The 2017 Golden Gavel for outstanding performance in the role of chair of the board of a listed company was awarded to Jan Svensson for his role as Chair of the Board of Fagerhult. The role of chair of the board of a private company was awarded to Rune Andersson for her role as Chair of the Board of Mellby Gård. Leif Östling presented the awards at a ceremony in Stockholm on 4 December. The main speaker was Saeid Esmaeilzadeh and the moderators were Viveka Hirdman-Ryrberg and Anna Ekelund.
PRIVATE COMPANIES
Rune Andersson, Mellby Gård
Extract from the jury’s announcement:
Chairing one’s own wholly-owned company, with members of one’s own family in senior positions, and ensuring that the board functions as an independent decision-making body as stipulated by the Swedish Companies Act requires a high level of professionalism and the ability to distinguish between different roles in the running of the company.
Rune Andersson’s fulfilment of these requirements can serve as an example and model for corporate governance of large non-listed, owner-led companies.
See the full jury announcement and background information on Rune Andersson and Mellby Gård.
LISTED COMPANIES
Jan Svensson, Fagerhult
Extract from the jury’s announcement:
Jan Svensson took over as Chair of the Board of Fagerhult at the annual general meeting in 2008. Since then, the number of employees has increased by 40 per cent, turnover has doubled and the share price has increased more than fivefold, making it now one of Europe’s leading lighting companies, operating in 24 countries.
Following a successful change of CEO during his first year in the chair, his foresight and courage have made him a driving force for the transformation of the firm into the modern and dynamic lighting company that Fagerhult is today.
See the full jury announcement and background information on Jan Svensson and Fagerhult.
