Göran Carstedt

Former Member Volvo Group Management Committee

Göran Carstedt is renowned for his monumental retail influence, as the former CEO of IKEA. The Swedish brand has provided customers with affordable and stylish furniture for decades, creating an empire out of meatballs and flat-pack wardrobes. IKEA didn’t just find a gap in the market, the company has created its own market, growing in popularity exponentially. With Göran at the helm, IKEA became one of the most recognisable brand names in modern history. When Göran takes to the stage, his passion for business development, leadership and retail shine through. The after-dinner speaker is commonly found at events ranging from industry conventions to business conferences, where he shares his story of growth and strategies to business success.

In 1974, Göran earned a Ph.D from the University of Umea, where he developed a foundation of knowledge to build upon. Immediately after he graduated, Göran started working at Volvo as their Manager of Market Planning. At the time, he was a part of their car division, located in Gothenburg. Göran went from strength to strength within the company, securing the role of Manager of Corporate Planning from 1977 to 1982, President of the car division from 1982 to 1985 and finally, President of Volvo Svenska Bil AB from 1985 to 1990.

Göran Carstedt is represented and hired via the Champions Speakers Agency