Guðrún Valdís Jóns­dót­tir

Encourages women to seek knowledge and understand financial concepts

Guðrún Valdís Jónsdóttir arrives bright‑eyed to our meeting with her five‑month‑old daughter in her arms – or rather in a pram that she pushes briskly between the snowdrifts. The daughter’s name is Eik, and it is fitting that she joins us, as the topic of the day is how to rebalance the gender ratio of the future in investment and business activity.Guðrún Valdís has certainly played her part in that area. She was named “Rising Star of the Year” by Nordic Women in Tech in 2023 and has served on the boards of various non‑profit organisations, in addition to carving out a career in cybersecurity.

From Skagi to Manhattan

Guðrún Valdís was born and raised in Skagi. After finishing her studies at the Comprehensive College of West Iceland in Akranes, she moved to North America to begin her studies at Princeton University in New Jersey. She says she was not particularly tech‑savvy as a child, but she always enjoyed the sciences.“In the first year at Princeton you didn’t have to choose a major, and by chance I tried a computer science course and found it incredibly fun. That’s how I stumbled onto something that suited me perfectly: solving problems in a logical way but with a creative twist, as there are often many imaginative routes to the same solution.”Before graduating, Guðrún Valdís secured a job in Aon’s cybersecurity department in New York. “They had a special programme for recent graduates, an introduction to cybersecurity where we could try different departments within the company for ten weeks at a time. After 40 weeks, I chose – in consultation with my manager – what I enjoyed most and matched my strengths best: penetration testing, which involves hacking into company systems. It was fantastic for people starting out, because you don’t necessarily get very practical experience during your studies. Most of what I use in my job now is something I’ve learned in the workplace.”

Longing for more “feminine energy” in her life

The gender balance at Aon was hardly anything to celebrate when Guðrún Valdís started working in Manhattan. “There were two of us in a team of 63 – I was the only woman in my office in New York.” The reason she moved home after just over two years at Aon, however, was not the lack of women at the workplace but the covid pandemic.I notice a huge difference now that more women have joined, and I’m certain the guys wholeheartedly agree. A more diverse team brings far better perspective to every issue.Upon returning to Iceland, Guðrún Valdís joined the cybersecurity company Syndis. “I was the only girl when I started. But the company has grown very quickly in recent years, and the number of women has increased as well.” Today, she says, around ten women work there, in a staff of about sixty. “I notice a big difference now that more women are here, and I’m sure the boys agree. You get a broader outlook on everything when the group is diverse – and it becomes much more fun to come to work.”So what is the general atmosphere in the tech sector? Is it sweaty, oppressive, male‑dominated bravado, or is that changing?“I’ve been very lucky with male managers who support me, give me opportunities and mentor me,” says Guðrún. “Here in Iceland, though, I sometimes feel I need to prove myself as a tech girl – often more to clients than to colleagues. I’ve been in meetings where I’m the specialist who carried out the technical assessment, but a male colleague, who might not know anything about the issue, is always the one the client asks. Like, umm, Guðrún did the assessment, she can answer …” She laughs and says they just joke about it.Guðrún has served on the boards of both UAK and Vertonet – organisations for women and queer people in tech. “Gender equality has always been something I’m passionate about and a major theme in my life.” Participation in such organisations is also a powerful way to meet interesting people and strengthen one’s network – and in her case, to meet more women in the same field, as she says she once longed for more “feminine energy” in her life when she was still the only woman at Syndis.

Encourages women to seek knowledge and understand financial concepts

Guðrún Valdís is clearly energetic, organised and unafraid of learning new things and trying new paths. “The first time I bought shares, I was still in the United States. I worked with a guy who thought a lot about these things and shared various good tips. I invested small amounts – money I could afford to lose – and I was just experimenting, trying to follow the market and learn about performance figures. Then I ended up selling everything when I needed to finance my next investment: a flat here in Iceland.”The flat purchase was not necessarily a calculated financial investment, but rather an act of psychological insight on Guðrún’s part. “I was in a bit of a life crisis when I decided to move home and briefly thought I’d ruined my life. I felt incredibly good abroad – sometimes homesick, but nothing serious. When I came back, I bought a flat to say: This is where I belong!” She says she is very happy with that decision today, as the timing in the market was extremely favourable.Guðrún Valdís encourages other young women taking their first steps in investing or in their careers to take the plunge but also to study the issues carefully so they can make well‑informed decisions. “My most successful investments were not really meticulously planned, as one might expect from some seasoned investment type – they were more the result of just giving it a go. At the same time, I want to be able to make informed decisions about my finances. Should I put my money towards the principal, does that pay off in this interest rate environment? How can I best grow my savings? What does it mean, for example, to have a non‑indexed loan versus an indexed loan?”

Important that young girls stand on equal footing with young boys

The latest financial decision relates to the little person who has sat calmly in her mother’s lap throughout our conversation – Eik has just received a custodial account. Guðrún Valdís says she was struck by Arion’s striking coverage of gender disparity in the savings of two‑year‑olds; boys hold 60% of the total savings of children that age.“According to that, when Eik is two and just starting nursery school, the boys in her class will have much more money than she does. It’s absurd. We – Máni, my child’s father, and I – seriously considered declining all christening gifts and instead asking for shares for her in some established company like Eimskip! But we gave up on that idea in case our friends and relatives would criticise our parenting priorities.”“We’re still going to subscribe to funds for Eik and put a small amount into them every month.” It’s a small investment so that the little girl stands on equal footing with the boys right from the start of her life. “And we’re lucky enough to be in a position to set something aside for her, so we haven’t given up the dream that she’ll become an Eimskip shareholder sooner or later!”