PROFITABLE BUSINESS FOR THE NEXT GENERATION

“I believe the keys to successful leadership are transparency, trust and delegation, as well as accountability,” says Annika Hult. “I will continue to focus on adding value to our stakeholders in everything we do, while always keeping an eye on the future.”

Reporting directly to Stena AB’s CEO Dan Sten Olsson, Annika’s new role has seen her assume responsibility for Group functions mainly within structure, systems and control, while working closely with business area leaders and the Boards to define the strategy and direction of the Stena AB Group going forward.

Annika Hult is no newcomer to Stena AB. Raised in Lerum outside Gothenburg, she joined Stena as a summer intern while studying at the Gothenburg School of Economics. In 1998, she was hired full time. Twenty-two years later, Annika has held six positions within the Stena AB Group, in five different countries, ranging from the Head Office to various business areas. Most recently, she was responsible for one of Stena Line’s largest regions, as Trade Director for the North Sea and Managing Director of Stena Line BV.

“The entrepreneurial spirit of the company and its culture reflect who I am and what I believe in,” she says. “What have and will continue to make Stena a successful company are our core value of care and our responsible business agenda,  with a long-term perspective and delegated business acumen,  alongside our constant focus on business principles such as customer centricity, performance, innovation and profitability.” This is also outlined by Dan Sten Olsson in his White Book.

Annika is well aware of the magnitude of the challenge she is taking on:

“This is a big responsibility,” she says. “I’m grateful that the departments are already so well-functioning but, that being said, 2020 was the worst year in the history of Stena. We’re starting to turn things around but there’s still a lot to be done.”

These are challenging times, both in the shipping segment and the world at large. The rise of digitalisation, the arrival of the Covid-19 pandemic and growing awareness of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) issues, have accelerated the speed of change in society and industry. Meanwhile, many ideas that the business world previously held as truth are being challenged.

“We live in exciting, yet challenging, times,” says Annika. “The world is changing and that represents both a challenge and an opportunity for an innovative company like Stena. While staying focused, we must always strive to improve, find new solutions and new ways forward. Drawing strength from our heritage and values will allow us to position ourselves so that we benefit from the transition and remain successful in the long term.”

Shipping may be a traditional industry but doing responsible business has been part of Stena’s agenda for a long time. Going forward, Annika believes sustainability, including diversity and inclusion, will be a major differentiating factor.

“I believe in encouraging people to have different points of view and creating an environment where they feel safe expressing them. In my opinion, the key to success is to create effective teams working together towards the same goal, supporting and challenging each other in an honest, transparent way; teams where we also listen carefully to what’s being said.”

“Diverse, inclusive teams simply make good business sense,” she continues, concluding: “They help us challenge our beliefs and the things we take for granted, and to see things from a different perspective. I’m excited to be part of a business that is both responsible and profitable – and to build on that for the next generation.” ⁄