Svante Horn shared his career journey from Merrill Lynch to the data center industry, highlighting the rapid progression from analyst to Vice President within two years despite the financial crisis.
Despite his success, he faced a glass ceiling in the Nordic market.
He sought new challenges and transitioned to data centers, leveraging his banking knowledge into digital infrastructure.
He advised mid-career professionals in the data center industry to apply their expertise to other sectors, especially digital infrastructure, to become key influencers and accelerate their careers.
Joshua Feinberg emphasized the "curse of knowledge," noting that industry-specific knowledge can seem overwhelming to outsiders.
This video is excerpted from the podcast Ep. #46 Svante Horn, CEO & Co-Founder of Scandinavian Data Centers | Data Center Go-to-Market Podcast.
Action Items
- Leverage existing knowledge and skills to transition to a new industry, like data centers.
- Recognize that even though you may feel you have deep expertise in your current field, many other industries lack that same level of digital infrastructure knowledge.
Outline
Pivoting from Banking to Data Centers: Svante Horn's Career Transition
- Joshua Feinberg introduces the topic of mid-career pivoting, specifically from banking to data centers, and seeks advice for someone looking to transition.
- Svante Horn shares his experience at Merrill Lynch, detailing his rapid promotion from analyst to Vice President within two years due to his handling of large clients..
- Despite his success in sales, Svante felt he had hit a glass ceiling in the Nordic market due to its fragmented local currency. This prompted him to seek new opportunities in sustainability and circularity.
- Svante transitioned to the data center industry, leveraging his banking knowledge to succeed in the digital infrastructure sector, emphasizing the value of transferable skills and the growing importance of digital infrastructure in the economy.
Resources
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