Leadership, Leadership Quote of the Week

There's Nothing Wrong With Being Ambitious

Angela Merkel

Sep 23, 2019

Nikol Chen

Design and Development Manager, Laidlaw Foundation

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"You could certainly say that I've never underestimated myself, there's nothing wrong with being ambitious."

Angela Merkel (1954-) is German politician who has been Chancellor of Germany since 2005, currently serving her fourth term. In taking up the post, she became the first female chancellor of Germany, and, at age 51, she was also the youngest person to date to hold the office.

Merkel topped Forbes magazine's list of "The World's 100 Most Powerful Women" in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019. She was ranked number two on the 2012 Forbes list of The World's Most Powerful People - the highest ranking achieved by a woman since the list began in 2009; she was ranked fifth in 2013 and 2014. In December 2015, she was named Time magazine's Person of the Year.

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Nikol Chen (She/Her)

Design and Development Manager, Laidlaw Foundation

Hello! I've been part of the Laidlaw Foundation for over 4 years, working on strengthening our global community and broadening our initiatives aimed at breaking the cycle of poverty, reducing inequality, and cultivating a new generation of leaders.

I'm currently completing a Masters in Anthropology & Professional Practice at UCL, delving into my passion for using ethnographic research and design thinkig to effect systemic change, particularly in the education sector. My journey in design has been diverse, beginning with graphic design, transitioning into UX/UI and service design, and now evolving into strategic design and innovation.

Originally from the vast steppes of Kazakhstan 🇰🇿, I pursued my undergraduate degree in Human Sciences at UCL. I'm an avid swimmer, an obsessive podcast listener, and a dancer with two left feet and a whole lot of spirit. Let's connect and chat—drop me a line and find me on LinkedIn! 💬👀