Leif Johansson, born in 1951, is a Swedish businessman. He was President and CEO of the Volvo Group from 1997 to 2011 and became Chairman of Ericsson

Ericsson

Ericsson , one of Sweden's largest companies, is a provider of telecommunication and data communication systems, and related services, covering a range of technologies, including especially mobile networks...

 in 2011.

Background

Johansson was born on August 30, 1951, in Gothenburg, Sweden. His father was Lennart Johansson, for many years President of the SKF

SKF

SKF, Svenska Kullagerfabriken AB , later AB SKF, is a Swedish bearing company founded in 1907, supplying bearings, seals, lubrication and lubrication systems, maintenance products, mechatronics products, power transmission products and related services globally.-History:The company was founded on...

 Group (1971-1985). He and his wife Eva have five children.

Education

1958-1971 primary education, Gothenburg

1968 Chatsworth High School, Chatsworth, California

1971 matriculation, natural sciences, Kjellbergska Gymnasiet, Gothenburg

1972 sergeant, Swedish Air Force

1977 Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg

Career

Johansson has worked in Swedish industry for most of his professional life. He assumed his first position as Managing Director at the age of 27, at Husqvarna Motorcycles

Husqvarna Motorcycles

Husqvarna Motorcycles, a subsidiary of BMW, is a company manufacturing motocross, enduro and supermoto motorcycles. The company began producing motorcycles in 1903 at Huskvarna, Sweden, as a branch of the Husqvarna armament firm which had supplied the Swedish army with rifles since 1689.-History:As...

. In 1982 he became President of Facit

Facit

Facit was an industrial corporation and manufacturer of office products. It was based in Åtvidaberg, Sweden, and founded in 1922 as AB Åtvidabergs Industrier. Facit AB, a manufacturer of mechanical calculators, was incorporated into the corporation the same year...

, an office machines manufacturer, followed by ten years with white-goods manufacturer Electrolux

Electrolux

The Electrolux Group is a Swedish appliance maker.As of 2010 the 2nd largest home appliance manufacturer in the world after Whirlpool, its products sell under a variety of brand names including its own and are primarily major appliances and vacuum cleaners...

 where he eventually advanced to the position of CEO. In 1997 Johansson was appointed President and CEO of Volvo in Gothenburg, a position he still holds.

1974-76 project consultant, Indevo

1977 product developer and assistant to the President, Centro-Maskin

1979 President of Husqvarna Motorcycles

Husqvarna Motorcycles

Husqvarna Motorcycles, a subsidiary of BMW, is a company manufacturing motocross, enduro and supermoto motorcycles. The company began producing motorcycles in 1903 at Huskvarna, Sweden, as a branch of the Husqvarna armament firm which had supplied the Swedish army with rifles since 1689.-History:As...

1981 Divisional Manager Office Machines, Facit

Facit

Facit was an industrial corporation and manufacturer of office products. It was based in Åtvidaberg, Sweden, and founded in 1922 as AB Åtvidabergs Industrier. Facit AB, a manufacturer of mechanical calculators, was incorporated into the corporation the same year...

 Sweden

1982 President of Facit

Facit

Facit was an industrial corporation and manufacturer of office products. It was based in Åtvidaberg, Sweden, and founded in 1922 as AB Åtvidabergs Industrier. Facit AB, a manufacturer of mechanical calculators, was incorporated into the corporation the same year...

1984 Divisional Manager, AB Electrolux

Electrolux

The Electrolux Group is a Swedish appliance maker.As of 2010 the 2nd largest home appliance manufacturer in the world after Whirlpool, its products sell under a variety of brand names including its own and are primarily major appliances and vacuum cleaners...

, white-goods

1987 President of AB Electrolux

Electrolux

The Electrolux Group is a Swedish appliance maker.As of 2010 the 2nd largest home appliance manufacturer in the world after Whirlpool, its products sell under a variety of brand names including its own and are primarily major appliances and vacuum cleaners...

, white-goods

1988 Vice President, AB Electrolux

Electrolux

The Electrolux Group is a Swedish appliance maker.As of 2010 the 2nd largest home appliance manufacturer in the world after Whirlpool, its products sell under a variety of brand names including its own and are primarily major appliances and vacuum cleaners...

1991 President of AB Electrolux

Electrolux

The Electrolux Group is a Swedish appliance maker.As of 2010 the 2nd largest home appliance manufacturer in the world after Whirlpool, its products sell under a variety of brand names including its own and are primarily major appliances and vacuum cleaners...

1994 CEO, Electrolux

Electrolux

The Electrolux Group is a Swedish appliance maker.As of 2010 the 2nd largest home appliance manufacturer in the world after Whirlpool, its products sell under a variety of brand names including its own and are primarily major appliances and vacuum cleaners...

