European coffee chain Espresso House has announced that John Nylén will retire as Group Chief Executive Officer after nearly seven years and a total of 18 years at the company.
As part of the succession plan, the Espresso House Board of Directors has announced that Anssi Thureson, Chief Operations Officer, has been appointed as the company’s next Group CEO, effective immediately.
“After an incredible 18-year journey, from serving my first coffee as a barista in Gothenburg to overseeing our expansion throughout the Nordics and into Germany as CEO, now is the right time to introduce the next generation of leadership at Espresso House,” says Nylén.
“With the company growing and profitable after overcoming the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and having resumed our trajectory to and beyond 500 shops, I am pleased that this transition will set Espresso House on course for the next phase of its bright future. To all of my colleagues at Espresso House, past and present, thank you for your great contribution to making this company what it is today.”
As part of the leadership transition and after nine years at the company, Tomas Ekroth will also step down as Chief Financial Officer. He will be succeeded as CFO by Anders Ljungdahl, most recently CFO of media agency GroupM Sweden. Both Nylén and Ekroth will remain with the company in an advisory role during a transition period.
“Espresso House is a special company that has captured the Nordic spirit of community, quality and service. I am honoured to be named Group CEO and thank John for all he has achieved and for the example he has set,” says Thureson.
“John and Tomas led the transformation of Espresso House from a national champion to Northern Europe’s regional hero and we cannot thank them enough for their vision and dedication to the company and its people. I am thrilled to welcome Anssi Thureson to the role of CEO and excited to see him continue his remarkable success and further Espresso House’s growth and development,” says Jacek Szarzynski, Espresso House Chairman of the Board.
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