Following the successful launch of the Women in Clearing Network, in March 2024 the EACH’s Women in Clearing Series was inaugurated. This is an initiative with the objective of featuring a key female leader on a regular basis to inspire other professionals in the industry.
Sandra Andersson is Head of Government Affairs, Belgium at Euronext since October 2025 where she covers European and Belgian policy matters. She specializes in post-trade topics, including CSD and CCP regulation, interoperability, and supervisory frameworks.
Prior to joining Euronext, she spent four years at the European Securities Market Authority (ESMA) supporting ESMA’s institutional and policy engagements at EU level. Between 2015 -2021 she worked for the Federation of European Securities Exchanges, covering a variety of topics including equity market structure, primary markets and sustainable finance. She holds a Master’s degree in European Political and Administrative studies from the College of Europe and a Bachelor’s degree in Political Sciences from Uppsala University which included an exchange year at Sciences Po Paris.
Sandra has volunteered to share with us her personal and professional journey by responding to these three questions:
- What was the aspect of yourself that you had to work on the most to get to where you are now?
Understanding and accepting that finished is sometimes better than perfect. Most tasks can take a longer or a shorter time to complete and by spending more time on something the quality will usually improve, but that might not always be time well spent. Producing high-quality work is also about understanding what to prioritise and where to put your efforts. Sometimes doing something that’s just good enough is about balancing your resources and ensuring that you can put your real efforts where they matter.
At an earlier stage of my career when responsibilities were more limited and focussed I had the opportunity to fully deep dive into topics, do a lot of readings and be well versed in the technical detail. As I moved into a more senior role, it was not always easy to let go of that instinct to want to know every aspect to feel fully on top of things. I had to understand that my value added would instead come from being able to give strategic direction and asking the right questions rather than being a technical expert.
I also had to learn the importance of showcasing what you are doing, both to your peers and management and not waiting for other people to notice. People are busy and if you just keep your head down and work hard, unfortunately, it might go unnoticed. Ensuring that people are aware of your efforts and accomplishments is sometimes as important as actually doing the work.
- What key tip would you give for professionals to successfully develop in their careers?
Say yes to opportunities that excite you and figure out the rest later. People often stress the need to have a vision of where you would like to be in five years etc. but, at least for me, growth opportunities have shown up when I’ve least expected it – and then it’s about being ready to say yes even if that means diving into something you had not necessarily planned for. Nobody grows in their comfort zone so don’t chicken out when you’re asked to do something you actually want to do just because it feels intimidating.
- How do you see the future of clearing in 10 years?
As we live in very volatile times, the central role of clearing in managing risk and ensuring financial stability is likely to remain important. I would have liked to express a hope that the next ten years would be less disruptive but if we take a step back and consider what we have lived since 2016 in terms of crises and emergencies it seems unlikely that things will rapidly calm down. Instead, the world of financial services with clearing at the centre is very likely to have a key role to play in making sure future risks can be handled and priced also in a very uncertain environment.
The world of clearing will have to evolve based on technological innovation stemming from AI, DLT, tokenisation and other new technologies. CCPs will need to find ways of managing more advanced cyber risks and resiliency threats. There is no shortage of challenges but I think they can be turned into opportunities where CCPs can be part of the solution by allowing an efficient risk management across the board.
Ten years from now, we will also have had some time to experience the effect of the MISP package. Hopefully the end-result of negotiations on the package will have had a positive impact on market integration and the depth of European capital markets. By then, we will have some experience with the new supervisory set-up that should simplify processes and allow for synergies which should deliver benefits in terms of strengthening the competitiveness of European CCPs.
You could read about Sandra on the attached document or by clicking on this link.
A warm thank you to Sandra for her inspirational words! We look forward to continuing the EACH’s Women in Clearing Series by hosting many skilled women leaders to inspire other professionals in the clearing sector!
The Women in Clearing network takes the form of a LinkedIn group that participants may use to connect with each other.
