Björn Rosengren

Björn Rosengren became CEO of ABB in March 2020, arriving from Sandvik where he had successfully implemented a decentralized operating model. He brought the same philosophy to ABB, a sprawling conglomerate with 130 years of history as a pioneer in electrification and industrial automation. His mandate was clear: simplify the organization, improve margins, and unlock the sum-of-the-parts value that had frustrated shareholders for decades. Rosengren's signature move was implementing ABB's "ABB Way" operating model — pushing accountability to divisional managers, reducing headquarters bureaucracy, and giving business unit leaders both authority and responsibility for their P&L. He divested non-core assets including the turbocharging division (Accelleron) and the mechanical power transmission business, sharpening ABB's focus on electrification, robotics, motion, and process automation. The results have been dramatic. ABB's operating margins expanded from the low teens to consistently above 16%, and the stock price roughly doubled during his tenure. ABB is now positioned at the intersection of three megatrends: factory automation/robotics, building electrification driven by energy efficiency mandates, and data center power infrastructure fueled by AI demand. Rosengren announced plans to step down by mid-2024, with Morten Wierod named as successor. His legacy is proving that a century-old European industrial conglomerate can be transformed into a focused, high-margin technology company competitive with pure-play automation peers like Siemens, Schneider Electric, and Rockwell.