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Six Inspiring JA Alumni Join the Ferd’s List

The Ferd’s List welcomed six new honourees from Albania, Czechia, Denmark, Germany, Malta and Norway.

“There is a correlation between these individuals’ JA experience, and how their professional journey is turning out” says Johan H. Andresen, owner and chair of Ferd, is the partner of Ferd’s List.

Nominated by the JA member nations and selected by Ferd, the honourees recognised this year are:

• Matěj Kapošváry from Czechia
• Malthe Ludvigsen from Denmark
• Irena Matraku from Albania
• Robin Røed from Norway
• Vivien Wysocki from Germany
• Marisa Xuereb from Malta

Discover more about the 2023 Honourees here.

From left to right: Marisa Xuereb, Vivien Wysocki, Johan H. Andresen (owner and chair of Ferd, member of the JA Europe board), Robin Røed, Malthe Ludvigsen, Salvatore Nigro (CEO of JA Europe), Irena Matraku, Matěj Kapošváry and Moris Vandevyver (President of JA Alumni Europe).

Sharing failures as much as successes

The Honourees were introduced publicly for the first time at the opening event of the JA Alumni Europe Conference, which took place on 23-27 August 2023 in Vilnius, Lithuania. The young leaders openly shared stories, learnings and pieces of advice to the attendees – more than 200 JA alumni from all over Europe. They even shared how failure shaped their journeys and the reasons why failures should be more often brought up, rather than hidden.

Talent is universal, opportunities are not

The Honourees praised their JA experience as a defining one, in who they have grown into. Vivien Wysocki, a Honouree from Germany, is the co-founder of Saint Sass, a fast growing fashion brand. During the panel discussion, Vivien shared how the JA experience allowed her to learn about self-efficacy, and access a network that she otherwise would not have had access to. With her parents coming from Poland, and not being entrepreneurs themselves, the JA experience and the alumni network brought an array of opportunities to her.

An initiative that celebrates the JA entrepreneurial mindset

The Ferd’s List is an initiative of the investment company Ferd and JA (Junior Achievement) Europe to recognise inspirational young entrepreneurs and leaders who have participated in an entrepreneurial program of JA – and who create value and lasting footprints.

Launched in 2017, the Ferd’s List now gathers 50 JA Alumni from Europe and beyond.

More about the Ferd’s List here.