Karl-Johan Persson

{{Short description|Swedish businessman}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox person | name = Karl-Johan Persson | image = Karl-Johan Persson 2014-09-22 001.jpg | alt = | caption = Persson in 2014 | birth_name = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1975|3|25|df=yes}} | birth_place = | citizenship = Swedish | education = [[European Business School London|European Business School]] | occupation = Chair, [[H&M]] | known_for = | spouse = Leonie Gillberg<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thelocal.se/27344/20100620/ |title='I love you, Victoria' |publisher=[[The Local]] |date=20 June 2010 |accessdate=11 April 2017}}</ref> | children = 3 <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.expressen.se/nyheter/jag-ar-varsam-med-foretagets-pengar/|title="Jag är varsam med företagets pengar"|accessdate=2023-12-22}}</ref> | parents = [[Stefan Persson (magnate)|Stefan Persson]]<br /> Pamela Collett | relatives = [[Erling Persson]] (grandfather)<br /> [[Tom Persson]] (brother)<br /> [[Charlotte Söderström]] (sister)<br /> [[Lottie Tham]] (aunt) | website = }}

'''Karl-Johan Erling Göran Persson''' (born 25 March 1975) is a Swedish [[billionaire]] businessman. He is chairman of the fashion company [[H&M|Hennes & Mauritz]] (H&M), and was its CEO from 2009 to 2020.<ref>{{Cite web |title=H&M chairman Stefan Persson steps down as son takes over |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/business/retail-and-services/h-m-chairman-stefan-persson-steps-down-as-son-takes-over-1.4156312 |access-date=2024-01-07 |website=The Irish Times |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=TrichesText |first=Robert |date=2020-01-30 |title=Karl-Johan Persson om stålbadet: ”Det har varit några tuffa år” |url=https://www.di.se/nyheter/karl-johan-persson-om-stalbadet-det-har-varit-nagra-tuffa-ar/ |access-date=2024-01-07 |website=Dagens industri |language=sv}}</ref> H&M was founded by his grandfather [[Erling Persson]].<ref name=ne>{{cite encyclopedia |title=Stefan Persson |encyclopedia=[[Nationalencyklopedin]] |url=http://www.ne.se/stefan-persson |language=Swedish |accessdate=25 September 2010}} {{subscription required}}</ref><ref name=boardmembers>{{cite web |title= Current board of H&M |url=https://hmgroup.com/about-us/corporate-governance/board-of-directors/ |language=English |accessdate=14 March 2021}}</ref> As of December 2023, according to ''[[Forbes]]'', his estimated net worth is US$1.9 billion.<ref name="Forbes">{{cite web |url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/karl-johan-persson/ |title=Forbes profile: Karl-Johan Persson |work=[[Forbes]] |accessdate=11 December 2023}}</ref>

==Early life== Persson attended the [[European Business School London|European Business School]] in London from 1996, majoring in Business and Economics.<ref name=businessweek>{{cite web |url=http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/people/person.asp?personId=8424011&ticker=HMB:SS&previousCapId=4392354&previousTitle=INDITEX |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120902175606/http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/people/person.asp?personId=8424011&ticker=HMB:SS&previousCapId=4392354&previousTitle=INDITEX |url-status=dead |archive-date=2 September 2012 |title=Karl-Johan Persson: Execustive Profile & Biography |publisher=[[Business Week]] |accessdate=13 March 2011}}</ref> He graduated in 2002.<ref name=bloomberg />

==Career== In 2001, Persson acquired an [[events management]] business, European Network, that went on to establish itself as the premier events management company in Scandinavia. Persson was the CEO of the company between 2001 and 2004.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Karl-Johan Persson |url=https://www.europeanceo.com/profiles/karljohan-persson-hm/ |access-date=2023-10-08 |language=en-US}}</ref> The business was successfully sold in 2007 to MCI. In 2005, he joined H&M in an operational role, working his way up to head of expansion and head of business development in 2007, before being appointed CEO in 2009 to succeed [[Rolf Eriksen]].<ref name=bloomberg>{{cite web |last=Bhatia |first=Meera |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=ahC8HY_2EmSE&refer=europe |title=H&M Names Karl-Johan Persson CEO to Succeed Eriksen (Update2) |publisher=[[Bloomberg L.P.|Bloomberg]] |date=11 February 2009 |accessdate=13 March 2011}}</ref><ref name=euceo /> In 2020 he handed over the CEO role to Helena Helmersson and was elected Chair of the H&M board at the AGM in May 2020.<ref>{{Cite web |title=H&M chairman Stefan Persson steps down as son takes over |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/business/retail-and-services/h-m-chairman-stefan-persson-steps-down-as-son-takes-over-1.4156312 |access-date=2023-12-13 |website=The Irish Times |language=en}}</ref>

He invests in start-ups through the companies Philian AB and 41an Invest AB.<ref>{{Cite web |last=LeijonhufvudText |first=Jonas |date=2022-12-15 |title=Klarna en miljardsmäll för H&M-bossens teknikportfölj |url=https://www.di.se/digital/klarna-en-miljardsmall-for-h-m-bossens-teknikportfolj/ |access-date=2023-09-14 |website=Dagens industri |language=sv}}</ref>

==Personal life== He is married to Leonie Gillberg, they have three children, and live in [[Stockholm]], Sweden.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2014-04-06 |title="Jag är varsam med företagets pengar" |url=https://www.expressen.se/nyheter/jag-ar-varsam-med-foretagets-pengar/ |access-date=2023-10-18 |website=www.expressen.se |language=sv}}</ref><ref name="Forbes" /> [[Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden|Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden]] attended their wedding in 2002.<ref name=euceo>{{cite web |url=http://www.europeanceo.com/profiles/karljohan-persson-hm |title=Karl-Johan Persson |date=25 November 2009 |accessdate=13 March 2011}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

== External links == {{Commons category|Karl-Johan Persson}} * {{Official website|http://karljohanpersson.com/}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Persson, Karl-Johan}} [[Category:Swedish people of English descent]] [[Category:Collett family]] [[Category:Persson family|Karl-Johan]] [[Category:1975 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Swedish chief executives]] [[Category:Swedish billionaires]] [[Category:Swedish businesspeople in fashion]] [[Category:People educated at Enskilda Gymnasiet]] [[Category:Alumni of European Business School London]]