We want to increase diversity on the career track and ultimately in top management empowering young professionals to achieve career and leadership goals.
The leadership academy is powered by professional workshops & role models from the industry
Through a series of workshops, the Professionals Academy will provide the attendees with a comprehensive leadership toolbox and take them through a variety of subjects. The workshops are among other subjects, talents & values, presentation skills, resilience, brave leadership, and negotiation and conflict management.
The workshops will be hosted in collaboration with prominent businesswomen and professionals in a variety of fields within the public and private sector. This is to expose the attendees to different role models and inspiration to grow their individual career.
Increasing diversity through value adding partnerships
The Professionals Academy is hosted in collaboration with both Basico Consulting, Accenture, SimCorp, Gorrissen Federspiel and others that shares our mission to increase diversity in top management. They are strongly committed to build extraordinary teams with a focus on diversity, equity and inclusion. Our partners achieves this by hiring exceptionally talented people and creating a collaborative environment that allows everyone to unleash their potential and become the best version of themselves.
Time:
October 2025
Practical information
Soon to be announced
Location:
Copenhagen
Being a part of the Professional Leadership Academy makes you a part of the Female Leadership Academy (FLA) network where all members will benefit from being exclusively invited to leadership and network events going forward. The FLA network is a key building block to create the community of the next generation of leaders.
We wish to show that everyone can shoot for the stars, by supporting motivation and developing skills, and by addressing the barriers that many women encounter when seeking career and leadership. The workshops combined with the close network of like-minded talented peers provide you with the opportunity of getting a head start in your career.
Example of our Fall 2024 Professional Leadership Academy.
Learning objectives
Unlock deeper presence, clarity, and confidence by reconnecting with inner balance. Through powerful tools rooted in self-awareness, attention, and embodiment, participants learn to lead with greater impact, perspective, and trust.
Key topics
Ph.D., Leadership advisor & author
Mette Nørgaard is a leadership advisor and author. With a Ph.D. and 30 years of leadership advisor experience, she brings a research-based yet practical approach to leadership development. Mette is the author of TouchPoints, co-authored with Doug Conant, and The Ugly Duckling Goes to Work, which explores the impact of daily interactions and provides wisdom for the workplace. She believes leadership is less about elite credentials and cognitive agility and more about deep experience—its finding one’s natural leadership voice and using it for good.
Learning objectives
Communicate with impact as a leader by developing a personal and authentic communication style, mastering storytelling and top-down messaging, navigating stakeholder relationships strategically, and using nonverbal cues and presentation techniques to build trust, engage audiences, and deliver messages with confidence and clarity.
Key topics
Founder of DiverseEksperter.dk, Chair KvindeKompagniet, Broadcaster
Josefine Volqvartz is a broadcaster, media innovator, and founder of DiverseEksperter.dk – Denmark’s leading platform for female experts and leaders. With a background in journalism and more than 20 years of experience in international media outlets including the Guardian, CNN, Al Jazeera English and the BBC, she empowers professionals to communicate with authenticity and authority – whether in the media, in meetings, or on stage. Josefine is passionate about representation and visibility, helping leaders strengthen their voice and presence where it matters most.
Communication advisor and founder CommAgain
Learning objectives
Develop authoritative leadership skills by enhancing credibility, establishing a strong presence, making impactful decisions, and asserting authority respectfully.
Key topics
Learning objectives
Strengthen emotional intelligence by recognizing and managing emotions effectively, develop resilience under pressure, and build trust-based relationships.
Key topics
Learning objectives
Leading in the face of complex organizational and global challenges requires a set of critical tools for engaging with diversity, difference, and power. In this workshop you will learn how reflexive leadership can help create more equitable and inclusive workplaces.
Key topics
Associate Professor, CBS
Eric Guthey is an Associate Professor in the Department of Management, Society, and Communication at Copenhagen Business School. His research and teaching address key issues in leadership, leadership development, and the cultural, ethical, and political dynamics of organizational life.
Eric is the lead author of Demystifying Business Celebrity (Routledge, 2009). His work has also appeared in several prestigious academic journals including The Journal of Management Studies, Journal of Business Ethics, and Management Learning. Together with Nicole Ferry, he has published research on leadership fashions, leadership development, and the competitive dynamics of the leadership industries.
