Two Swedish board members handing over

Read time:: 2 min

Janne Hansson to the left, and Heléne Gunnarson to the right.

Published:: 27 August 2021
Contacts:: Press contact

Vice Chairman Heléne Gunnarson has decided to stand down from the Board of Directors – handing over the new strategy period to a successor. Another Swedish member of the Board of Directors, Janne Hansson, is also stepping down to focus on his expanding dairy production.

Following 21 years as an elected and 13 years on the Board of Directors, the Swedish vice Chairman Heléne Gunnarson, is leaving her assignment. The timing is carefully chosen – in the beginning of a new strategy period:

“After a long career as elected and vice Chairman it is my wish to prioritise my farm and family. And I want to hand over to a new Board of Directors member before the new strategy period starts. I am very proud of the way Arla has developed during the 20 years I have been active as an elected. We have become an international cooperative with owners in seven countries and strong brands all over the globe. I am really proud of the journey we have made together,” Heléne Gunnarson says.

Janne Hansson, member of the Board of Directors since 2018, has made large investments on his dairy farm, and has concluded that a prioritisation is necessary:

“It has been a privilege to sit on the board of Arla, one of the greatest farmer cooperatives in the world. It’s an important assignment and now I am looking forward to hand it over to the next person elected. I will now prioritise the development of my dairy farm and the large production investments I have made and will continue to make,” Janne Hansson says.

Heléne Gunnarson and Janne Hansson made their announcement at the extra Board of Representatives meeting that is taking place in Copenhagen right now.

Commenting on the announcement Chairman of Arla’s Board of Directors, Jan Toft Nørgaard says:

“Heléne and Janne leaving the Board of Directors is a loss for Arla. Heléne has been my valuable co-pilot and Janne a fantastic colleague. I personally and the board and the EMT wish them well. We are looking forward to welcome two new Arla farmer owners to the Board of Directors and the launch of the new strategy period for the coop and the business.

The two member of the Board will step down after the next Board of Representatives meeting in October 2021. The Swedish Evaluation Committee is involved and will initiate the election process during September.

The two new Swedish members of the Board of Directors will be welcomed at the Board of Representatives meeting in October 2021. The Board of Directors then elect the vice Chairman among all the elected farmer owners in the board.

Additional appointments:

Heléne Gunnarson is additionally Chairman of the Global Training Committee and the Member Engagement Committee. Janne Hansson is additionally Chairman of the Organic committee in Arla. These chairmanships are appointed separately within the Board of Directors and the individual groups.

Facts about Arla’s Board of Directors:

Arla’s Board of Directors consist of 15 Arla farmer owners, that are elected at regional and national electoral meetings by the members of the Board of Representatives, three employee representatives and two external advisors. Read more here.

Arla Foods is an international dairy company owned by more than 8,400 farmers from Denmark, Sweden, the UK, Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. Arla Foods is one of the leading players in the international dairy arena with well-known brands like Arla®, Lurpak®, Puck® and Castello®. Arla Foods is focused on providing good dairy nourishment from sustainable farming and operations and is also the world's largest manufacturer of organic dairy products.