Sustainability Key for Departing Electrolux COO
In a career spanning close to two decades at Electrolux, Carsten is leaving to take on an external opportunity. Carsten joined Electrolux Group in 2005.
Since then, he has led operations for Dish Care and Food Preservation in Europe and headed the Group’s supply chain before progressing to COO for Europe and then the Group. He has been part of the Group management team since 2020. He spoke to the company’s website about the last 20 years.
How Electrolux has changed
When asked what memories he would bring with him from his time at Electrolux, Carsten spoke of being "continuously in a transformation mode over the past 19 years."
Adding how he had witnessed significant transformations within the company and industry. "Mainly the transition from a manufacturing-driven to a consumer-driven company when the supply chain became an important part of the business," he adds.
"I have had the pleasure of working with the best team members over the past 19 years, and I'm proud of the hard work and commitment of my Operations team in driving all the initiatives forward."
The achievements
Carsten was asked to talk about his best achievements while at the company, and while he said every moment has been "enriching," he drew particular focus to the moment in 2005 when the organisation introduced the Electrolux Manufacturing System (EMS). "EMS has revolutionised our approach to operations, paving the way towards manufacturing excellence worldwide, with a mindset to drive improvement continuously every day," he says.
"In recent years, sustainability has become a top priority on my table, and I can say with pride that Electrolux Group is leading the journey towards carbon-free operations. We are two years ahead of our committed plans; we are already operating carbon-free factories, and we are committed to becoming fully carbon-free in our own manufacturing by the early 2030s."
He also highlighted safety in the company's workplaces, which he says had always "been the highest priority together with quality," drawing attention to the fact the company has the lowest incident rate ever. He adds: "In our factories, we have implemented significant automation in recent years. Today, we have over 1,500 robots in the Group, along with digital solutions positioning us at the forefront of the industry, through the Industry 4.0 approach in our leading factories. And lastly to mention, the supply chain is being held all together through a mature sales and operations process."
What comes next?
Carsten remained tight-lipped on where he would be going next, saying he will be taking on a new role leading the Operations as COO for an international corporate company, adding: "With my experience, drive, and passion for operational excellence, I will do my best to contribute to the further success of this company."
CEO Jonas Samuelson says: "I would like to thank Carsten for his many years of service to Electrolux Group, and, in particular, his leadership in driving operational excellence.
"In his recent role, he has helped prepare the Group for the transformational changes within Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and Quality. His contribution has been invaluable, and we wish him the best in his future role."
Operations will now be integrated into the Product Lines Taste and Care, Technology, Digital and Sustainability (TDS) and BA Europe APMEA (EA). Procurement and Product Sourcing will be strengthened with a Group Management role — a Chief Procurement Officer (CPO) reporting to Jonas Samuelson, CEO.
