From Hovås to the global market

Håkan grew up in Hovås and now lives in Näset with his wife Annika. They have two adult sons and an energetic Jack Russell puppy named Roffe. When he’s not working, he enjoys spending time on the West Coast with the boat, playing padel or golf, or hitting the gym. For him, exercise is where problems get solved:

– It’s often when I’m training that I find the solution to whatever I’ve been thinking about.

His career started with military service in the navy, where he quickly rose to reserve officer and minesweeper commander. It was also there that he first truly learned about leadership – how to hold a team together, create structure and deliver results. Lessons he has carried with him throughout his professional life.

Many years in Volvo’s executive management

After four years at Chalmers, Håkan simply walked into Volvo and asked if by any chance they had something he could do.

– I went there and asked if they needed help, he says with a laugh.

Shortly after, he was responsible for one of his first large projects – moving an entire factory from Lundby to Tuve. It marked the start of a long career at the company, where he worked across the whole value chain, from production and product development to sales and strategy.

A decisive turning point came when management launched nine strategic projects aimed at increasing Volvo’s pace of change. Håkan was handpicked to lead one of them, with a full mandate to build teams, analyse and drive change.

– I think I’m pretty good at making things move. Creating momentum. That project, and that way of thinking, has shaped me ever since.

During his 17 years on Volvo’s executive board, holding leading positions across several of the company’s business areas, he developed deep knowledge of how to run and develop companies on the global stage. As a finale to his Volvo career, he led the work on creating Volvo Group’s Vision 2030 together with top management – to ensure Volvo remains a winner in 2030 and beyond.

When Håkan approached 60, he felt it was time to slow down – but not stop.

– I wanted to keep working, but in a way where I could support other companies, share what I’ve learned and at the same time get energy back.

He started his own firm focusing on board work, business development and advisory services. Over the years he had followed Hammarviken from afar and liked what he saw – especially the innovation initiative with Yuncture.

– I think Yuncture is one of the most exciting things Hammarviken does. There's something fascinating about building a system where you can follow companies from idea to growth – and support them all the way.

Board work and mentorship

Today Håkan is chairman of the board of Hammarviken’s subsidiary SafetyRespect. There he contributes his experience of building and leading international business, not least by helping the company navigate different markets and cultural contexts. Having sold products globally, he knows what it takes to succeed in different countries, how markets work and what motivates customers in various parts of the world.

At the same time, he has mentored several companies that have gone through Yuncture’s incubator programme, including Compular, Mareld and LexEnergy. There it’s often about helping the companies understand their market, find the right customer value and build business models that stand strong, even when the pace is high and resources are limited.

Translating big company experience into the entrepreneurial world

When asked how much of his big-company experience can be applied to the entrepreneurial world, he says that the size of the company actually matters less – the thinking around how to build a business is basically the same.

– If you can’t make the whole value chain hang together – from customer to product, production and delivery – you won’t succeed, regardless of size.

The difference lies in resources. In large companies there are often specialists for each area, whereas smaller companies need to be more creative. Here, Håkan believes recruitment is crucial – finding the right people and investing in continuous competence development. You have to build the knowledge you don’t have – either by hiring or through your network.

At the same time, smaller companies have advantages, such as being able to drive change more easily.

– Larger companies often mean more complexity. In smaller companies you can get traction faster – and that’s a strength you should make use of.

For Håkan, translating big-company experience into the entrepreneur world has come naturally. The logic is the same – only the scale differs. You need a clear purpose and a vision that people believe in – whether in a global corporation or a startup.

A leader who believes in clarity – and in people

Ask Håkan what defines good leadership and he answers straight away:

– Clarity, vision and engagement, which together build a winning culture based on strong values.

A good manager is someone who brings energy. Someone who says yes or no – not maybe. And who gets the team on board. He’s passionate about developing both business and people – and it’s that very combination that makes him thrive in Hammarviken’s ecosystem.

– Here you get to do both. That’s when it becomes really fun.

Reflections from a change leader

Håkan sees both opportunities and risks in what’s happening globally. He talks passionately about sustainability, AI and electrification, about changing value chains and geopolitics. But his fundamental stance remains the same – change is not a threat, it’s a precondition.

– If you don’t drive change, you stand still. And if you stand still – then you won’t win, whether in business or in attracting talent.