Читать книгу Character is Destiny - Pehr Gyllenhammar - Страница 8

For nine years, Pehr G Gyllenhammar was voted “Sweden´s most admired man.” This is reason enough to be interested in Gyllenhammar the man, and to learn more about him. We all know it is windy atop the high hills of accomplishment. How has it been possible for him not just to become so successful, but to maintain his good reputation for so long? In this book, Gyllenhammar tells you in his own words what it took to rise to the top, and what it takes, in his opinion, to stay there.

It was a very young Gyllenhammar who was appointed CEO of Volvo, a position he kept for 24 years. Volvo began in Sweden, but during Gyllenhammar’s tenure it became more and more global in its activities. Swedes were proud to see Volvo cars wherever they went, all over the world.

It is no surprise that the shareholders and car-owners were satisfied with Volvo’s dynamic leader. What I find quite interesting, however, is that he inspired such sympathy and support in the labor unions. Step by step, Gyllenhammar worked to build a very special relationship with Volvo’s workers. He created a corporate structure in which the workers enjoyed more dialogue and participation, and as a result, wasted less energy fighting. The unions knew that their company had a strong leader who was also good listener. This created trust in Gyllenhammar not just as a CEO, but as a person.

Volvo remained Pehr Gyllenhammar´s first priority throughout his time there. But very early on he also became involved with matters concerning European infrastructure. As Europe’s countries, through political and economic cooperation, were growing stronger and more united, Gyllenhammar saw new possibilities for everyone. His vision was that industry and its leaders should play an active role in developing Europe through new large-scale infrastructural projects.

In 1983 Gyllenhammar took the initiative in founding the European Round Table of Industrialists. The idea behind this organization was that European enterprises should strengthen their competitiveness and find new projects that would stimulate development and cooperation throughout Europe. To enable faster and easier movement of people and goods, new tunnels, bridges and high-speed trains were needed. Gyllenhammar described these as “missing links” in Europe.

One of these missing links was a bridge for cars and trains across Öresund between Sweden and Denmark. This issue had been discussed for decades, but without result. At the end of the 1980s, Sweden and Denmark finally reached an agreement to build the bridge. At that time I was Prime Minister in Sweden, and I can confirm that the work done by Mr Gyllenhammar and the European Round Table of Industrialists was very helpful in promoting the project.

In 1984, Gyllenhammar was asked to join the board of Reuters Holdings PLC. His participation demonstrates not just his broad capacity, but also how well-known and well-respected he had become around the world. The doors to Presidents, Prime Ministers and Ministers for Foreign Affairs were all open to him. He had friendly relations with Singapore President Lee Kuan Yew, with King Hussein of Jordan, and with David Rockefeller, to name just a few.

Pehr G Gyllenhammar is a true democrat and a person of firm liberal values. As CEO of Volvo he dissociated himself early on from the apartheid policy of South Africa. Today, he is deeply troubled that extreme right wing, nationalistic, populist and fascist forces are gaining ground in the world. He is very outspoken about the dangers we are facing, and has made his position very clear: Democracy is in danger!

In this book you will meet a colorful and charismatic person, a man with whom I have been friends for many years. Through the experiences Gyllenhammar recounts, you will encounter his unique perspective on industry, modern history, and politics. Gyllenhammar makes no secret here of the one quality he values above all others, the one quality that any person, corporation or community must possess in order to achieve the kind of long-term success that Gyllenhammar himself has enjoyed: integrity.

Ingvar Carlsson

Former Prime Minister of Sweden