Executive Board

The Chairman of the Board and the President & CEO are responsible for ensuring that the targets, plans, strategies and goals set by the Board of Directors are carried out within the KONE organization. In addition, the President & CEO is responsible for the operative leadership within the scope of the strategic and operative plans, budgets and action plans approved by KONE Corporation’s Board of Directors. The President presents issues concerning the operations and is responsible for implementing the decisions of the Board.

The Executive Board supports the President & CEO in executing the corporate strategy. The Executive Board follows business developments, initiates actions and defines operative principles and methods in accordance with guidelines handed down by the Board of Directors and by the President & CEO.

Executive board

Executive board

Image of KONE Executive Board member Henrik Ehrnrooth.

HENRIK EHRNROOTH

President and CEO
b. 1969, M.Sc. (Econ).

President and CEO of KONE since 2014. Member of the

Executive Board and employed by KONE since 2009.

Previously served at KONE as Chief Financial Officer 2009–2014. Prior to joining KONE, he worked at Goldman Sachs 1998–2009 (most recently as Managing Director in the Investment Banking Division) and at UBS in various roles 1994–1998.

Current key positions of trust: Board Deputy Chair of UPMKymmene Corporation, Member of the Foundation Board of the International Institute of Management Development (IMD, Switzerland), and Member of the European Round Table for Industry (ERT).

KONE Executive Board member for Greater China region Joe Bao

JOE BAO

Greater China
b. 1982, B.A. (Management Information Systems)

Member of the Executive Board and employed by KONE as of October 2022.

Previously served as President of Microsoft China 2021-2022, as well as in various leadership roles in the areas of sales, marketing, and strategy at both Microsoft Corporate headquarters and the Greater China Region 2004-2021.

Current key position of trust: member of the Board of Governors of the American Chamber of Commerce in China.

Image of KONE Executive Board member Axel Berkling.

AXEL BERKLING

Central and North Europe
b. 1967, M.Sc. (Econ)

Member of the Executive Board since 2016. Employed by KONE since 1998.

Previously served at KONE as Executive Vice President, Asia-Pacific 2016–2021, as Managing Director, KONE Germany 2012–2016, and in various regional commercial roles (including Service Director in Germany) 2007–2012. Prior to joining KONE, he served at Nass Magnet GmbH as Managing Director 1996–1998 and at Arthur Andersen in different roles 1992–1995.

Image of KONE Executive Board member Hugues Delval.

HUGUES DELVAL

Service Business
b. 1971, M.Sc. (Commercial Engineering)

Member of the Executive Board since 2017. Employed by KONE since 1994.

Previously served at KONE as Senior Vice President, Head of Global Maintenance, Service Business 2015–2017, as Managing Director, KONE France 2011–2015, as Managing Director, KONE Belgium and Luxembourg 2009–2011, and in various regional leadership roles in several geographies 1994–2009.

Image of KONE Executive Board member Johannes Frände.

JOHANNES FRÄNDE

General Counsel
b. 1979, LL.M., M.Sc. (Computer Science)

Member of the Executive Board since February 2021. Secretary to the KONE Board of Directors since 2022. Employed by KONE since 2012.

Previously served as Head of Legal for KONE's Service Business and KONE's Technology and Innovation unit 2017–2021 and as Senior Legal Counsel 2012–2016. Prior to joining KONE, he worked as an attorney at Roschier Attorneys Ltd. 2005–2007 and 2009–2012 and at Debevoise & Plimpton LLP 2008–2009.

Image of KONE Executive Board member Samer Halabi.

SAMER HALABI

Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa
b. 1970, M.Sc. (Mechanical Engineering)

Member of the Executive Board since 2021. Employed by KONE since 2001.

Previously served at KONE as Regional Managing Director, KONE Middle East and Africa 2010–2021, as Managing Director, KONE Qatar 2007–2010, as Managing Director, KONE Distributor Business 2004–2007, and in various other leadership roles in the Middle East and Africa region 2001–2004.

Image of KONE Executive Board member Ilkka Hara.

ILKKA HARA

Chief Financial Officer
Interim leader for the South Europe and Mediterranean region (as of December 2022)
b. 1975, M. Sc. (Finance and Accounting)

Member of the Executive Board and employed by KONE since 2016.

Previously served at Microsoft Phones as General Manager and Chief Financial Officer 2014–2016, and at Nokia in various leadership roles 2004–2014. Prior to this, he worked at ABN AMRO 2003–2004 and at Morgan Stanley 2001–2003.

Current key positions of trust: Member of the Board of Directors at Hartili Oy.

Image of KONE Executive Board member Mikko Korte.

MIKKO KORTE

Operations Development
b. 1968, M.Sc. (Eng)

Member of the Executive Board since 2016. Employed by KONE since 1995.

