BST Group is proud to welcome Olov Schagerlund to the group as our new Group CEO. Peter Bühler is stepping down after 12 years in charge to concentrate on his important work on acquisitions, industry matters and strategic initiatives. Olov, with his strong background and experience in technical installations, automation and especially leadership, will be guiding us through an exciting phase of growth and development.
Olov comes most recently from the smart buildings specialist Nordomatic, where he held a similar role for 12 years. He was attracted to BST Group mainly by the opportunity to work in a field that not only has growth potential, but is also of crucial importance to society as a whole.
Olov, tell us more about what motivated you to join the group, and what are you most looking forward to in your new role as CEO?
Firstly, the fire protection market is very promising, it’s a growth market and a field that is really important to society, which appeals to me. Secondly, BST Group has managed to position itself as a leader in the Nordic region, with healthy customer relationships and a highly competent team. It’s simply a strong brand and a powerful platform from which we can grow further. I really look forward to leading the way in making BST Group becoming even better at growing the service business, improving operational efficiency, and building a sharp and attractive international group with a modern and more digitally focused offering in fire protection.
How would you describe your leadership style and how do you think it will benefit the group?
I’m probably known for my straightforward leadership style, I really want team members, customers, and owners to know what’s what and that everyone can trust that I mean what I say. I can also be perceived as a bit demanding since I really want the operation I lead to develop into the most attractive one in the industry, with the best team, the best customers, and the best profitability. I believe that BST Group has every possibiliy to become the best in the industry, but as always, it requires some innovative thinking and a lot of hard work.
Can you tell us about a past experience that has shaped your approach to fire protection and risk management?
I am not an expert in fire protection, but I have worked for twenty years with technology installations in commercial properties, mainly in building automation. Fire protection is more rule-driven and offers a different kind of value to property owners compared to automation, but I am very familiar with working on large construction projects and also directly with property owners. From what I understand, BST Group is very experienced and good at installation, which can be quite a tough business to run, but has also identified growth opportunities in service. I am used to developing the service business, and it may require some new ways of working with packaging, pricing, sales and delivery, which is exciting. Finally, I am also impressed by the consulting activities within BST Group. We have a competitive offer with many qualified and competent employees whose importance increases when the technical aspects of the services increases.
How do you view the importance of corporate culture, and how do you plan to contribute to it in the group?
To become the leader in an industry, and especially as a business with almost 800 employees across four different countries, it’s important to work with a clear strategy, an efficient operating model and a healthy corporate culture. Corporate culture is ultimately about behaviours – in other words, the way we do things. I will try to build a healthy and performance-oriented corporate culture, partly through my own example, but it’s also important for me to highlight the behaviours that we want to see, such as delivering really good customer value, translating technical expertise into business concepts, creating growth through new business, attracting new employees and making sure everyone is happy at work, as well as keeping on top of revenue and expenses so that we increase our profitability. At the same time, we need to eliminate any behaviours that do not belong to our culture, such as negativity, blaming others, not making things clear, settling for mediocre results, resisting change, not including everyone or not working sustainably.
In what ways do you think innovation can play a role for our future in fire protection?
This is a very exciting area. The industry is regulated, so it’s vital that we meet the requirements of both regulators and customers, but I also see great opportunities to work on new business concepts. One opportunity that springs to mind is to develop services and payment models in the service business that are aimed directly at property owners and that boost their profitability, reduce their risks and increase their compliance. Another is digitalisation, automation and AI. By making systems connected, we can not only offer digital monitoring services, but also collect data that can create further openings for proactive maintenance and new sales opportunities.
How do you plan to engage and inspire employees at all levels of the group?
My experience is that what is simple and clear is usually the best, making sure that everyone understands our vision and how we want to get there, will affect the will and ability to work hard towards that vision. I wish to create a positive company climate where everyone finds it fun and developing to come to work. Enjoying working with your boss, your colleagues and your tasks is a big and shared responsibility. By communicating about what is happening around the group, I hope to inspire innovation and that we dare to try new, better ways to be perceived as an active and competent supplier and partner by our customers.
What are the key values you want the group to embrace under your leadership?
Some of our most important values are to continue working with our technical and business expertise and deliver really good customer value so that the market wants to continue to hire us. Another value is to ensure that all employees are able to work based on their full potential, and that expectations are clear are as well as the opportunities. BST Group’s growth journey is also a personal growth journey for everyone who works here. Finally, of course, the financial aspect is important, that we make sure to work efficiently, to price our deliveries correctly, to value every hour and make sure that we have good profitability.
To conclude, what would you like to say to all our employees reading this interview?
I hope that you love your work and want to be part of BST Group’s growth journey. If you want to draw attention to anything we do well or could do better, please do drop me a line. I very much look forward to meeting you all soon as I visit our offices across the Nordic region over the next few months.