NKT, the leading cable manufacturer, has appointed Claes Westerlind as its new President and CEO, replacing Alexander Kara. Westerlind, a Swedish citizen, joined NKT in 2017 when it acquired ABB HV Cables in Sweden. Since 2019, he has held the position of Executive Vice President, Solutions Karlskrona, and been a member of the global leadership team in NKT.
Westerlind's in-depth knowledge of NKT's high-voltage business, markets, and technology is expected to strengthen the company's execution of ReNew BOOST and the recently announced expansions of Karlskrona, Sweden.
See also: TenneT awards contracts to NKT and Prysmian for cable connections in five Dutch offshore wind farms
In a statement, Jens Due Olsen, Chairman of the Board of Directors, said, “The Board of Directors is pleased to announce Claes Westerlind as the new CEO. With the appointment of Claes as the new CEO of NKT, we have found the right profile to further strengthen our power cable business and continue positioning us to benefit from the green transition and electrification of societies.”
Westerlind, who is passionate about the power cable business, said, “I am delighted by the trust from the Board of Directors giving me the opportunity to lead the next stages of our strategic journey. I look forward to continuing the focus on growth, innovation and sustainability together with the global leadership team and all the NKT colleagues around the world.”
Westerlind has played a key role in securing the record-high order backlog in NKT's high-voltage business and leading the investment and expansion programmes in Karlskrona launched in 2020. With his strategic acumen and ability to execute complex expansion plans, Westerlind has delivered long-term shareholder value through customer-centric and innovative solutions.
See also: Sumitomo Electric to Build State-of-the-Art Power Cable Factory in Scotland
The appointment of Westerlind as CEO is expected to reinforce NKT's position as a market leader in power cable solutions and facilitate the company's contribution to the green transition and electrification of societies.
