Anders Bärlund has been appointed as the new Chief Strategy & Business Development Officer (CSO) at ICA Gruppen. In his role as CSO, Anders Bärlund will spearhead ICA Gruppen’s strategy work and will be responsible for leading the Group’s major business strategy projects.

One of Anders Bärlund’s chief duties will entail responsibility for continuous development of the Group’s business strategy, to ensure that it is always relevant and aligned with prevailing market conditions. One of the most central areas is to be a driver of the digitalisation journey that ICA is currently on. This area of responsibility includes ICA Gruppen’s CDO function as well as the innovation hub ICAx.

Anders Bärlund joins ICA Gruppen from McKinsey, where he has worked since 2004 with a primary focus on the retail trade and consumer products sectors. In 2013 he was elected partner. During the last five years Anders Bärlund has been responsible for McKinsey’s work on digital and commercial transformations with retail clients in Asia.

Commenting on the appointment, Per Strömberg, CEO of ICA Gruppen says: “The Group structure that we have established creates great opportunities for ICA Gruppen to continue developing the offering and create economies of scale in numerous areas. With the help of Anders Bärlund’s long record of experience with transformations in the retail sector, we will be able to further develop our platform and take further advantage of its opportunities. Anders Bärlund has deep insight into the development of the international retail trade.”

“I am very motivated and excited to join ICA,” comments Anders Bärlund. “ICA Gruppen has a strong position today and is in the midst of a positive change journey. I am looking forward to working together with the Group’s talented people and retailers to continue and build upon this journey.”

Anders Bärlund will succeed Liv Forhaug, who will leave her position on 11 August, as previously communicated.

Anders Bärlund will be a member of the ICA Gruppen Management Team (IMT) and will report to ICA Gruppen’s CEO, Per Strömberg. He will assume his position by 30 September 2019 at the latest.