Södra will elect a new Chair at the association's Annual General Meeting on 24 May. Södra's Nomination Committee has now presented its election proposal. Magnus Hall is proposed as the Chair of Södra's Board for the upcoming period (2022-2023).
In addition, Hannele Arvonen, Carina Olson and Mikaela Johnsson are proposed as new Board members. The Committee also proposes that Kristina Alsér, Hans Berggren, Pål Börjesson, Paul Christensson, Ulf Johansson and Mats Sandgren be re-elected.
The Nomination Committee's proposal brings the number of elected Board members to ten.
"Our proposal will ensure a strong Board with extensive expertise in areas that are important for the future of Södra's members. The aim is to create good conditions along the entire chain - from forest estate to customer - whether the customer is constructing buildings, producing textiles or buying an experience," said Ingemar Thorstensson, Chair of the Nomination Committee.
Strong background in forestry
Magnus Hall, born in 1959, has been a member of Södra's Board since 2020 and has extensive experience in the Swedish business sector. He was CEO of Vattenfall for almost six years before stepping down in 2020. Prior to that he was CEO of the Holmen Group for ten years, where he was also responsible for the specialty papers area in publishing paper and Business Area President. While employed at Holmen, he also served as Chair of the Swedish Forest Industries Federation, and later chaired the Confederation of European Paper Industries (CEPI). Magnus therefore has extensive experience of issues related to forestry, the forest industry and forest policy at both national and international levels.
"I am delighted to be nominated as the Chair of Södra's Board. Södra is an extremely exciting forest industry company with an innovative focus and strong market positions in several areas. The fact that the owners, Södra's 52,000 members, are responsible for the supply of raw material from their sustainably managed forests ensures long-term strength and stability," said Magnus Hall.
Three new members proposed
The new Board members proposed by the Nomination Committee also have broad forestry experience.
- Hannele Arvonen, born in 1966, is CEO and partner in Flooré AB, a growth company in building materials. She has 30 years of experience in forestry and the forest industry from senior positions at Holmen and Metsä Board, and from her role as CEO of Sveaskog and Setra Group. These positions have given her considerable knowledge of processes in both the pulp industry and sawmills. She will contribute her broad competencies and experience of the entire forestry value chain to Södra's Board work and thereby Södra's operations.
- Carina Olson, born in 1965, has been President and CEO of Praktikertjänst, Sweden's largest private care company, since 2019. Carina has served in various senior positions at Södra, including CFO, for 15 years. She will contribute her extensive company and industry experience, experience in the financial area and her role as CEO to the Board's work.
- Mikaela Johnsson, born in 1982, is an agricultural technologist and has served on LRF's National Board of Directors since 2019, where she is a member of the Finance and Audit Committee. Together with her husband, she owns and runs a farm and forest estate in Ljungby Municipality. Mikaela will contribute her thorough knowledge of member democracy, business policy experience and ability to understand the conditions and economics of forest companies to the Board's work.
AGM on 24 May
The Nomination Committee also proposes that the AGM elect four ordinary auditors and two personal alternates.
The Committee proposes the re-election of Authorised Public Accountant Martin Johansson (PWC, Stockholm) and Authorised Public Accountant Madeleine Edberg (PWC, Stockholm), and alternates Authorised Public Accountant Camilla Samuelsson (PWC, Stockholm), and the new election of Authorised Public Accountant Erik Bergh (PWC, Stockholm).
The re-election of Dick Stagmo (Hestra) and Carina Arvidsson Löw (Värnamo) as member representative auditors is also proposed.
Södra's Annual General Meeting will be held on 24 May in Värnamo. At the Meeting, the association's 200 elected representatives will consider the Nomination Committee's proposals and vote in the election of Södra's new Chair and new Board members.
