Who is Pernille Blume?
Pernille Blume sees a strong and natural connection between her background in elite sports and the leadership and board work that lies at the heart of SelectionF. Throughout her sporting career, she has operated in highly international environments, working closely with people of different nationalities, values, and beliefs. This experience has given her a deep understanding of how diversity, when embraced with openness and respect, can become a powerful driver of extraordinary results.
The mission of SelectionF - to bring more diversity into Nordic leadership teams and boardrooms -resonates strongly with her own journey. She recognizes many of the same dynamics in business and board work that she experienced in high-performance sports, and she is motivated by the opportunity to help bridge these worlds.
The sports and business world are not that far apart
What has surprised Pernille most in her transition from sports to the business and board world is how similar the core challenges truly are, even though they are often described in different languages. In both environments, success depends on people with different skills, perspectives, and backgrounds working together toward a shared mission. Diversity and open-mindedness are not optional; they are essential. Cultural differences, international outlooks, and varied ways of thinking are not barriers but strategic advantages - provided there is a genuine willingness to value and integrate them.
At their best, both elite sports teams and effective boards are built on cohesion, mutual respect, and a shared commitment to something greater than the individual. According to Pernille, elite sports in particular offer a clear blueprint for how to build and sustain high-performing teams. Sports operate with sharp goals, strong accountability, and an uncompromising focus on performance. Results are visible and impossible to ignore.
The journey matters as much as the outcome
Yet she is clear that true success is not only about reaching a goal, but about how that goal is achieved. Sustainable high performance requires integrity, trust, and continuous individual development within the team. The journey matters as much as the outcome, because long-term success depends on people thriving - not just collectively, but also as individuals. This ability to perform repeatedly over time, with purpose beyond personal success, is one of the most important lessons the business world can learn from sports.
At the same time, Pernille sees clear opportunities for the sports world to learn from business. She points to governance, structure, and well-defined processes as areas where sports organizations can strengthen their effectiveness. Branding and clear value propositions are also fields where sports can be inspired by business thinking. Viewing sports through a business lens, she believes, can unlock new opportunities for sustainable growth and more robust revenue models.
Resist the pressure to conform
When it comes to women who may feel like outsiders in traditional boardrooms, Pernille’s advice is grounded in self-awareness and courage. She encourages women to recognize their own value and resist the pressure to conform. Rather than trying to fit into existing norms, she believes that different perspectives should be embraced as a strength. Change does not always happen immediately, and not every voice will be heard right away - but staying true to oneself, acting with integrity, and continuing to speak up are essential for long-term impact.
Demonstrating the tangible value of diversity
Looking ahead, Pernille hopes her work with SelectionF will be defined by expansion - expanding how the Danish business community understands leadership, diversity, and talent. She wants SelectionF to be recognized as a pioneer in opening boardrooms to leaders with diverse backgrounds, including elite sports.
Drawing on her international experience, she observes that other regions are often more open to cross-sector leadership than the Nordic countries. Her ambition is that SelectionF helps shift this mindset and clearly demonstrates the tangible value that diverse professional backgrounds bring to boards and executive leadership.
You can meet Pernille at one of SelectionF’s spring events with the title: Courage defines leadership on April the 27th, registration here.
/Anette Holm, Chair of SelectionF Denmark
