{{short description|Swedish business executive (born 1973)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2024}} {{Infobox person | name = Helena Helmersson | image = Almedalen 2014 (16932171463).jpg | image_size = | caption = Helmersson in 2014 | birth_name = Helena Helmersson | birth_date = {{birth year and age|1973|10}} | birth_place = Skellefteå, Sweden | death_date = | death_place = | death_cause = | resting_place = | nationality = | education = | alma_mater = Umeå University | occupation = Business executive | title = Chief executive, H&M | term = 2020–2024 | predecessor = Karl-Johan Persson | successor = Daniel Ervér | organization = | known_for = | notable_works = | boards = | spouse = | parents = | children = 2 | relatives = | website = }}
'''Helena Helmersson''' (born October 1973)<ref name="dise2020">{{Cite web |last=Lindholm |first=Maria |date=27 August 2020 |title=H&M:s vd fick en mardrömsstart: "Vi behöver ta större kliv" |trans-title=H&M's CEO had a nightmare start: "We need to take bigger steps" |url=https://www.di.se/nyheter/h-m-s-vd-fick-en-mardromsstart-vi-behover-ta-storre-kliv/ |work=Dagens industri |language=sv}}</ref> is a Swedish business executive. From 2010 to 2020, she was head of sustainability at the Swedish retail clothing company H&M,<ref name=umea>{{cite web|url=http://www.umu.se/english/about-umu/news-events/news/newsdetailpage/alumna-from-umea-university-is-named-most-powerful-woman-in-business.cid231372|title=Alumna from Umeå University is named most powerful woman in business|publisher=Umeå University|accessdate=11 September 2015|language=|archive-date=5 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305011542/http://www.umu.se/english/about-umu/news-events/news/newsdetailpage/alumna-from-umea-university-is-named-most-powerful-woman-in-business.cid231372|url-status=dead}}</ref> and from 2020 to 2024 she was its CEO.<ref>{{cite web|title=Stefan Persson lämnar som styrelseordförande i H & M Hennes & Mauritz AB vid årsstämman och föreslår att Karl-Johan Persson efterträder honom. Helena Helmersson har utsetts till ny vd|url=https://hmgroup.com/media/news-sv/financial-reports/2020/1/3552421.html|date=2020-01-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200130071920/https://hmgroup.com/media/news-sv/financial-reports/2020/1/3552421.html|archive-date=2020-01-30|language=sv}}</ref>
== Early life == Helmersson was born in Skellefteå in the north of Sweden, where she lived with her parents and two sisters. She graduated with a master's degree in international business administration from the Umeå School of Business and Economics in 1997.<ref name=umea /><ref name="dise2020" />
== Career == Helmersson joined H&M in 1997. She became a section manager in the buying office before she went to Dhaka, Bangladesh in 2007 where she was H&M's production manager. After a further period serving as their department manager for underwear production in Hong Kong.
In 2010 when she returned to Stockholm to be manager for social responsibility and supply.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.businessoffashion.com/community/people/helena-helmersson|title=Helena Helmersson: Chief Sustainability Officer, H&M|publisher=Business of Fashion|accessdate=11 September 2015|language=}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://2012-ny.bsr.org/en/speakers/view/helena-helmersson|title=Speaker: Helena Helmersson|publisher=BSR|accessdate=11 September 2015 |language=}}</ref> Helmersson's responsibilities covered the improvement of the social and environmental sustainability of supply, contributing to H&M's sustainability strategy which was initially implemented in the 1990s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nordicfashionassociation.com/speaker/398|title=Helena Helmersson: Head of Sustainability – H&M|publisher=Nordic Fashion Association|accessdate=12 September 2015|language=|archive-date=4 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304080413/http://www.nordicfashionassociation.com/speaker/398|url-status=dead}}</ref>
She was appointed CEO of H&M on 30 January 2020. During her tenure H&M faced financial challenges due to the COVID pandemic<ref>{{Cite web| publisher=FT| title=H&M suffers steep loss as pandemic hits sales| url=https://www.ft.com/content/6a8cd09d-8b50-4e62-bded-6672ec4dcffb}}</ref> and losses from disinvesting in Russia as a result of the Russo-Ukrainian war as well as global supply chain difficulties and costs.<ref>{{Cite web| publisher=FT| title=H&M profits tumble after Russia exit and soaring costs| url=https://www.ft.com/content/96d71548-1267-4e31-8325-32e9d7377654}}</ref>
