IKEA named insider Jon Abrahamsson Ring to succeed Torbjorn Lööf as CEO.
Torbjorn Lööf, who joined IKEA in 1989, announced he would step down from leading the furniture business after seven years at the helm and more than 30 years with the business. His successor will be Jon Abrahamsson Ring, who today leads IKEA franchising.
Lööf lead IKEA’s expansion into more than 15 new markets and launched a new long-term direction to become more affordable, sustainable and accessible to its customers, making it one of the most intense period of international expansion for IKEA. Before his present position, he led the development of the IKEA offer and the IKEA supply chain as the Managing Director at IKEA of Sweden AB. He became CEO of Inter IKEA in 2013.
Now, as the company turns to a new structure and direction after finding that customers are less willing to trek to its out-of-town warehouses and carry the budget furniture home, opting instead to shop online and get goods delivered, Reuters reports, new CEO Jon Abrahamsson Ring will lead the company’s new digital offering with new and more accessible smaller-format stores and showrooms in inner-cities.
According to InsightDIY, another part of the full company statement reads:
“IKEA is in my heart and I truly believe in our vision to create a better everyday life for the many. IKEA is on a great journey, which is only in the beginning, and we will continue to stay true to who we are and what makes us unique: our culture and values, our vision and our business idea. And we must remain curious about our customers’ needs and dreams and their lives at home” says Jon and continues: “I am humbled by this opportunity, but also very proud and happy. I want to thank Torbjörn for his generous guidance and support, and Anders and the board for their trust in me.”
“With a new IKEA direction and a solid franchise system in place, it’s a good time for Torbjörn to hand over responsibility as CEO of Inter IKEA Group,” says Anders Dahlvig and continues: “I sincerely thank Torbjörn for his important contribution to IKEA over many years. I have had the pleasure to work with him both in his role as MD of IKEA of Sweden and now as CEO of Inter IKEA Group. I have very much appreciated his leadership, commitment to the IKEA values, common sense approach to things, openness and vision about what is right for IKEA. I am sure we will find ways to continue our cooperation in one way or another in the future.”