Outside of academia, Eric helped form an organization called Bowline to help Copenhagen chefs, restaurants, and other culinary industry stakeholders survive and thrive after the COVID-19 pandemic.
He has served for several years on the boards of the International Leadership Association, based in Washington, D.C., and the Baltic Management Institute in Vilnius, Lithuania.
Assistant Professor, CBS
Nicole Ferry is a tenure-track assistant professor at Copenhagen Business School. With a background in cultural studies and critical theory, her research examines the cultural and competitive dynamics of the leadership industries, as well as contemporary approaches to gender and leadership development. Her work has been published in leading journals, including Journal of Business Ethics, Management Learning, and Gender, Work & Organization. Her most recent article, published in the Academy of Management Learning & Education, explores the concept of men’s leadership development.
Nicole is also a dedicated educator who designs learning environments that empower students and professionals to engage with complex social challenges through dialogue, experiential activities, and case-based learning.
Her teaching has earned several honors, including a 2024 nomination for the Danish Society for Education and Business Education Award. She has also facilitated leadership workshops for organizations such as Jabra, Danske Bank, and Foodprint Nordic, mentoring professionals as they prepare for leadership roles.
Learning objectives
The program concludes with a joint event bringing together ambitious professionals from all four ELA programs – a celebration of completing the academy, an opportunity to strengthen connections, gain practical insights from a top senior leader, expand
your network across companies and industries, and receive your official ELA certificate.
Key topics
Learning objectives
Unlock deeper presence, clarity, and confidence by reconnecting with inner balance. Through powerful tools rooted in self-awareness, attention, and embodiment, participants learn to lead with greater impact, perspective, and trust.
Key topics
Ph.D., Leadership advisor & author
Mette Nørgaard is a leadership advisor and author. With a Ph.D. and 30 years of leadership advisor experience, she brings a research-based yet practical approach to leadership development. Mette is the author of TouchPoints, co-authored with Doug Conant, and The Ugly Duckling Goes to Work, which explores the impact of daily interactions and provides wisdom for the workplace. She believes leadership is less about elite credentials and cognitive agility and more about deep experience—its finding one’s natural leadership voice and using it for good.
Learning objectives
Communicate with impact as a leader by developing a personal and authentic communication style, mastering storytelling and top-down messaging, navigating stakeholder relationships strategically, and using nonverbal cues and presentation techniques to build trust, engage audiences, and deliver messages with confidence and clarity.
Key topics
Founder of DiverseEksperter.dk, Chair KvindeKompagniet, Broadcaster
Josefine Volqvartz is a broadcaster, media innovator, and founder of DiverseEksperter.dk – Denmark’s leading platform for female experts and leaders. With a background in journalism and more than 20 years of experience in international media outlets including the Guardian, CNN, Al Jazeera English and the BBC, she empowers professionals to communicate with authenticity and authority – whether in the media, in meetings, or on stage. Josefine is passionate about representation and visibility, helping leaders strengthen their voice and presence where it matters most.
Communication advisor and founder CommAgain
Anne-Mette Bro Jöhncke is an experienced communications advisor with over 20 years of experience in strategic communication, executive training, and keynote speaking. As former Head of Communication at TV 2, Denmark’s largest national television broadcaster, she has led high-impact communication initiatives. Anne-Mette is passionate about making communication a professional discipline and a skill that deserves strategic focus. Today, she supports organizations and leaders in strengthening their communication impact through tailored strategies, workshops, and advisory engagements.
Learning objectives
Develop authoritative leadership skills by enhancing credibility, establishing a strong presence, making impactful decisions, and asserting authority respectfully.
Key topics
Learning objectives
Strengthen emotional intelligence by recognizing and managing emotions effectively, develop resilience under pressure, and build trust-based relationships.
Key topics
Learning objectives
Leading in the face of complex organizational and global challenges requires a set of critical tools for engaging with diversity, difference, and power. In this workshop you will learn how reflexive leadership can help create more equitable and inclusive workplaces.
Key topics
Associate Professor, CBS
Eric Guthey is an Associate Professor in the Department of Management, Society, and Communication at Copenhagen Business School. His research and teaching address key issues in leadership, leadership development, and the cultural, ethical, and political dynamics of organizational life.
Eric is the lead author of Demystifying Business Celebrity (Routledge, 2009). His work has also appeared in several prestigious academic journals including The Journal of Management Studies, Journal of Business Ethics, and Management Learning. Together with Nicole Ferry, he has published research on leadership fashions, leadership development, and the competitive dynamics of the leadership industries.
