A passionate communicator
Appearing as one of the faces of Saab in the new ‘Shielding the Baltic Sea’ film series is just the latest achievement for electrical engineer Angelica Persson.
Angelica Persson is still getting used to strangers recognising her face. A business development analyst with Saab, she was one of several experts interviewed for our new ‘Shielding the Baltic Sea’ film series, which looks at security challenges – and opportunities – in the Baltic Sea region. The series has proved popular with both the defence and civilian communities, with more than 100,000 people watching episodes in the month following its release. And many of those who have pressed play have been impressed by Angelica’s depth of knowledge and her easy-to-grasp explanations of complex scenarios.
“A lot of people have recognized me,”
“A lot of people have recognized me,” says Angelica, who is an electrical engineer by training. ”Co-workers and Saab employees have been really positive, but also friends and family and people outside the defence sector. I was in Germany last week for work and there was a lot of people there who recognized me and I realised, oh, they must have seen the series, too.”
“The Baltic Sea is such a complex environment in so many ways,”
Angelica says the positive response to her presentation style and the series in general is extremely pleasing because of the important messages that the production puts forward. “The Baltic Sea is such a complex environment in so many ways,” she says. “The natural environment, for example, includes an archipelago and the water has different salt layers. You really need special solutions to support the armed forces in securing the region. And I think the series really shows that.”
Watch the series "Shielding the Baltic Sea" on YouTube
Speaking from the heart
With no prior experience presenting to camera, Angelica quickly adapted to working with the film makers and shooting footage on site at Saab’s Stockholm office and in the Stockholm archipelago. While she had notes to refer to, she spoke off the cuff when addressing the cameras, drawing on her knowledge and her strong belief in the need for effective solutions. “I spoke from the heart,” she says.
“I spoke from the heart,”
Featuring as one of the faces of Saab in the Baltic Sea series is the latest in a long string of achievements for Angelica, who started with the company in 2018. She joined Saab as a systems engineer working on the radar target seeker for the RBS 15 missile before doing work on our Gripen jet fighter program. Prior to working as a business development analyst, she held the roles of technical project manager and project manager. She previously completed a Master of Science in electrical engineering at Lund University’s Faculty of Engineering.
Angelica says one of the things that struck her most on joining Saab was the spirit of sharing. “Leaving school and university and coming into like a tech industry I was surprised that all of my colleagues were so generous in terms of teaching and sharing knowledge,” she says “I learn a lot of things every day at work. And that's basically because all the people are so generous with their knowledge and experience.”
“I learn a lot of things every day at work. And that's basically because all the people are so generous with their knowledge and experience.”
A workplace with purpose
While men outnumber women in defence jobs, even in progressive Sweden, Angelica says she has never felt like an outsider. “I have always felt that I am treated as an individual with high potential and I’ve really felt that I've had supportive colleagues all the way. My colleagues feel that with my competence, I can contribute. And there are more and more women coming through, so it is changing.”
“Every day is a journey,”
Angelica encourages people of all backgrounds to consider a career at Saab. “Every day is a journey,” she says. “You learn new things all the time and it's fun to be in that kind of environment. With the situation in Ukraine since 2022, in particular, all of us really feel that we have a purpose doing our daily work.”
In her time away from Saab, Angelica loves being outdoors. “I do long distance triathlons, so Ironman events, and a lot of swim runs. And during the winter time, I do a lot of cross country skiing as well. So, basically a lot of sports and a lot of other outdoor activities to bring adventures into my life.”