Sweden's top Change Leaders appointed
The Change Leader of the Year 2017 award has been presented in Stockholm for the third year in a row. This time the jury highlighted strong leaders from some of Sweden's largest companies: Rickard Gustafson, CEO of SAS, H&M's Head of Sustainability Anna Gedda and Christer Zaar, CEO of the wellness chain Actic.
It is the executive search firm Heidrick & Struggles and the interim recruitment company Interim Search, together with the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), that have initiated the annual award. The Change Leader of the Year is awarded to managers in Swedish business who have led major change processes in addition to the usual leadership work.
Successful change creates an impact, often in the form of contributions to society outside the company. H&M's Head of Sustainability, Anna Gedda, was awarded the prize in the newly established category CSR Change Leader of the Year. She is praised for her work on sustainable textile production and transparent supply chains.
- Swedish leadership is often praised internationally for its responsiveness, diplomacy, sustainability and gender equality. For us as a global player, it is therefore particularly pleasing to be able to help highlight good examples from Sweden. Anna Gedda is an excellent role model in an area that is becoming increasingly important, says Elise Andström, Partner at Heidrick & Struggles.
This year's Change Leader of the Year in the Large Company category is awarded to Rickard Gustafson, President and CEO of SAS Group. Since taking up his role in 2011, he has succeeded in leading one of the most challenging cost-cutting programs ever in Swedish business.
- Leading and turning around an organization in crisis is a tough job. To then stay on and build on your mission, I think, shows enormous determination and an important basic belief in the entire company - business model, brand and staff, says Wictor Bonde, Partner at Interim Search.
Christer Zaar, CEO of fitness chain Actic, wins the award in the small and medium-sized enterprise category.
- Taking Actic, with its geographic spread and strong local presence, to a successful IPO required strong and consistent leadership and hard work. The shared vision was a platform that strongly contributed to the outcome, says Henrik Östberg, Partner at Interim Search.
For Johan Öberg, CEO of BCG in Sweden, the appointments are good examples of companies that take leadership and business development seriously.
- I think all three winners have shown that they are at the forefront of their respective industries. Strong leadership is at its best when times are tough, and witnessing the power of that change is inspiring.
About the Change Leader of the Year
Change Leader of the Year is an annual award presented by Heidrick & Struggles, Interim Search and Boston Consulting Group to individuals in Swedish business. The prize is awarded in three categories: Large Companies, Small & Medium Enterprises and a category that varies from year to year and aims to highlight a theme that has been of particular importance during the period. This year, the jury selected the Change Leader of the Year - CSR. The Change Leader of the Year 2017 event, held on April 26, was attended by 100 invited guests from the business community.
For more information visit www.aretsforandringsledare.se or contact:
Wictor Bonde, Interim Search; wictor@interimsearch.se, +46 (0) 70 555 3024
Göran Westberg, Heidrick & Struggles; gwestberg@heidrick.com +46 (0) 70 547 77 07
Jenny Huselius, BCG; huselius.jenny@bcg.com, +46 (0) 73 079 44 02
