The board of Haldex has decided on a change of leadership for the company, naming board member Helene Svahn to chief executive officer.

Svahn replaces Ake Bengtsson, who has been in the role since the 2017 bidding process with Knorr-Bremse. The board thanked Bengtsson for his time guiding the company through the turbulent bidding process but felt that it was time for a new kind of leadership as the company accelerated in regards to new technology and the current core business.

With the commercial vehicle industry shifting efforts toward new self-driving and electrification technologies, the board of Haldex decided on a new strategic direction that aims to increase the pace of innovation and investments made on digital solutions and new technology. The company also has a goal of becoming more efficient to reach previously set revenue goals.

 “When it comes to technical solutions we are well positioned and especially within electromechanical brakes. However, we need to make our core business more efficient, in order for us to gain further credibility when it comes to our innovations,” said Jörgen Durban, Haldex chairman of the board. “We are set on becoming a top-of-mind partner for industry leaders and therefore it is necessary that we increase our focus on new technology while also increasing the margins of our pre-existing business.”

The board recruited Svahn to be the new CEO, effective on August 12, 2019 with deputy CEO, Staffan Olsson, running the daily operations in the interim. Svahn has been a professor at the KTH Royal Institute of Technology and is the current head of research and innovation at Permobil. She served as a board member of Haldex and chairman of the technical committee since 2018.

“I see the shift that the industry is facing, leaving a client-supplier relationship for one that relies on collaboration, in a positive light,” said Svahn. “Haldex has an opportunity to take a larger share on the market through initiating and launching new collaborations. I started working towards this already as a member of the board and I am looking forward to accelerate the pace going forward as CEO.”