Three new employees joined Hydda in September. Emy Haftor, with the unusual title of Head of Synergies, is one of them. Here we let Emy tell us about the exciting job, her ambitions, her background, and a little bit about who she is as a person.
Hi Emy! Tell us about your role at Hydda?
– My lovely title is Head of Synergies. For me it’s a dream job, but since there are not a lot of synergy managers in Sweden, an explanation is probably in order. Hydda owns and acquires proptech companies in the area we call “New ways of working and living”. Two of the key ideas behind Hydda are that the tech companies are stronger together than apart – and that the solutions are easier for property owners to buy and use if they are integrated and packaged properly. My role is about finding these synergies and opportunities, so that we can pinpoint customer needs and offer the best possible products. One plus one should not be two, but at least three. And with strong real estate players like Vasakronan, Brunswick Real Estate and Neptunia Invest as partners, we have all the conditions to succeed.
What is your professional background? What have you done before?
– I have been working as a management consultant for thirteen years, focusing on goal and impact management, agility and innovation. During that time, I have had assignments in many different industries, such as retail, telecom, manufacturing and real estate. The common thread has been development issues and clients’ tech agendas.
What attracted you and made you change jobs?
– I received a job offer that I couldn’t refuse. Apart from the fact that the job is interesting and suits me very well, I have also joined a wonderful and talented team, which has achieved great things in a short time. It’s exciting to experience the fast pace of the start-up environment. For me, having been a consultant for almost all my working life, it also feels good to “switch sides” and start a new chapter in my career.
We always ask the classic sports question: How does it feel?
– Fantastic so far! I’m a bit overwhelmed by all the new people, companies and information, but that’s how it should be when you do something new in life. The more I get into my new role, the more excited I get. It’s a really good feeling!
How well did you know proptech before and what do you think about the future of the industry?
– I haven’t worked specifically with proptech before, but I think everyone can relate to the products. Smart homes and smart cities have been in the spotlight for a long time and there are plenty of solutions that we’ve become accustomed to, for example in energy optimisation, digital access and easy-to-use booking systems. An exciting dimension of proptech is also that the industry is so clearly influenced by various megatrends – sustainability, coliving, coworking and smart mobility to name a few. And while a lot has happened in recent years, there is still plenty of room for innovation. The future is bright – and digital!
How would you like to contribute to Hydda’s development?
– Hydda operates in a broad ecosystem of real estate and technology players. I see myself helping to link people together so that we get maximum leverage in the Hydda platform. My job also involves being a close counterpart to Hydda’s CEO Martina on issues related to how we organise and manage the company. In addition to a high pace of development, we need to have a huge focus and channel our energy towards what is most important to scale quickly. I look at the group’s common support functions, our operational rhythm, and our objectives. My role is quite broad, so we’ll see how it evolves over time.
What are you like as a person? What are your strengths and weaknesses?
– I am innovative, constructive, and pragmatic. Anyone who has worked closely with me can probably agree that I have lots of ideas and make things happen. Most of the time, I can easily get people on board, which is of course important for developing a business. One of my weaknesses is that I can be a bit impatient and “trigger happy”. That’s why I work best with someone who can sometimes slow down the pace a bit and help me with reflection and details.
What drives you in your daily life?
– Without a doubt, the people around me. Working in a strong and close-knit team on a joint development journey is fantastic. Difficult challenges become easier, boring tasks become more fun and solutions become smarter. I also get a kick out of trying to solve complex problems. The job shouldn’t be too easy or repetitive. But I think the risk of that is virtually non-existent in my new role at Hydda.
What do you like to do when you’re not working?
– Family is number one and takes up most of my time outside of work. It consists of my husband David and our two sons, who are six and nine years old. For the past eight months, our Red Golden Retriever Baloo has also been part of the family. I like to be outdoors and in the evenings I usually train with the dog. It gives me a nice change and balances out the more hectic working days in the city.
Yieldy is a completely new facility management concept that helps to significantly reduce costs while increasing service quality and growing long-term property value.
The fast-growing PropTech group Hydda today announced the investment in Freesi, one of the Nordic region's leading companies in energy efficiency and indoor climate.
Against the backdrop of Hydda’s rapid growth rate and ongoing expansion plans, an experienced HR manager is key. The role is vital to ensuring that we maintain efficiency while building a great culture and offering a fun and challenging work environment for everyone.
The Hydda family continues to grow! Our new controller Elisabet Hansson will mainly work with accounting and reporting in our fast growing group. As a change from all the everyday numbers, she also likes to paint – even if the studio at Sankt Eriksplan is now a thing of the past.
