THE JOURNEY
BUILT
FROM THE GROUND UP
My career began with an apprenticeship as a carpenter, years before my path led me to IKEA. I started on the shop floor, in direct contact with customers.
From there, I worked across many levels of the business: from local operations to global product portfolio management, from country commercial leadership to international market expansion — and ultimately to leading IKEA's global franchisor.
Along the way, I learned that strategy and execution belong together. Plans fail in organisations that cannot decide and act. Organisations lose direction without a clear strategy. Holding both together is the real work of leadership.
Living and working across different political systems, markets, and cultures shaped how I lead. The best strategies are never imported. They are adapted, negotiated, and developed with the people who make them real.
HOW I WORK
With you. In the business. And always with an end in sight.
Before I change anything, I build a picture — talk to employees, customers, suppliers. I want to understand what still excites the customer and where loyalty is fading, whether the product offer still fits the market, and where the value chain shows weakness. Whether that means a structured market analysis or a deep dive into the P&L — I build a solid fact base so the first decisions land right.
When the situation calls for it, I take the seat — with direct operational leadership of the P&L, the team, and the outcome. I make the decisions the organisation has been avoiding, and I go operational when the work demands it. A CEO who started as a carpenter doesn't stay in the corner office when the shop floor needs attention.
WHY ME
I GO DEEP WHERE I'M STRONGEST — AND BUILD THE RIGHT TEAM AROUND IT.
My engagements start by listening — to the people closest to the work, the decisions that aren't being made, and the conversations happening one level below the boardroom. That's how I find what's actually going on, not just what's being reported.
You get me directly, from the first conversation to the last milestone, with nearly three decades of global leadership behind every decision — from retail operations to a franchise system operating across more than 60 markets.
My core is growth, scaling, and transformation leadership — that's where I take full responsibility, backed by methods and tools I've built from practice, not theory. When the challenge requires expertise beyond that, I assemble the right specialists around it. No standing teams. No recycled playbooks. Every engagement is built for your situation.
I work with companies, not on them. Every framework is shared, every diagnostic is explained, and the people in your organisation learn to carry the work forward. The goal isn't a longer engagement — it's a better business, a more capable team, and results that last beyond my involvement. Whether that means stabilising a portfolio company post-acquisition, preparing a family business for its next chapter, or accelerating a company's expansion into new markets.
Let's talk.
The first conversation takes 60–90 minutes and costs nothing. We’ll cover three questions: what your organisation is facing, what kind of support would make the most difference, and what it would take to move forward.
If the fit is right, you’ll have a scoping proposal within one week. If it's not the right moment, I'll say so directly — and suggest what a sensible next step might be.