When the family-owned company Horreds decided to recruit a Sales Manager, it was a major change for the organization. There was no room for mistakes. Following recommendations, they chose to engage Roger Johansson from Finnveden Executive.
Furniture manufacturer Horreds is a Swedish classic in interior design and public spaces. The company was founded in 1936 by the grandfather of the current owner, Per-Ola Johansson, and is now run by the third generation. Today, Horreds focuses on furniture for offices, meetings, and lounges, and has long been established on the market as a premium brand. The company has maintained successful collaborations with Swedish designers such as Fredrik Mattson, Stefan Borselius, Thomas Bernstrand, and the design group Front, and over time, has built an impressive design library. Recently, the company was also awarded the German Design Award. Horreds employs around 40 people, and all wood production still takes place in the village of Horred in western Sweden.
Investing in Sweden
Per-Ola Johansson took over as CEO and owner of Horreds in 1999.
“During all these years, I’ve also worked with product development and marketing. But a few years ago, we made a major investment of SEK 25 million. This was to ensure that we could continue to have our production in Sweden and in Horred for the future. It meant that I needed to stay more local, and that’s when the idea of hiring a Sales Manager started to grow,” explains Per-Ola Johansson.
Finding the right candidate for an entirely new position is a demanding task. Per-Ola Johansson turned to Roger Johansson at Finnveden Executive.
“A colleague from a board I serve on recommended Finnveden Executive to me. They had used them with great results.”
On the Wishlist
After an informal meeting with Roger Johansson, Per-Ola felt there was a match. Together, they created a wishlist.
“Naturally, it was extremely important to find the right person. My wish was to fully delegate all marketing and sales responsibilities, which meant we needed someone experienced and self-driven. But it also had to be someone who could bring in fresh perspectives and had an eye for trends and market intelligence—things our customers value. I also wanted someone younger than myself to help create a balanced age distribution in the organization. It was quite a long wishlist, but Roger was great at guiding me toward a clear and sustainable profile that made sense for the candidates.”
Per-Ola Johansson found the process smooth and efficient.
“Roger quickly understood our company and our needs. He managed the entire recruitment process, handled all the interviews, and then presented four candidates sourced through both advertising and search. All the candidates were strong, but one stood out. After reference checks, the decision was easy,” says Per-Ola, who has now handed over to his new Sales Manager, Jonathan Cederholm.
“A Gut Feeling”
Jonathan Cederholm had worked in the furniture industry for 12 years before being recruited to the Sales Manager role at Horreds—most recently at Rekomo, which specializes in reused office furniture.
“During the years I’ve been in the industry, there has been a major shift. Today, there is a completely different focus on sustainability and the environmental impact of furniture throughout their life cycle. One benefit of having worked in reuse is that you get a solid understanding of all the brands, their furniture, materials, and quality,” says Jonathan, who applied for the role at Horreds as soon as he saw it.
“I was ready for the next step in my career, but it’s incredibly important to me to work for a company with the right values. Horreds felt right in my gut immediately. It’s a premium brand with high quality, Swedish manufacturing, active sustainability efforts, and certifications such as the Nordic Swan Ecolabel and Möbelfakta.”
A Reassuring Process
Jonathan experienced the recruitment process as reassuring.
“There were several stages, which suited me perfectly. It wasn’t just a single interview and then done. I felt a great sense of security throughout the process as my understanding of the role became clearer with each step. Roger was very clear about the expectations for the role and the type of person and competencies they were looking for. I also received good feedback on the assessments and tests I took. We went through my answers together, and I received feedback on the parts most relevant to the role. It was really helpful to get constructive feedback presented in such a professional and educational manner.”
So… did it turn out as he expected?
“Yes. It’s a big change both for me and for Horreds, and I really look forward to continuing to develop both myself and the company—in leadership and in sales. I’m actually having a lot of fun. I fall asleep easily at night and look forward to the next workday!”
“Roger quickly understood our company and our needs. He managed the entire recruitment process, handled all the interviews, and then presented four candidates sourced through both advertising and search. All the candidates were strong, but one stood out. After reference checks, the decision was easy,”
Per-Ola Johansson is Managing Director at Horreds Möbler.
