New Financial Director returns, bringing new experiences and perspectives with her

Congratulations on your new job, Anna Wennergrund! How does it feel to be returning to Uppsala University after a decade at another university in Sweden?
“It feels great, I’m really looking forward to meeting new and old colleagues,” says Anna Wennergrund. “It feels like coming home again.”

The new Financial Director of the University began her career at our Financial Administration and Procurement Division. There she worked as a controller and supported the departments, trained heads of department, developed the accounting model, and was a sounding board in the budget and financial statements process. After that, she was head of the Planning Division.

“And the last job I had at Uppsala University was as a division head at the University Library,” says Anna Wennergrund. “It was tremendous to sit in Carolina Rediviva, book lover that I am, and stroll past 16th century editions of Aristotle on my way to my office,” she reminisces.

A little study trip, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor hoped

Anna Wennergrund is currently Director of Planning and Finance at Mälardalen University.
“It’s been incredibly exciting to be part of the journey for Sweden’s newest university,” she says.

But you’re coming back to Uppsala now. What prompted you apply for this job?
“At my farewell from Uppsala almost ten years ago, the then Deputy Vice-Chancellor Anders Malmberg said that he hoped it would only be a little study trip in the south and that I would come back soon,” says Anna Wennergrund. “I really enjoyed working at Uppsala University and had thought back on his words from time to time. I felt that it would be nice to come back and contribute the new experiences and perspectives I’ve gained.”

And then the Financial Director position became vacant. Anna Wennergrund was curious about where the University was today.

“There are financial challenges in the form of higher rents and reduced direct government funding for education that are affecting many of our higher education institutions today, including Uppsala University,” she says. “This means that we need to think innovatively and work with development so that we can continue to provide education and conduct research of high quality. I feel that being able to contribute to that based on the conditions we have is important,” she adds.

Anna Wennergrund’s CV also states that she has been Head of Administration at the Royal Institute of Art and that she studied in Uppsala, Karlstad and at the Sorbonne in Paris.

What do you bring with you to Uppsala University at this point in your career?
“It was quite an adjustment moving from Uppsala University to become Head of Administration at the Royal Institute of Art, one of Sweden’s smallest higher education institutions. The Administration there consisted of 20 people. It taught me how broad the mission of higher education institutions is, and to capitalise on the willingness of all the staff to develop and learn new things. I got to know all the teachers and many of the students, which gave me a good insight into and understanding of what everyday life was like in education and research at the Institute,” says Anna.

Hooking arms and getting to know the University once again

You will take up your position on 2 March 2026. Will the staff notice that a new Financial Director has taken on this role?
“Yes, I hope so,” says Anna. “I want to get to know all the staff at the Financial Administration and Procurement Division and hear what they think we need to prioritise operationally and how we can create a good working environment together. I also want to talk to other divisions within the University Administration, so that we can hook arms and develop the University together. And I also want to listen to what the faculties and departments need in terms of support and how we can make their everyday lives easier. I want to get to know the University again, quite simply,” she says.

What will you focus on and do you already have thoughts and ideas about things you want to change?
“I’ve worked a lot with financial control and how we can utilise resources more efficiently by reviewing our processes,” says Anna. “Working in different ways with the same tasks is not optimal. If we are to get more out of what we put into digitalisation, we need to agree on more uniform processes. This is not to say that everyone should be doing the same things. We need to find an appropriate level, and I would like to work on that,” she explains.

In a year’s time, do you think you will have been part of a change in something at Uppsala University?
“Yes, I think it’s important to work with development, but I’ll need to review what needs to change at the University in the coming year first,” says Anna Wennergrund.

Ulrika Hurtig