Meet the minds: the people of atNorth

Introducing Rósa Malinee Saifa, Project Manager, ERP Implementation

Rósa Malinee Saifa is no stranger to growth, whether it’s evolving systems, scaling teams, or pushing herself into new challenges. A passionate finance professional and proud mother of two, Rósa has carved out a dynamic path at atNorth. 
 
We caught up with her to talk about her journey, her motivation, and what excites her most about the future. 

Tell us a bit about yourself and your role at atNorth. 

I’m Rósa Malinee Saifa – I’m half Icelandic, half Thai and I was born and raised in Álftanes, Iceland. I consider myself a typical mother: I have two amazing kids (a boy and a girl), and I married my childhood sweetheart… from the other class in our tiny school! 

I officially joined atNorth in 2020, shortly after the pandemic began, but my story with the company goes back to 2018 when I worked in the finance department of Advania, before atNorth became its own entity. I was initially brought in to manage accounting tasks across both businesses, and over time, I transitioned into supporting atNorth full-time. 

At that time, we were a smaller organization, so I had the opportunity to get involved in every part of the accounting process. As the company grew and new team members joined, my role evolved. Today, I’m leading the project management of our ERP implementation across eight to nine entities in four different countries – a complex, but incredibly rewarding challenge.  

How did your career in finance begin and how has it changed through the course of your journey? 

It all started back in 2013, when I began studying Business at university and landed my first accounting job at the same time. I worked for a firm that managed accounts for small and medium-sized businesses. I was the only woman and the youngest person there, which made me determined to be the best – and it turned out that accounting really suited me. This helped me focus my studies on business finance.  
 
After three years, I felt ready to move into a larger company environment, so I joined Marorka, a startup working on marine tech to help reduce oil spills. It felt good to be contributing to a company with a clear mission. I quickly grew into new responsibilities there, which helped me realize that learning new things and excelling at them is something I truly enjoy. 
 
That curiosity and ambition brought me to Advania, and eventually to atNorth. Looking back, my 12 years of experience have been packed with growth, and I now feel like I’ve lived the career of someone with twice as many years under their belt! 

What moments stand out most to you in your career so far? 

Without question, the most rewarding part of my job has been mentoring and supporting colleagues – watching someone grow into their role and thrive because you helped guide them is an incredible feeling. 
 
Another big milestone was the successful go-live of our new ERP system, which we rolled out across multiple countries. It was one of the company’s most important transformation projects and my first time managing a project of that scale. We delivered on time, on budget, and stayed close to the standard – it was a huge win for everyone involved. 

Where do you see yourself five years from now? 

Personally, I imagine myself navigating that shift all parents go through, discovering new hobbies as the kids grow up and become more independent. 

As a career driven woman, I see myself pursuing further education to expand my knowledge and skillsets in finance and accounting. I would love to eventually lead a team that I can help develop and empower. Supporting others to reach their potential is something I truly value, and I want to keep building that into my future at atNorth so we can continue to do great things for the company. 

What are you most looking forward to this year? 

Mastering the ERP system! Once we fully optimize and integrate it, life will become a lot more straightforward. It’s a powerful platform with so much potential – we’ve only scratched the surface. I’m really excited about the improvements we can make to data quality and financial processes for the business as we continue to evolve. 

Which of atNorth’s values resonates most with you? 

Empowering. It’s a value that runs through everything I’ve said – whether it’s lifting others up, taking on new challenges, or helping the business grow. I truly believe that when we empower one another, we achieve great things. 

Finally, describe atNorth in three words. 

Exciting, adventurous, and great!