Karl-Johan Persson Explained

Karl-Johan Persson
Birth Date:25 March 1975
Citizenship:Swedish
Education:European Business School
Occupation:Chair, H&M
Spouse:Leonie Gillberg[1]
Children:3 [2]
Parents:Stefan Persson
Pamela Collett
Relatives:Erling Persson (grandfather)
Tom Persson (brother)
Charlotte Söderström (sister)
Lottie Tham (aunt)

Karl-Johan Erling Göran Persson (born 25 March 1975) is a Swedish billionaire businessman. He is chairman of the fashion company Hennes & Mauritz (H&M), and was its CEO from 2009 to 2020.[3] [4] H&M was founded by his grandfather Erling Persson.[5] [6] As of December 2023, according to Forbes, his estimated net worth is US$1.9 billion.[7]

Early life

Persson attended the European Business School in London from 1996, majoring in Business and Economics.[8] He graduated in 2002.

Career

In 2001, Persson acquired an events management business, European Network, that went on to establish itself as the premier events management company in Scandinavia. Persson was the CEO of the company between 2001 and 2004.[9] The business was successfully sold in 2007 to MCI. In 2005, he joined H&M in an operational role, working his way up to head of expansion and head of business development in 2007, before being appointed CEO in 2009 to succeed Rolf Eriksen.[10] In 2020 he handed over the CEO role to Helena Helmersson and was elected Chair of the H&M board at the AGM in May 2020.[11]

He invests in start-ups through the companies Philian AB and 41an Invest AB.[12]

Personal life

He is married to Leonie Gillberg, they have three children, and live in Stockholm, Sweden.[13] Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden attended their wedding in 2002.[14]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 'I love you, Victoria' . . 20 June 2010 . 11 April 2017.
  2. Web site: "Jag är varsam med företagets pengar". 2023-12-22.
  3. Web site: H&M chairman Stefan Persson steps down as son takes over . 2024-01-07 . The Irish Times . en.
  4. Web site: TrichesText . Robert . 2020-01-30 . Karl-Johan Persson om stålbadet: ”Det har varit några tuffa år” . 2024-01-07 . Dagens industri . sv.
  5. Encyclopedia: Stefan Persson . . Swedish . 25 September 2010.
  6. Web site: Current board of H&M . English . 14 March 2021.
  7. Web site: Forbes profile: Karl-Johan Persson . . 11 December 2023.
  8. Web site: Karl-Johan Persson: Execustive Profile & Biography . https://web.archive.org/web/20120902175606/http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/people/person.asp?personId=8424011&ticker=HMB:SS&previousCapId=4392354&previousTitle=INDITEX . dead . 2 September 2012 . . 13 March 2011.
  9. Web site: Karl-Johan Persson . 2023-10-08 . en-US.
  10. Web site: Bhatia . Meera . H&M Names Karl-Johan Persson CEO to Succeed Eriksen (Update2) . . 11 February 2009 . 13 March 2011.
  11. Web site: H&M chairman Stefan Persson steps down as son takes over . 2023-12-13 . The Irish Times . en.
  12. Web site: LeijonhufvudText . Jonas . 2022-12-15 . Klarna en miljardsmäll för H&M-bossens teknikportfölj . 2023-09-14 . Dagens industri . sv.
  13. Web site: 2014-04-06 . "Jag är varsam med företagets pengar" . 2023-10-18 . www.expressen.se . sv.
  14. Web site: Karl-Johan Persson . 25 November 2009 . 13 March 2011.