Anna Wozniak

Anna Wozniak, Graduate in International Relations, double degree from ESCP Europe (2008)
From the very beginning of her career, she has been involved in finance and strategy, both in large corporations (Societe Generale, Syngenta) and in dynamic startup and scale-up environments, where she served as Group CFO.
An experienced financial leader in the IT and life sciences industries, supporting growth, profitability, and effective business transformations in international organizations. She specializes in aligning financial strategy with key company development stages and commercial objectives. Known for her comprehensive approach to financial management, building investor trust, and leading companies toward profitable growth

1. The most pivotal moment in your career?

There have been many pivotal moments—and certainly more to come. A real leap into the deep end was moving from a large, over 200-year-old company into the world of startups. After nearly eight years at a corporation that was an excellent school of financial management, I was looking for a new challenge. Thanks to a former boss, I joined a promising company developing software for genetic data analysis.
Searching for and securing investors in Europe and the U.S., and building a global company based on a highly innovative idea—connecting anonymized patient data for scientific research—were among the most exciting challenges, enabling me to grow and reach the next level in my career.

2. Your greatest professional success?

For many years, I worked in fast-growth environments. After 2021, we entered a period of correction, and with high interest rates, most startups started struggling with access to capital. That’s when the time came for turnaround work—getting companies back on track.
I consider my greatest success to be working with one of Europe’s leading LegalTech companies. Together with the management board and supervisory board, I helped lead the company out of a complex financial and personnel situation to profitability, and shortly thereafter to a successful sale to an international corporation.
The key to this success was building a strong relationship with the CEO and the chairwoman of the supervisory board, and consistently executing the transformation plan.

3. If you could go back to the beginning of your career, but with all the knowledge and experience you have now, what would you do differently?

I think I would approach my career more strategically and consider:
a) which industries have the most future potential,
b) where one can meet people who will support their career in the long term,
c) where one can gain solid skills and a strong foundation for the future.
For many years, I believed I should have started my career in one of the top consulting firms (McKinsey, Bain, BCG), as they offer an incredible career launch—and I felt I was missing that kind of “logo” on my CV. Now, in the age of AI, their business model is changing, but I still believe that strategic consulting, investment banking, or a management trainee program (my path) are the best springboards to a managerial career.

4. Your recipe for success: how to achieve it, what to focus on, what to avoid? Which skills from your studies at UEP turned out to be most valuable?

There are many academic studies about the recipe for success in business. Aside from luck—which is hard to replicate—consistency and perseverance are the traits most often cited.
Consistency in action and having clear goals help maintain motivation and avoid giving up. Perseverance is about strength of character and the ability to keep finding solutions despite obstacles.
As for my studies at UEP, the most valuable skills were the analytical thinking, structured approach to problem-solving, and the ability to work under pressure and in teams.

5. What advice would you give to current students just starting their careers?

My advice to young people is to quickly discover their strengths and build a career around them. Also, gaining as much business experience as possible, traveling, and meeting interesting people is key to learning more about oneself during university.
New technologies are changing how companies operate, which industries will matter in the future, and even which professions will exist.
So it’s essential to know yourself, understand what you’re good at (e.g. analytical skills, interpersonal communication, sales talent, strategic thinking), build a valuable network, and never stop learning.