Leif Johansson initially wanted to be a rock guitarist. That ambition morphed into wanting to become a professor of physics. But somewhere along the way, he was drawn into business and found an endless avenue for his curiosity.

He turned out to be quite good at business too, taking on his first leadership role at Husqvarna Motorcycles, at the age of 27. Over the decades that followed he led companies making furniture (FACIT), household appliances (Electrolux), buses, construction vehicles & trucks (Volvo), phones (Ericsson) and pharma (AstraZeneca). Along the way, he even made time to be the Chair of ERT from 2009 to 2014.

Over the course of a wide-ranging conversation, we discuss his early life, how he embarked on his career and some of the most difficult decisions he had to make. He also shares his thoughts on entrepreneurship, the challenges and joys of switching sectors, the most effective ways to introduce change in companies and the unavoidable test of work-life balance. 

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Episode 14 – Show Notes

21st Century Industrialists is produced by ERT and presented by Robert O'Meara. Interview recorded by Jakob Herrmann.  Production by Shalini van den Langenbergh at Uitgesproken. Editing & mixing by Jordan Hudson at House of Media. Special thanks to Wouter Van Driessche. 

© ERT