Helena Helmersson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Helena Helmersson
Born	Helena Helmersson October 1973 (age 51) Skellefteå, Sweden
Occupation	Business executive
Title	Chief executive, H&M
Term	2020–2024
Predecessor	Karl-Johan Persson
Successor	Daniel Ervér
Children	2

Helena Helmersson (born in October 1973) is a Swedish business leader. She used to be the boss of a big clothing company called H&M. From 2010 to 2020, she worked to make H&M more eco-friendly and fair. Then, from 2020 to 2024, she was the main leader, or CEO, of the whole company.

Early Life and Education

Helena grew up in Skellefteå, a town in northern Sweden, with her parents and two sisters. She went to Umeå University and finished her studies in 1997. She earned a special degree in international business, which means she learned how to manage businesses that work all over the world.

Career at H&M

Helena Helmersson started working at H&M in 1997. She began as a manager in the buying department. This is where decisions are made about what clothes H&M will sell.

Working Abroad

In 2007, Helena moved to Dhaka, Bangladesh. There, she was H&M's production manager. This meant she helped make sure clothes were made correctly. Later, she worked in Hong Kong, managing the production of underwear.

Focus on Sustainability

In 2010, Helena returned to Stockholm, Sweden. She became the manager for social responsibility and supply. Her job was to make sure H&M's products were made in a way that was good for people and the planet. She worked on improving how H&M handled its environmental sustainability. This included making sure factories were fair to workers and that clothes were made with less harm to the environment.

Becoming CEO

On January 30, 2020, Helena Helmersson was chosen to be the CEO of H&M. This meant she was in charge of the entire company. During her time as CEO, H&M faced some big challenges. The Covid pandemic made it hard for stores to stay open. The company also had to deal with problems in its supply chain. This meant it was difficult to get products to stores. H&M also stopped doing business in Russia because of the Russo-Ukrainian war.

On January 31, 2024, Helena announced she would step down as CEO. Daniel Ervér took over her role. Helena said that leading the company had been very demanding for her personally. She felt it was time to leave the CEO job.

New Role

In June 2024, Helena joined the board of Quizrr. This is a Swedish company that creates digital training programs. It was started by her husband.

Achievements and Recognition

Helena Helmersson has received several awards for her work.

• In March 2014, a business magazine called Veckans Affärer named her Sweden's "Most Powerful Woman in Business."
• In 2019, she was recognized as an "Influential Leader" by a group called AACSB. This was for her work in showing how important sustainability is for businesses.
• In 2020, Umeå University gave her an honorary doctorate. This was to honor her strong commitment to making businesses more sustainable.
• In 2023, Fortune magazine listed her as 41st on their list of "Most Powerful Women."

Personal Life

Helena Helmersson is married and has two children. She lives in Danderyd Municipality, Sweden.