By Newsroom

Copyright business-review

This article was first featured in Business Review’s special editorial project Women Redefining Business 2025 (print edition), celebrating the remarkable journeys of the most innovative and successful female business leaders in Romania.

Andreea Negru, President of the European Confederation of Businesswomen (PEFA)

My career has been a journey full of turns, challenges, and surprising opportunities. If I had to describe it using one word, it would be “unexpected.” I started with a love for communication and diplomacy, and over time that passion transformed into something bigger: a mission to connect people and give women in business a stronger, louder voice. Looking back, I see a path marked by resilience: moments when I had to reinvent myself, when I had to accept a challenge even though I was afraid, and when I discovered that courage often comes after you take the first step, not before.

A story that’s very close to my heart is the creation of the Women Entrepreneurship Index. When I first spoke about it, people smiled politely; it felt too ambitious, too idealistic. But I believed in it so strongly that I couldn’t let it go. For months, together with Lorena Stoian, prime vice-president of PEFA, we worked late nights, built partnerships, convinced institutions, and gathered data. I still remember the day we launched it in

Bucharest: it felt like giving life to something that had only existed in our imagination. And when we later expanded it to the Republic of Moldova, we realised it had become much more than a project—it had become a movement. For me, it’s proof that resilience isn’t about never hearing “no,” but about continuing until that “no” turns into a “yes.” It is also about friendship and collaboration between women.

For me, leadership is never about standing on a pedestal; it’s about rolling up your sleeves and creating spaces where others feel seen and valued. I often describe myself as a connector: I connect people with ideas and ideas with opportunities. Over the years, I’ve seen how this approach can transform an organisation: people who once hesitated to take risks found the courage to innovate, to step forward, to claim their place. If there’s one area of impact I’m proud of, it’s that my leadership has helped others discover their own leadership. That ripple effect is more powerful than any personal achievement.

The transformation has been remarkable. A decade ago, I would often walk into rooms where I was one of the very few women at the table. Today, those rooms look very different: women are leading conversations, influencing policies, and driving innovation. What strikes me the most is the shift in mindset: women no longer feel like guests in the business world; they know they belong. And for younger generations, this visibility changes everything. They grow up with role models, with the confidence that their ambitions are valid. It’s a beautiful evolution, and I feel privileged to have witnessed it, and in some way, contributed to it.