After nearly 10 fantastic years as CEO of KONE, I have decided to step down from this role during the first half of 2024. Since joining KONE in 2009, I have had the enormous privilege of being part of KONE leadership which has been rewarding, great fun and challenging. Our business environment has evolved a great deal over the past ten years. When I started as CEO, the China super growth phase was coming to an end. Back then we decided to focus on accelerating our growth in services, and it was the right decision. While our market share has increased in all our businesses over this period, we have seen the strongest uplift in service and modernization. In a volatile market, we have made KONE more resilient and more services-driven. During the past ten years we have brought out numerous exciting innovations to our customers, which our teams can be very proud of. For example, we introduced a totally new way to service elevators with 24/7 Connected Services and KONE Care. With KONE DX class elevators, we launched the world’s first digitally connected elevator series, and have also been leading the way in sustainability. Critical to everything we have been doing has been our resolute focus on our people and supporting their development. The culture and spirit are what I am most fond of at KONE. Without this vigour we could not deliver the KONE promise to our customers day in and day out. Ultimately, having our customers’ trust is what makes us successful. Supporting our customers in improving the People Flow in their buildings and moving them closer towards net zero is what have kept our teams motivated. I am extremely proud and impressed with what we have achieved on this front, and at the same time we know there is a lot more that we can, and will, do. Although we made the announcement about my decision today, it is not yet the time for goodbyes. I will continue to lead KONE with full speed until KONE’s Board of Directors have appointed my successor. What I will do next is not clear yet. This I will start actively thinking about only after I have completed a successful handover to my future successor. I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone at KONE. We have accomplished a great deal together and none of this would have been possible for me, or for KONE, without such a talented team. A heartfelt thank you to each and every one of you! I am also thankful to my direct team on the KONE Executive Board; a group filled with talent and vision complementing each other. Finally, I want to thank Antti Herlin and the KONE Board. This has been a rewarding journey, and I am grateful for having had all the trust and support during the past ten years. Thank you!
Ranjeet Sharma
9mo
Henrik: having worked for your direct competitor, I’ve had the privilege of a ringside view to how KONE has steadily strengthened its market position under your leadership. No qualms in admitting that Kone was the one to beat in all my years in the elevator & escalator (E&E) industry and many-a-times we watched from the sidelines as our respective teams duked it out on the field for customer’s wallet share and overall market share and how KONE leadership taught all of us competitors some valuable lessons. I must say that under your leadership, I have witnessed KONE transform from a middling also-ran E&E player to one of the certified global giants - always at the cutting edge of innovation. Take a bow, sir. You have inspired not only your own KONE colleagues, but legions of E&E industry colleagues like me who have nothing but the utmost appreciation and admiration for what your have transformed the company into. Oftentimes Annual Reports, Balance Sheets and P&L Statements do not come anywhere close to depicting the real picture of a leader’s tenure; but I think that a direct competitor’s praise should count for a lot in acknowledgment of the stupendous value that has been added by you to the company and industry alike.
Ajay Sankaran
9mo
Henrik Ehrnrooth Although our direct interactions were limited due to the geographical distance, you are a leader I truly admire for many reasons, primarily, for your humbleness. You were always genuine, called a spade a spade and connected across multiple people across different continents comfortably. I have learnt loads observing and listening to your messages and I wish you all the very best in the future.
Anna Skoglund
9mo
Vilken fantastiskt resa HH, spännande att se vad du gör next!
Tero Ojanperä
9mo
All the best in the future, whatever that might hold. KONE has been a thought leader and innovator in many respects, including platform business. Industrial innovation has also been the cornerstone of Finland's success. Thank you for your great work and leadership. True leadership is often seen in the quality of the team, and the KONE team is truly exceptional 👍
Alex Kathestides
9mo
Henrik I remember having breakfast with you in Sydney before you took on the role as CEO! Congrats on an amazing 10 years!
Petteri Ahonen
9mo
Truly admirable results. Sharp & relentless focus on growing the service business and supporting it with effective digital services. Maybe even more remarkable when adding to it that leadership team had the guts to step away from a deal with ThyssenKrupp that seemed so obvious & lucrative (at the time) but outrageous in its terms. Given the recent macroeconomic development (cold war, arise of protectionism and general uncertainty) KONE likely played it safe at the exactly right time. A truly great job done, Henrik! All the best for whatever comes next.
Nicolai Tangen
9mo
Fantastic achievement and well done Henrik Ehrnrooth. On behalf of NBIM and all the other shareholders, a BIG thanks for all your hard work
Andreas Forsberg
9mo
Det har varit en ära och ett privileguim att få jobba med dej och hela EXB. Tack för förtroendet och lycka till med det nästa 🙏🤘
Håkan Barneman
9mo
Henrik Önskar dig all lycka och välgång! Tack för att du alltid tagit dig tid till att lyssna och förstå, här en bild från Allen TX med ”Wal-E” Gejd hanteraren.
We will or surely I will miss you Henrik! Luckily we all have now time to adapt to the news and can still continue working together for a good while. Your leadership has meant a lot for KONE People and Communications team, I feel that we as a function have always had a seat at the table and having a Great Place to Work as KONE’s number one strategic target tells a lot about the support and commitment you have shown to building an empowering and inclusive people and customer centric culture at KONE. Just to mention few. Forever grateful! 🙏💙