(L-R) Monika Ruseva, President of The NETWORK; Dr Sophie Jablonski; Yulia Kulakova, Membership Director at The NETWORK; Bianca-Beatrice Pop; Veronika Karancsy; Credit: The NETWORK

On Wednesday 23 April 2025, The NETWORK, an established international professional women's association based in Luxembourg, held an event focused on "Independent Women & Financial Freedom" at the Luxembourg School of Business (LSB).

The session, moderated by Yulia Kulakova, Membership Director at The NETWORK, featured insightful contributions from a panel of women including Bianca-Beatrice Pop, Country Head of Audit, Luxembourg at RBS, Dr Sophie Jablonski, certified life coach and founder of the Flourish Financially initiative, and Veronika Karancsy, Senior Business Development Manager & PMO - Procurement & Hazelnut Company at Ferrero. They shared their personal journeys, the challenges they have faced and the lessons they have learned along the way. Together, they offered practical advice and tips to help women build financial confidence and take control of their futures.

According to the organisers, the key takeaways from the event were as follows:

- it is never too late to start; whether one is just beginning to invest, build a budget or learn more about financial management, it is always the right time to take action;

- being intentional with money is empowering; the choices people make with their finances shape their lives and bring them closer to financial freedom;

- financial independence is more than just about money; it is about having the power of choice, the freedom to live on one's own terms and the dignity to make decisions that align with one's values;

- confidence in financial decisions is key; every woman deserves to feel empowered and secure in her financial choices, whatever they may be;

- never stop learning; financial growth is an ongoing journey - the more one learns, the more confident one becomes in managing one's financial future.

This marked the first event organised under the new board. The organisers said The NETWORK will "continue to champion financial empowerment and work together with the wider community to build a future where every woman feels confident and in control of her financial destiny".