On 31 January 2024, it was announced that Helmersson would be replaced as CEO of H&M by Daniel Ervér.<ref name="ft">{{Cite web|url=https://www.ft.com/content/8c52115b-09b2-4232-8db7-c932d7fb43ff| title=H&M chief quits as fashion chain struggles to lift profits| date=31 January 2023|author=Richard Milne}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/markfaithfull/2024/01/31/hm-replaces-ceo-with-immediate-effect-as-sales-and-stock-slump/| date=30 January 2020| title= H&M Replaces CEO With Immediate Effect As Sales And Stock Slump |work=Forbes|accessdate=31 January 2024 |language=}}</ref>
{{Blockquote|[…]it has been very demanding at times for me personally and I now feel that it is time to leave the CEO role, which of course has not been an easy decision.|Helmersson<ref name="ft" />}}
In June 2024, Henderson joined the board of Quizrr, a Swedish digital training platform company founded by her husband.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.di.se/digital/helena-helmersson-hoppar-pa-styrelseuppdrag/ |title=Helena Helmersson hoppar på styrelseuppdrag |trans-title=Helena Helmersson jumps at a board position |date=11 June 2024 |work=Dagens industri |language=sv}}</ref> In December that year, she joined Sweden-based textile recycling company Circulose (formerly Renewcell) as chair following its bankruptcy.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Webb |first=Bella |date=2024-11-15 |title=Why former H&M CEO Helena Helmersson joined Circulose |url=https://www.vogue.com/article/why-former-handm-ceo-helena-helmersson-joined-circulose-renewcell |access-date=2025-11-08 |website=Vogue |language=en-US}}</ref> The following year, she was elected to the boards of On Holding AG and the Spanish retailer Mango.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Palmieri |first=Jean E. |date=2025-05-22 |title=On Names Former H&M Chief to Board of Directors |url=https://wwd.com/footwear-news/shoe-industry-news/on-hampm-chief-to-board-of-directors-1237810564/ |access-date=2025-06-04 |website=Women's Wear Daily |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Moin |first=David |date=2025-07-15 |title=Former H&M CEO Helena Helmersson Joins Mango Board |url=https://wwd.com/business-news/human-resources/former-hampm-ceo-helena-helmersson-mango-board-1237981815/ |access-date=2025-11-08 |website=Women's Wear Daily|language=en-US}}</ref>
== Recognition == In March 2014, Helmersson was listed as Sweden's "Most Powerful Woman in Business" by the weekly business magazine ''Veckans Affärer''.<ref name="umea" />
In 2019, she received the "Influential Leader" recognition from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) for influencing the way corporations view sustainability.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Helena Helmersson {{!}} 2019 AACSB Influential Leader |url=https://www.aacsb.edu/about-us/advocacy/member-spotlight/influential-leaders/2019/helena-helmersson |access-date=2024-02-02 |website=www.aacsb.edu |language=en}}</ref>
Helmersson was awarded an honorary doctorate by the Faculty of Social Sciences at Umeå University in 2020 for her commitment to sustainability issues.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Edlund |first=Roland |date=18 June 2020 |title=HM:s vd utsedd till hedersdoktor vid Umeå universitet |trans-title=HM's CEO appointed honorary doctorate at Umeå University |url=https://www.vk.se/2020-06-18/hms-vd-utsedd-till-hedersdoktor-vid-umea-universitet |work=Västerbottens-Kuriren |language=sv}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Stoianov |first=Eva |date=18 June 2020 |title=Hållbarhetskämpe blir hedersdoktor |trans-title=Sustainability fighter becomes an honorary doctor |url=https://www.umu.se/nyheter/hallbarhetskampe-blir-hedersdoktor_9277365/ |publisher=Umeå University |language=sv}}</ref>
She was ranked 41st on ''Fortune''{{'s}} list of Most Powerful Women in 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Most Powerful Women |url=https://fortune.com/ranking/most-powerful-women/ |access-date= |website=Fortune |language=en}}</ref>
== Personal life == Helmersson is married and has two children.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Armstrong |first=Lisa |date=14 November 2020 |title=H&M's new boss on fashion in 2020: 'We could emerge from this stronger' |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/fashion/style/hms-new-boss-fashion-2020-could-emerge-stronger/ |work=The Daily Telegraph}}</ref> She lives in Danderyd Municipality.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Weimer |first=Niklas |date=30 January 2020 |title=Rutinerad och inflytelserik – det här är H&M:s nya vd |trans-title=Seasoned and influential – this is H&M's new CEO |url=https://www.dn.se/ekonomi/rutinerad-och-inflytelserik-det-har-ar-hms-nya-vd/ |work=Dagens Nyheter |language=sv}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Helmersson, Helena}} Category:1973 births Category:Living people Category:People from Skellefteå Category:Swedish business executives Category:Swedish women business executives Category:21st-century Swedish businesswomen Category:21st-century Swedish businesspeople Category:Umeå University alumni