SWEDISH NORDIC HEAD AT ELKJØP

Niclas Eriksson started as a shop assistant at Elgiganten in 1995, and has since held the roles of store manager, sales manager, marketing manager and operations manager, until 14 years ago he became chief executive of Elgiganten Sweden.

– We are very pleased to appoint Niclas Eriksson as chief executive officer of Elkjøp Nordic, and I look forward to working closely with him. He has demonstrated outstanding leadership during his 30 years with the company, and I am both convinced and confident that he is the right person to carry our strategy forward and deliver on our ambitions, says Fredrik Tønnesen in a press release dated 10 July.

Fredrik Tønnesen himself was appointed chief executive of Currys, the London-listed owner of Elkjøp Nordic, at the beginning of June. Before this, Tønnesen led Elkjøp Nordic for three years, having previously been chief executive officer of Elkjøp Norway. Eriksson will report directly to Tønnesen in his new role.

A lot of hard work

The press release states that Elkjøp Nordic is the largest player in the Nordic region within consumer electronics and white goods, and that the company is also a significant supplier of technology solutions and equipment to the business market.

The Nordic group that Niclas Eriksson is now to lead has more than 10,000 employees, and operations in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, the Faroe Islands and Greenland.

TØNNESEN REACHES THE TOP AT CURRYS

– I am absolutely certain that Niclas will succeed in this role, together with all our talented colleagues across the Nordic region. Strong cost discipline, outstanding customer advice and service, as well as the continued development of our record-high levels of customer and employee satisfaction, will be crucial to our future success. Niclas can look forward to a lot of hard work, but above all the opportunity to lead a winning team, Tønnesen says in the press release.

It is pointed out here that a broad product range, attractive purchasing agreements and highly efficient logistics have long been important competitive advantages for Elkjøp.

High expectations

– Combined with strong sales channels and well-run department stores, these strengths enable the company to offer competitive prices and fast deliveries, whether customers shop online or in one of the more than 400 physical department stores and shops across the Nordic region, Elkjøp writes.

– I look forward to continuing the work of strengthening our group in a highly competitive market. My many years at Elgiganten have taught me that the best results are achieved through teamwork. I always strive to be an inclusive, open and attentive leader, while at the same time having high expectations of both myself and the people around me. Innovation, pace and flexibility are hallmarks of our culture throughout the group, and these are values I will continue to build on in the time ahead, Niclas Eriksson says in the press release.

Niclas Eriksson holds several positions in Swedish retail, including deputy chair of Elektronikbranschen and chair of Nordsport (owner of Intersport and Löplabbet).