Martyna Kurcz-Jenn joined HENSOLDT in May 2018. She works as Director Public Affairs in Brussels, Belgium with a focus on the European Union and NATO. She began her professional career after her second Master’s degree in European Law from the College of Europe. Her concentration on the European Union stems from her upbringing in Poland, which became a member of the EU in 2004. Martyna was interested in the process of integration and market regulation.
With a strong interest in European affairs, it was an obvious choice for her to work in Brussels in the world of governmental relations and regulatory affairs for French and American engineering companies. She spent four years in Washington, DC, USA working in international finance before returning to Brussels as her second home in 2015, a time of change in Europe.
What is the common thread running through your life?
My life motto is “listen, learn and empower”. Let me explain that: People often jump to conclusions without taking the time to listen to their colleagues, team members, or customers and fail to understand their perspective. But to take any well-informed decision you need to listen to different opinions. We learn throughout our entire lives and nobody has an absolute knowledge of things at any point in time. It is important to be able to question yourself, your knowledge and your understanding of things. The world we live in is very complex, uncertain and ambiguous and constantly changing. To embrace those challenges we need to be able to learn constantly. Empowering is all about being authentic, humble, trustful and inspiring to others. Encourage others to speak up, be part of the conversation and part of the team.
Who or what inspires you?
I have one particular person who has inspired me so far: Christine Lagarde. As the first female Finance Minister of a G8 economy, the first female chair of a major international law firm and the first female head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the European Central Bank, to me she is a role model of female leadership. On top of that she is also a mother of two, who has empowered countless women in her close environment.
How do you support other women?
You can attract young female talents to your team, giving them responsibilities so that they can learn and grow, and you can ultimately help them to find their own career paths. Supportive groups within and outside of the company to drive the female agenda are another way. I am a member of Women in International Security (WIIS). It is a great group of women that enables discussions among defence and security policy makers. It is still challenging to be a woman in the defence industry, because it has traditionally been a very male-led world, but I believe that things are changing in the right direction. As part of HENSOLDT – a leading defence company with a technological edge, and in my role of driving the company’s engagement with the EU institutions and NATO, I am part of this change. More and more women are attracted by the world of security, space and defence. I think women as well as men should encourage each other to speak up and be part of this conversation.
Women at HENSOLDT are ...
just like their male colleagues: amazing, committed and resilient. What makes HENSOLDT a great company is its people, whether women or men.