Previously served at KONE as Head of New Equipment Business, KONE Americas 2013–2015, as Managing Director, KONE Finland and Baltics 2011–2013, as Service Director, KONE Central and North Europe 2007–2011, as Service Business Director, KONE Scandinavia 2004–2007, and as Service Operations Manager, KONE Finland 1999–2004.

Image of KONE Executive Board member Maciej Kranz.

MACIEJ KRANZ

Chief Technology Officer
b. 1964. MBA (Business Administration)

Member of the Executive Board and employed by KONE since 2019.

Previously served at Cisco Systems as Vice President and General Manager, Corporate Strategic Innovation Group 2013– 2019, as General Manager, Connected Industries Group 2012– 2013, as Vice President, Borderless Networks 2009–2011, as Vice President, Wireless Networking 2006–2009, and as Vice President, Ethernet Switching 1999–2006.

Current key positions of trust: Member of the Board of IoTecha Corporation and Finabro Corporation.

Image of KONE Executive Board member Karla Lindahl.

KARLA LINDAHL

South Europe and Mediterranean (on maternity leave as of December 2022)
b. 1981, LL.M., M.A. (EC Competition Law)

Member of the Executive Board since April 2022. Employed by KONE since 2004.

Previously served at KONE as Managing Director, KONE Finland and Baltics 2017-2022, as Vice President, Strategy Development and Market Intelligence 2016-2017, as Vice President, Strategy Development and Investor Relations 2014-2016, as Director, Investor Relations 2010-2014, as Legal Counsel 2005-2010, and as Assistant Legal Counsel 2004-2005.

Current key position of trust: Member of the Board of NKT A/S.

Image of KONE Executive Board member Tomio Pihkala.

TOMIO PIHKALA

New Equipment Business
b. 1975, M.Sc. (Mechanical Engineering)

Member of the Executive Board since 2013. Employed by KONE since 2001.

Previously served at KONE as Executive Vice President, Chief Technology Officer 2015–2019, as Executive Vice President, Operations Development 2013–2015, as Vice President, Technology Finland 2011–2013, as Director, Service Equipment Business, KONE China 2009–2010, and as Director, Product Strategy and Marketing, KONE China 2007–2008.

Current key positions of trust: Member of the Board of Toshiba Elevator and Building Systems Corporation, and Member of the Board of Vexve Armatury Group.

Image of KONE Executive Board member Ken Schmid.

KEN SCHMID

Americas
b. 1963, B.A. (History), MBA (Business Administration)

Member of the Executive Board since 2020. Employed by KONE since 1986 (Montgomery Elevator Company until 1994).

Previously served at KONE as Senior Vice President, Finance, KONE Americas 2005–2020, as Senior Vice President, Global Information Services 2003–2005, as Senior Vice President, Chief Information Officer, KONE Americas 1998–2003, as Vice President, Quality 1995–1998, and in various new equipment sales roles in multiple branch offices.

Current key positions of trust: Member of the Board of National Elevator Industry, Inc. (NEII), and Member of the Board of Advisory Board to Invest in Finland, USA.

Image of KONE Executive Board member Susanne Skippari.

SUSANNE SKIPPARI

Human Resources
b. 1974, M.Sc. (Econ.)

Member of the Executive Board since 2017. Employed by KONE since 2007.

Previously served at KONE as Head of Human Resources, New Equipment Business 2015–2017, as Head of Talent Management 2007–2008 and 2011–2015, and as Area Human Resources Director, Europe, Middle-East and Africa 2009–2011. Prior to joining KONE, she served at Nokia in various Human Resources roles in Finland and in Argentina 1999–2006.

Current key position of trust: Member of the Board of Uponor Corporation.

Image of KONE Executive Board member Tricia Weener.

TRICIA WEENER

Marketing and Communications
b. 1970, B.A. (Business studies)

Member of the Executive Board and employed by KONE since 2021.

Previously served at HSBC as Chief Marketing Officer, Commercial & Global Banking & Markets 2019–2020 and Commercial Banking 2016–2020, as Group Head of Brand Partnerships 2017–2019, as Asia Head of Marketing, Commercial & Global Banking & Markets 2013-2019, as Head of Integrated Marcoms 2011–2013, and as Europe Head of Marketing and Comms, Commercial Bank 2009–2011. Prior to HSBC, she served at Intelligent Marketing & Communications Ltd as CEO and Founder 2003–2009, at The Marketing Partnership Ltd 1997–2003, at ALPHA Airports Group 1996-1997 and at British Aerospace Defence Ltd 1989–1994.

Thomas Hinnerskov served as Executive Vice President responsible for South Europe, Middle East and Africa until April 30, 2022. William B Johnson served as Executive Vice President, Greater China until October 8, 2022.

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