From Volvo Cars’ global organisation to international interim assignments in Italy, Poland and France, Anette Andersson has built her career around creating structure, developing people and leading organisations through change.
Together with Nordic Interim, she successfully completed an assignment with a company in the packaging industry, where she built an entirely new Sales & Operations Planning function during a challenging period. Here, she shares her experiences of international leadership, cultural differences and what it takes to deliver results in new organisations.
How did your career as an executive interim manager begin?
“When I left Volvo Cars, I started considering interim management, but my first encounter with the industry was actually not particularly positive. I felt that my long experience with the same company was seen more as a disadvantage than an asset.
That is why my meeting with Nordic Interim was such a different experience. When Henrik Höjsgaard, Partner at Nordic Interim, contacted me about the assignment with the packaging company, I was both pleased and inspired. I had never worked in that sector before and did not know the company particularly well, but the assignment sounded very interesting.
The collaboration with Nordic Interim has been highly professional from start to finish, and I would be very happy to work with you again.”
During your interim assignment, you built a completely new Sales & Operations Planning function during a period of severe component shortages. What was the challenge?
“It was a very intense period. The company, which is part of a large global group, was facing major challenges related to material and component shortages during the pandemic. The semiconductor shortage affected the entire automotive industry, as well as a number of other industries, and for us, the consequences were significant because many of our customers are global companies with very high production volumes.
When I joined, there was an order backlog of almost two years. Delivery delays also risked triggering costly contractual consequences for the company.
My assignment was to build a completely new S&OP organisation while dealing with the immediate situation. We worked intensively to reduce the backlog, shorten lead times and improve forecasting. At the same time, I was also involved in implementing a new business system.
As an interim manager, you need to quickly understand both the business and the people. For me, everything starts with understanding the situation, building trust and getting the organisation on board with the change. Results are achieved through people.”
Henrik Höjsgaard worked closely with Anette and the client throughout the assignment and highlights the importance of her international experience:
“More and more of our clients are undertaking transformation projects across borders, where success is not only about having the right expertise, but also about the ability to work across different cultures, ways of working and leadership traditions. Anette is an excellent example of the type of executive interim manager who creates value in these environments.
With experience from senior leadership roles in Europe and Asia, she combines operational drive with a deep understanding of how people and organisations work in different cultural contexts. When companies are facing complex transformation on a global scale, that combination is often critical to achieving sustainable results.”
Can you tell us about your background?
“I have had a long career with Volvo Cars, where I worked for more than 30 years before becoming an executive interim manager. In fact, I ended up there somewhat by chance. I could have taken over my family’s watch business in Östersund, but that was not the path I wanted to take.
Instead, I attended a sales programme that Volvo Cars developed together with IHM after recognising that customers found the car-buying process complicated. The programme covered everything from sales techniques and marketing to legal matters and practical training. After completing the programme, I was offered a temporary position at Volvo Cars in Gothenburg, and that was where my international journey began.
Early on, I worked with the Asian market and later became responsible for dealer development and Sales & Operations Planning at a global level. When Geely acquired Volvo Cars in 2010, I volunteered to be part of the transformation. I was given the responsibility of establishing S&OP in China and subsequently became involved in several strategic projects, including the development of three factories in the country. I lived in Shanghai for three years, acting as a bridge between sales and production.
I then became Managing Director of Volvo Cars’ sales company in Thailand and lived in Bangkok for four years. There, I was responsible both for the local operation and for independent importers across Southeast Asia. We also established three entirely new markets from the ground up, including Volvo Car Cambodia, which became Volvo’s 103rd market globally. This involved everything from due diligence and recruitment to sales training, marketing and business development.
After a total of seven years in Asia, I moved back to Sweden. During the pandemic, I left Volvo Cars and later started my own consulting company. Since December 2022, I have been working as an interim manager.”
You have worked in many different countries. What has international leadership taught you?
“The most important lesson is that people fundamentally want the same things – to understand where the organisation is heading, to feel included and to contribute to its success. At the same time, cultures can differ enormously in how people communicate, make decisions and view leadership.
I always try to be clear, honest and transparent about what is happening and why. That works in every country. However, you need to adapt the way you communicate and lead depending on the culture and the situation.
When I come to a new country, I start by asking a lot of questions. I want to understand how people work, how decisions are made and what norms exist within the organisation. It is about being curious and respectful while remaining true to your fundamental leadership principles.
My experience from China, Thailand, Italy, France, Poland and several other countries has given me a broad toolbox. I have learned that successful leadership is about finding the balance between local adaptation and providing clear direction. You cannot lead in exactly the same way everywhere, but you must be consistent in your values.”
You have led teams in Italy, France, Poland, Thailand, China and several other countries. What does it take to succeed as a leader across different cultures?
“When working internationally, you need to be present and build relationships. I strongly believe in being physically present in the organisation, especially when you are new.
In some cultures, hierarchy is important, while other organisations are more informal. In some countries, people will tell you directly what they think, while in others you need to read between the lines much more.
You therefore need to be attentive and adaptable without losing sight of the direction. I always try to be accessible, communicate frequently and build trust. When people feel that they are being listened to, it also becomes easier to drive change.
At its core, international leadership is about respecting local circumstances while being able to bring people together around common goals.
When working internationally, language and culture can also affect how quickly you gain an accurate understanding of the business. That is why you need to be present, listen carefully and sometimes ask the same questions several times to truly understand the challenges.
Trust is essential. Employees need to feel that you are there to help move the business forward and create value.”
What do you enjoy most about being an interim manager?
“It is the combination of people, change and learning.
I enjoy entering new organisations and industries and being able to quickly contribute experience from previous assignments. It is very rewarding to see that methods and ways of working that have proven successful in a global industrial company can also deliver results in completely different types of organisations.
As an interim manager, you have the opportunity to make an immediate difference while constantly developing yourself.”
What is the first thing you do when you enter a new assignment?
“I prepare as much as possible before I start. Then I spend a great deal of time listening.
I meet the people I will be working with, try to understand the organisation, identify the challenges and develop a picture of what really needs to be solved. There are often several different perspectives on the same problem.
It is easy to want to come in with answers straight away, but my experience is that the best solutions emerge when you first take the time to understand the business and the people.”
What do you bring with you from Volvo Cars when entering new organisations?
“Volvo Cars has been a fantastic school. I have learned the importance of structure, clear processes and continuous, long-term improvement.
That is often exactly what I contribute as an interim manager. I help organisations create order, clarity and focus.
In one interim assignment, I worked as Interim Director Value Chain Improvements, focusing on the operations in Poland. The assignment involved developing and improving the efficiency of the value chain in an environment with different types of challenges. Regardless of the industry, however, I see the same thing: structure creates the conditions for both growth and engagement.”
How do you recharge between assignments?
“I enjoy spending time with friends, cooking and travelling. I have always been curious about new environments and cultures. When I was living in Italy for the interim assignment through Nordic Interim, I made the most of the opportunity to explore the city and the surrounding area.
I loved living in Asia and would happily have stayed longer, but after rediscovering Europe, Italy is probably my favourite. The combination of the people, the culture and the simple yet fantastic food is hard to beat.”
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