Bona has announced it has appointed Pontus Cornelius as president and CEO of the company effective January 11, 2021. Kerstin Lindell, the current president and CEO, will shift her role to Chairman of the Board at Bona.
“Pontus is an exceptionally talented leader and will bring strong strategic insight to the company. The board and I welcome him to the team,” said Lindell. “It has been an honor to serve as president and CEO at Bona for the past 14 years. From celebrating Bona’s 100-year anniversary to entering new categories to riding the waves of varying market conditions, it has been a pleasure working with the smart and dedicated Bona team. I look forward to staying connected in my future role as Chairman of the Board.”
On January 11, 2021 Cornelius will step into the role of president and CEO working closely with Lindell the ensure a smooth transition. At this time, Lindell will become Chairman of the Board at Bona.
“As a member of Bona’s advisory board since 2017, I’ve had an inside view of the company’s strong growth over the years and its long history of commitment to innovation and sustainability,” said Cornelius. “I look forward to working closely with the talented team at Bona and continuing the positive momentum of leading and innovating in the industry for a sustainable future.”
Most recently, Cornelius served as president and CEO of Ernströmgruppen AB, a Swedish, privately owned industrial conglomerate focusing on developing B2B companies in various niche industries. Under Cornelius’ leadership, Ernströmgruppen expanded into a group of over 30 companies (with a turnover of approximately €250M/1,000 employees) with the common goal of creating sustainable and digital businesses for future generations.
Prior to his tenure with Ernströmgruppen, Cornelius worked in leading positions with small and large companies affording him a broad understanding of best practice for business growth. Cornelius, who has worked and lived abroad in Europe, Asia, and the United States, lives in Gothenburg, Sweden with plans to reside in Malmö by early January.
Cornelius continued, “The future is green from both a moral and business perspective. With Bona’s long history of innovating sustainable solutions, I look forward to the next decade and beyond as a time to innovate new solutions and future-proof the company.”