After a period of speculation it is now clear that the Anders Eriksson takes over from Herlitz . He thus becomes president of the main company Bonnier news, and also the newspapers Dagens Nyheter, Expressen and Dagens Industri. He is also Chairman of the printers and Helsingborg Dagblad Bold / Sydsvenskan.
READ MORE: Herlitz resigns
Résumé meet him for a brief chat at Bonniers newly built headquarters at Atlas Muren in Stockholm.
What was it that made you want the job?
– First, I felt that I burn a lot of business to business – business area that I have been responsible for the last seven years. It is going very well and have good opportunities to develop really strong going forward. Therefore, I hesitated to take the job because BBP feels like a winning horse forward. But after having time to reflect, I hesitated no longer. It is the right challenge, with exciting products and strong brands. Bonnier News is facing a big change where my expertise comes in handy.
How ?
– I have worked a lot with digital business and transformation of newspapers. When I took over the BBP, we found ourselves in a difficult situation, and 90 percent of revenue came from print. Now print for about 30 percent of the revenues and we have turned the loss into a rather high margin. It is the result of a clear long-term strategy, which I think fit well into the Bonnier news also says Anders Eriksson and continues:
– While progress is already an intense transformation work at Bonnier News. The businesses are in much better condition than BBP was when I came in 2009 with the crisis, freefall and losses. Here are the profitable companies, but facing similar future challenges.
READ MORE: Herlitz defection – became the industry’s reactions
What is your vision for the Bonnier news as Business?
– There are distinct different strategies for the different papers. In my world, different strategies between DI, DN, Expressen and HD / Sydsvenskan ate very much. As for the vision is about the further development of the individual brands, and create an even stronger customer needs. It is also about continuing to coordinate common features to make it more efficient.
What should be more coordinated?
– It is difficult for me to speak about now, but it is clear that the need is there. My biggest initial focus, however, product development and working expansive.
What do you mean expansive?
– What has been very successful in business to business is to find areas of specialization, and then develop products and services for them. There, I think that there are opportunities even within the Bonnier news. Definitely Dagens Industri, but also for other parts.
READ MORE: Herlitz of departure: The decision has slowly emerged
Anders Eriksson brings Bonnier Business Media (the Swedish part of BBP including includes Summary, Business Week and Dagens Medicin) to the Bonnier news. These will be coordinated with the DI to find syneriger and get more power in niche areas.
Bonnier News has already made investments, including in Insplanet and Garantibil. Will there be more of them or more core near the investment?
– Primarily closer to the core business, but it is difficult for me to speak about now. I have no ready strategy without working myself forward to such.
Want to buy Aftonbladet?
– I do not think is relevant. I do not think Aftonbladet is for sale, but it’s not for me to answer.
Your representative Herlitz said last summer that Bonnier counted on such a purchase.
– Yes, but it’s nothing that I have counted on in any case.
What profit is expected to deliver?
– There is no such explicit goals set. I rather expected to work out a sustainable strategy that is based on the transformation and development. Some products and formats are mature and declining while others increase. It’s about getting to the equation in a good way.
How do you see the paper newspapers’ future?
– It’s still important media products consumed by many. Moreover, there is a fairly large willingness among those who consume them. There is certainly room for paper magazines for a significant period of time. How long it is not meaningful to speculate. It will tell.
How do you see the role of journalism in creating growth?
– It is the core of the products and of course what we will build on. It’s not about selling knife set. Sure, it can be about such in any position, but it does not determine whether you succeed or not.
What do you get a salary?
– No, I do not yet. There is an internal decision-making process that is not finished.
What is your message to staff at the Bonnier news?
– I look forward to working together. It will be incredibly fun.
Do you have any more savings with you in your back pocket?
– No, I have not.
Bonnier CEO Tomas Franzén is the one who has led the recruitment, together with the Chairman Carl-Johan Bonnier .
– We had a thorough process with both internal and external candidates. This is one of the most important, most exciting and challenging assignments within the Bonnier, and I am very pleased that Anders accepted, he said.
Why did Anders Eriksson?
– Because he has shown he can create new media revenue. He has done a fantastic job in the Business to Business. When he began shortly after the financial crisis consisted of a number of business magazines that made the loss and lost revenue. Today it is a profitable, well-developed digital business that also grow both organically and through acquisitions.
The formal proposed Anders Eriksson as CEO of DI, Dagens Nyheter and Expressen. A decision will then be taken in the companies’ boards when they meet in June. He is also Chairman of BBP which he formerly led. At first, he is succeeded by a deputy in Karmo Kaas-Lutsberg , now CFO for Bonnier Business Press.
Anders Eriksson on …
… DN, which has an explicit strategy to charge more by the readers:
– I think that is absolutely right. It’s about working more with the areas where the DN is very strong; politics, domestic, cultural and Stockholm Guard. By working with more depth, we can create additional willingness of readers, which already are on track with.
… DI, which is joined by Bonnier Business Media:
– The idea is that parts of the Swedish b2b business to move in with DI in Bonnier News . The idea is to get together the Swedish b2b market and able to work in segments and verticals in a more aggressive manner. Then we can use the DI’s strong brand in the investments we make in different niches to get more power. There will also be about getting together all the parts.
… Expressen, which are focusing strongly on web TV and building range:
– It’s probably the right way forward for them to work more with the scope, but also to focus on the areas where they are very strong. For example, breaking news, domestic news and football.
… HD / Sydsvenskan, which according to sources Resumé been for sale:
– This is about a strong regional focus with a similar strategy DN . I think the more cooperation between the HD / Sydsvenskan and other Bonnier News.
FACTS / Lars Anders Eriksson
Age: 44 years
Live: Villa in Bromma.
Family Wife and four children.
Profession: Proposed CEO of Bonnier News. Current CEO of Bonnier Business Press.
Cv: School, MTG 1994-1995, management consultant SIAR Bossard 1995-1998, European Director at Razorfish 1998-2001, president Melbourne IT Digital Brand Services 2001-2009, Eastern Europe Responsible Bonnier AB 2009-2011 , CEO Bonnier Business Press International and Chairman of the Danish Børsen 2011.
Serves: 3,977,200 (SEK tax. inc. 2014).
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