Leader of the Year | PA Consulting

The Leader of the Year award is Sweden’s premier commendation for leadership excellence in Swedish business or administration across both the private and public sectors.

Owned by Affärsvärlden, Sweden’s leading weekly business magazine, the Leader of the Year award has celebrated and acknowledged prominent business leaders for more than 30 years.

As part of the original team that created the award in 1984, , PA is proud to join Carnegie Fonder and Korn Ferry as one of three selected partner organisations.

As a management consultant agency, we collaborate with clients each day to realise both small and extensive transformations. This includes everything from strategy development and design to implementing various solutions. During our work with clients, we meet many talented people for whom leadership and creativity are crucial skills for success.

Our interactions with some of the brightest and best leaders strengthens our role as jurors while providing an opportunity to champion these highly skilled individuals.

About the jury process

As partner for the award, PA sits on the jury that identifies and evaluates potential candidates. In the spring of each year, we come together with our partners to dig deep into our networks and find the best candidates. Taking a structured approach, we gather information about candidates’ career paths, experience, and key achievements.

We then compare candidates to identify outliers and create a shortlist. From here, we undertake a 360-degree reference process to understand the candidate’s impact in and on their business. We contact representatives of the board, close colleagues in the management team, and employees in the organisation to build as comprehensive a picture as possible. During a final jury meeting in September, we compile all of the evidence to choose our winner.

I am excited to be part of the jury because it provides an opportunity for PA to reinforce the importance of great leadership - to always be innovative and ingenious - in Swedish enterprise.”

Joacim Sundell

Country Head, Sweden, PA

This year’s jury consists of some of the most well-known individuals in Swedish business, all with solid knowledge of what it takes to become a successful leader at the helm of a thriving organisatoin. Their expertise is an important factor in finding and evaluating the best candidates for the award.

Josefin Sigedal

CEO, Affärsvärlden

Max Jedeur-Palmgren

Chief Editor, Affärsvärlden

Christian Cederholm

CEO, Investor

Jonas Wiström

CEO, Ratos

Lovisa Hamrin

Chairman, Herenco

Andreas Uller

CEO, Carnegie Fonder

Jan Dernestam

Managing Partner, Mannheimer Swartling

David Strömwall

Country Head, Sweden, Korn Ferry

Joacim Sundell

Country Head, Sweden, PA Consulting

Partners

We are proud to join the following organisations to shortlist and select our leader of the year:

Carnegie Fonder

Carnegie Fonder offers active asset management in equities, fixed income, and alternative asset classes, based on in-depth financial analysis and modern sustainability analysis.

Korn Ferry

Korn Ferry works with clients to design optimal organisational structures, roles, and responsibilities, helping to hire the right people and advise on how to reward, motivate, and develop staff throughout their careers.

Winner 2023: Helena Hedblom, CEO Epiroc AB

When Helena Hedblom took over as CEO of mining and construction company Epiroc AB in March 2020, she inherited a uniquely challenging role. Due to the pressures of the pandemic, both extensive supply disruptions and markets had gone up in smoke overnight, calling for a new, adaptive approach.

Helena navigated crisis after crisis with enthusiasm, energy, and integrity. Helena has not only manoeuvred Epiroc through these trials, but successfully driven the company towards greater commercial success. Today, Epiroc boasts strong financial margins and occupies a leading market position.