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NIclas

Meet Niclas Ekström – Long experience in Product Life Management Cycle and as a leader

Niclas, can you tell a little bit of about yourself?

I am today 57 years old, married with two children, 25 & 22 years old. Sport has always been a natural part of my life and today I enjoy outdoor activities as down hill skiing, mountain biking & hunting with my family & friends. I also enjoy spending time at our newly renovated cottage in Åhus.

I grow up in the restaurant environment where I discovered my skills for customer service, agility & entrepreneurship. However, making business and working in the industry soon draw my attention and after a M. Sc. in International Business Administration I joined Tetra Pak, a journey that lasted for 25 years.

You have a very long experience within the Product Life Cycle management. How would you describe the importance of having a well-functioning Product Life Cycle management process?
Starting as business controller, I soon discovered that a more futuristic perspective and the complexity of managing products & business models over its lifetime, are my cup of tea. To deliver sustainable profitable growth & stay relevant for customers it is important to understand the demand from the full value chain & the technical capabilities. In the product creation phase, it is also vital to secure internal efficiency by having a clear process that captures e.g. prioritization, who is responsible for what, in what order activities are done & governance. Hereby, also alignment and preparation of the organization for new releases are secured. At the end of the product life cycle, similar structured process needs to be applied to meet the demand from new & present customers. Throughout the process, data management is important to handle accountability, successions, and long-term planning.

During my career, I operated as Managing Director, Director Business Unit Tetra Top, Marketing Director Canada, Portfolio Director North America, Global Product Manager, Area & Product Manager Eastern Europe. And I have operated in small as well as large units with matrix organizations.

Moving into a consultant role, how will you support our clients.
From my broad experiences, I believe I would from day one bring quality and value to the organization. It could be as an interim to close a gap while recruiting for a new person or as coach to enhance competences. With operational & international experiences I would operate safely & respectfully across various functions, levels & cultures. To secure engagement from my teams and that objectives are met, I define clear directions and follow up while moving forward.

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