He brought the world Kallex shelves and Poang armchairs, but can the outgoing CEO of Swedish furniture and decor giant Ikea, Jesper Brodin, help organize the world’s largest refugee organization?
Brodin may have the chance, as the Swedish government announced him as its candidate to become the new head of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) last Monday. If selected, Brodin’s career change would highlight an exceptionally rare path among global CEOs: going from the business world to an international, multilateral organization.
Also read:
Take your business to the next level with the country’s top entrepreneurs!
According to UNHCR, the organization’s goal is to protect people forced to flee their countries, provide emergency aid in crises and help displaced people find a place to call home.
While some businesspeople, such as Donald Trump in the US or Silvio Berlusconi in Italy, have entered national politics, virtually none have made the transition to leading a major United Nations institution.
UN positions are more typically reserved for career diplomats and politicians, while private sector leaders have been largely absent from UN leadership.
Continues after advertising
Alexander De Croo, the newly appointed head of the United Nations Development Programme, is perhaps the closest. He began his career at the Boston Consulting Group and remained there for several years, before entering Belgian politics, like his father before him, and becoming Prime Minister. His wife is still a partner in the consulting firm.
“I was surprised to get the nomination. It wasn’t something I had planned on,” Brodin told Fortune in a Zoom interview after the news broke. “But with my global experience leading Ikea in more than 40 countries, I believe I can bring valuable experience and leadership to the UN.”
Brodin’s experience in the private sector was also a key reason why the Swedish government appointed him. “The UN system would be strengthened by a person with business experience, especially given the major challenges the UN now faces,” the Swedish Foreign Ministry said in a statement endorsing the Ikea veteran.
As rare as it may be, the choice is consistent with Brodin’s stated mission at Ikea, which was “to create a better everyday life for the most people.”
Under Brodin’s leadership, Ikea participated in several UN and UNHCR projects globally. This includes an Ikea training and capacity building program for refugees, which to date has reached more than 3,700 people, and Ikea’s retail arm providing direct employment opportunities to refugees from Syria and, more recently, Ukraine, Brodin said. He will step down as the company’s CEO in November.
The UN Secretary-General will decide the new head of UNHCR by the end of the year, after sending the chosen name to Member States for confirmation.
Continues after advertising
In the end, if Brodin is confirmed, it may well be because a rational approach to business is simply what the UN needs right now.
The organization is in crisis and facing a shortage of resources, exacerbated by Trump administration funding cuts.
From that perspective, Brodin’s track record of saving on costs and resources at Ikea could be the real differentiator if he is appointed.
Continues after advertising
2025 Fortune Media IP Limited
