini, Vaida Rapello and Chantal Sneijkers who was a very knowledgeable and strategic Vice Chair. They all, together with previous Chair Else-Britt Lundgren, had laid a strong foundation on which we could stay steadfast in the turbulent years to come.
First Covid hit in early 2020. I was in South Africa then, looking into our venue for the first international conference outside Europe together with the efficient and meticulous Chair of South Africa, Corrie Fourie. No one realized at that point how quickly it would all escalate. When flying back home I noted that the Security personnel at the airport were wearing masks, all of them, but none of the passengers. At that point only one reported case in SA. I remember thinking, during a team call later the same month, this is likely to be a marathon, not a sprint, and unfortunately that was indeed the case. The whole Assistant Community, all of the different Associations out there, started offering many events for free in addition to setting up discussion groups in Zoom and showing their support in many ways.
In IMA we took the same route, free webinars, free on-line conference etc. We suffered losses too, due to e.g. the cancellation of the Training Day in Norway. Despite the turbulence we tried to keep the spirit up. Our main concern was with our IMA colleagues. We all felt grateful to be able to keep contact with the National Committees and our members through Zoom and Teams. Our partners and associates were very helpful and generous too, providing us with many events for free. Our SoMe channels had many nice initiatives, created by Sabrina and our members, and there was very much the feeling and effort by all of fostering a sense of community. The Executive Committee met every 3 weeks but as the regular modus of meeting at least twice per year in person for a full day was changed into numerous on-line meetings, it took its toll on all of us, in different ways.
In effect 2020 and 2021 were completely on-line. With the sound and far-sighted business acumen of Vice Chair Sofie Koark, elected in 2020, also 2021 was decided to be fully on-line. Quite a few members still dropped out during the Covid years, they had not the possibility nor resources to be part of IMA any longer, unfortunately some were made redundant as well. In August 2020 our founder, Sonia Vanular passed away too, at the age of 98. As per her wishes, we sang and had a glass of wine on her birthday in September. On-line!
After Covid, we made inroads into new technology and started offering our meetings in hybrid mode. Luxembourg was the first meeting where many of us met in person and some were on-line. It was fantastic! A very special feeling of reunion somehow. And Helsinki in 2022, the first conference since 2019 was such a success too, in more ways than one.
In 2022 the start of the war in Ukraine left its mark in all of us. Our heart still goes out our members there. We tried to stay in contact and facilitate their continued membership but unfortunately there is not much contact at the moment, though we set up a LinkedIn group as well which did not take flight somehow.
2023, the last year I was Chair, we were finally able to host our first truly international conference in Cape Town, 3 years after the intended kick-off. Before I stepped down Menekse Ahbab came on board as Executive Finance Officer for a period of time, after which Jette Stenberg took over. Both absolutely fantastic with the financials and very dedicated. The same applies for hard-working visionary Executive MarCom Officer Christina Bagge-Kragh. These ladies continued the legacy of Sabrina and Vaida, who served on the Committee for 6 years each, giving their all for IMA. Sabrina, vivacious and energetic, played a crucial role in the set-up of the new web-site, as did Christina. Vaida had a very good strategic view and started the renewal of the Financial processes, of great help to all. I am so grateful for having had the pleasure and privilege to work with all of these professionals! A special thank you to all Council members, our fantastic SoMe team, who really have made an impact and Young Professional Ambassador Nicole Breunissen.
Nina Wickström (previously Aunula)
