| The WSC 2013 Women of the Year Awards Celebration were held at this year's ISC West |
The Women's Security Council (WSC) granted Bodil Sonesson, Vice President of Global Sales, Axis Communications, its Woman of the Year Award 2013 in the manufacturer category. The WSC award honours the top female professionals in the physical security industry in a variety of categories.
“I’m truly honoured to receive this recognition from the WSC,” says Bodil Sonesson, Vice President Global Sales, Axis Communications. “Research shows that having gender diversity within management teams and executive boards significantly improves the bottom line. Although I think that we still have a long way to go within the industry.”
The WSC Founding Committee along with select WSC members reviewed more than 100 submissions from across the global physical security industry and presented the winners at WSC Women of the Year Awards Celebration at ISC West, Las Vegas, USA. Sonesson was selected due to her leadership within the security industry and within Axis—and the ways in which she has contributed to the business community.
“Ms. Sonesson is a tremendous example for women in our industry as her systematic determination to promote women inside of Axis, as well as outside our industry has helped propel the spotlight on successful female professionals within our market. Furthermore, she’s delivered many inspirational speeches on women’s issues at events around the world,” says Rhianna Daniels, Founding Committee Member, Women's Security Council.
Sonesson has been in sales management positions at Axis since 1996. Now, she has worldwide responsibility for sales in an organisation with more than 1,400 employees in 42 countries—plus 55,000 partners in 179 countries.
"At Axis openness is an inherent part of its corporate culture which has helped me in my career" |
The Women's Security Council is a network of successful security professionals focused on empowering women to realise professional success as industry leaders, and this was the second annual Women of the Year awards ceremony held at ISC West.
As the global market leader in network video and a driving force behind the shift from analogue to digital video surveillance, Axis is a pioneer and role model for gender equality in the industry. By promoting women internally, Axis sets a leading example for other companies so that they, in turn, can promote women to leading global positions including important operational positions such as global sales.
Today, the Axis regional executive team consists of 40% women, which is high compared to the industry average.
As the global market leader, Axis is driving a global technology trend that paves the way for a smarter, safer, more secure world. Axis invented the first network camera in 1996, and Sonesson played a key role in the way in which Axis evolved within the security industry.