1997 President and CEO, Volvo Group

2011 Chairman, Ericsson

Ericsson

Ericsson , one of Sweden's largest companies, is a provider of telecommunication and data communication systems, and related services, covering a range of technologies, including especially mobile networks...

Other assignments

Member of the Board: Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Svenska Cellulosa Aktiebolaget

Svenska Cellulosa Aktiebolaget

Svenska Cellulosa Aktiebolaget is a Swedish consumer goods company and pulp and paper manufacturer with headquarters in Stockholm. It has approximately 45,000 employees and a turnover of approximately SEK 107 billion...

 (SCA), Confederation of Swedish Enterprise

Confederation of Swedish Enterprise

The Confederation of Swedish Enterprise is a major interest organisation for business and industry in Sweden. It has 48 member associations representing close to 55.000 member companies with more than 1.5 million employees....

 

Member of Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences

Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences

The Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences or Kungl. Ingenjörsvetenskapsakademien , founded in 1919 by King Gustaf V, is one of the Royal Academies in Sweden...

 (IVA)

Chairman ERT European Round Table of Industrialists

European Round Table of Industrialists

The European Round Table of Industrialists was born out of a growing preoccupation with thestate of the European economy in the early 1980s. Frequently diagnosed as “eurosclerosis”, the...

Awards

1977 Marcus Wallenberg ASEA Award

2001 The King's Medal size 12 in the Ribbon of the Royal Order of the Seraphim 

2005 The Royal Swedish Automobile Club's Gold Memorial Medal Kungliga Automobilklubben

Kungliga Automobilklubben

Kungliga Automobilklubben , established in 1903, is an association for Swedish car owners which is aimed at safeguarding their interests e.g...

2005 Knight of the National Order of the Legion of Honour, France

2006 Honorary Doctor at the Blekinge Institute of Technology

Blekinge Institute of Technology

The Blekinge Institute of Technology is a public, state funded Swedish Institute of technology in Blekinge with more than 8,000 students and offers 350 courses in 40 educational programmes in five schools at two campuses located in Karlskrona and Karlshamn.The institute focuses on applied...

2007 Honorary Doctor of Medicine at the University of Gothenburg 

2009 The Mekanprisma Award

Volvo Group

The Volvo Group is one of the world's largest suppliers of commercial vehicles with products such as trucks, buses, construction equipment, drive systems for marine and industrial applications, and aircraft engine components. The Volvo Group also offers its customers financial services. Today the Group has customers in more than 180 countries worldwide, mainly in Europe, Asia and North America. The Group has about 100,000 employees and production facilities in 19 countries.

Decisions adopted under Johansson's leadership:

1998 Acquisition of Samsung

Samsung

The Samsung Group is a South Korean multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul, South Korea...

's excavator operation, South Korea

1999 Sale of Volvo Cars

Volvo Cars

Volvo Car Corporation, or Volvo Personvagnar AB, is a Swedish automobile manufacturer founded in 1927, in Gothenburg, Sweden. It is owned by Zhejiang Geely Holding Group. Volvo was originally formed as a subsidiary company to the ball bearing maker SKF. When Volvo AB was introduced on the Swedish...

 to Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...

2001 Acquisition of Renault Trucks

Renault Trucks

Renault Trucks is a French truck manufacturer with its corporate headquarters at Saint-Priest near Lyon. Originally part of Renault, it has been owned by Volvo Group since 2001....

, France, and Mack Trucks

Mack Trucks

Mack Trucks is an American truck-manufacturing company and a former manufacturer of buses and trolley buses. A wholly owned subsidiary of Renault Véhicules Industriels since 1990, Mack Trucks is currently a subsidiary of AB Volvo. The company's headquarters are located in Greensboro, North Carolina...

, USA

2006 Acquisition of Nissan Diesel, Japan

2007 Acquisition of Ingersoll Rand

Ingersoll Rand

Ingersoll-Rand plc is a $13 billion global diversified industrial company founded in 1871. The Ingersoll Rand name came into use in 1905 through the combination of Ingersoll-Sergeant Drill Company and Rand Drill Company...

's road construction machinery division, USA

2008 Agreement on joint venture company with Eicher Motors

Eicher Motors

Eicher Group is a conglomerate of the firms Eicher Goodearth Ltd., Eicher Ltd., Eicher Motors Ltd., Eicher International Ltd., and ECS Ltd., based in New Delhi, India. The Eicher company has around 2500 employees located in four manufacturing facilities and 49 marketing and area offices around...

, India