Outside of academia, Eric helped form an organization called Bowline to help Copenhagen chefs, restaurants, and other culinary industry stakeholders survive and thrive after the COVID-19 pandemic.
He has served for several years on the boards of the International Leadership Association, based in Washington, D.C., and the Baltic Management Institute in Vilnius, Lithuania.
Assistant Professor, CBS
Nicole Ferry is a tenure-track assistant professor at Copenhagen Business School. With a background in cultural studies and critical theory, her research examines the cultural and competitive dynamics of the leadership industries, as well as contemporary approaches to gender and leadership development. Her work has been published in leading journals, including Journal of Business Ethics, Management Learning, and Gender, Work & Organization. Her most recent article, published in the Academy of Management Learning & Education, explores the concept of men’s leadership development.
Nicole is also a dedicated educator who designs learning environments that empower students and professionals to engage with complex social challenges through dialogue, experiential activities, and case-based learning.
Her teaching has earned several honors, including a 2024 nomination for the Danish Society for Education and Business Education Award. She has also facilitated leadership workshops for organizations such as Jabra, Danske Bank, and Foodprint Nordic, mentoring professionals as they prepare for leadership roles.
Learning objectives
The program concludes with a joint event bringing together ambitious professionals from all four ELA programs – a celebration of completing the academy, an opportunity to strengthen connections, gain practical insights from a top senior leader, expand
your network across companies and industries, and receive your official ELA certificate.
Key topics
of participants feel more prepared to pursue leadership roles after completing the academy
of participants feel more empowered to pursue leadership roles.
of participants are taking actions to engage with their leaders about their career development
The Professionals Academy is open to professionals across Denmark who are in the beginning of their career (maximum 7 years of experience) and seek to develop their leadership skills and become part of a network of professionals spanning multiple industries.
The Professionals Leadership Academy enrolls 35 participants.
Participation of the Professionals Leadership Academy is free. However, you have to apply to be able to be chosen to enroll.
Every participant of the Professionals Academy must attend a minimum of 5 out of 6 workshops to claim their Female Leadership Academy certificate.
Female Leadership Academy (FLA) is a nonprofit leadership accelerator on a mission to increase cognitive diversity in top management. Founded five years ago, FLA fills a critical gap by preparing early-career professionals before they step into leadership roles. With support from bestselling leadership authors, globally recognized experts, and top CEOs, we help emerging talent take off by providing the tools, community, and guidance they need to lead – and thrive – in their first leadership role.
We believe leadership potential is not limited to the few – it’s for the many. By equipping early-career professionals with the skills to become strong, inclusive first-line managers, we help build the diverse leadership pipeline needed for long-term growth.
For any inquiries about the application process or the academy, please email us at operations@female-leadership-academy.com.
It is free to be enrolled in the Professional Leadership Academy. However, in order to be chosen you have to send an application.
Female Leadership Academy (FLA) is on a mission to increase cognitive diversity in top management.
We are a nonprofit organization, serving as a leadership accelerator dedicated to fostering a stronger pipeline for cognitively diverse leaders.
We fill a gap in the market as the only leadership accelerator focusing on preparing aspiring talents in their early stages of their careers before they become leaders.
We help talents take their first steps toward their leadership journey by inspiring, supporting, educating, and providing them with the right network. We stay with them every step of the way until they land their first leadership position.
FLA is supported by best-selling leadership authors and global recognized leadership experts from New York and top CEOs from some of the most prestigious companies.
Partnerships
Careers in FLA
Membership
© 2025 Female Leadership Academy. All rights reserved.
Membership
Partnerships
Female Leadership Academy (FLA) is on a mission to increase cognitive diversity in top management.
We are a nonprofit organization, serving as a leadership accelerator dedicated to fostering a stronger pipeline for cognitively diverse leaders.
We fill a gap in the market as the only leadership accelerator focusing on preparing aspiring talents in their early stages of their careers before they become leaders.
We help talents take their first steps toward their leadership journey by inspiring, supporting, educating, and providing them with the right network. We stay with them every step of the way until they land their first leadership position.
FLA is supported by best-selling leadership authors and global recognized leadership experts from New York and top CEOs from some of the most prestigious companies.
© 2025 Female Leadership Academy. All rights reserved.
