Hempel Appoints Eric Alström as Group President & CEO
Effective 1 August 2026, Eric Alström is named Group President & CEO of Hempel A/S. He takes over from Michael Hansen, who departed Hempel in June 2026, and comes to the company after a phase of interim management by Peter la Cour Gormsen, Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer, and Emilie Barriau, Executive Vice President & Chief Technology Officer.
Eric Alström comes to Hempel with over 30 years of global executive leadership experience in Europe, the USA, Japan, and China in the fields of industrial technology, automotive, and manufacturing.
He has a proven history of guiding international companies, spearheading change, and achieving profitable organic expansion.
He possesses a Master’s degree in Management from the Stanford Graduate School of Business.
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Most recently, Eric held the position of President at Danfoss Power Solutions, where he managed Danfoss’ largest business sector with complete global oversight, enhancing its market presence through profitable organic expansion, strategic purchases, and a strong emphasis on customers and products. Danfoss Power Solutions is a global leader in hydraulics and electrification, valued at EUR 5bn.
Eric possesses extensive knowledge of Hempel from his prior position as Vice Chair of the Board of Directors, which he occupied from 2017 to 2024.
Richard Sand, Chair of the Board of Directors says, “On behalf of the Board, I am very pleased to welcome Eric Alström as new Group President & CEO of Hempel. Eric is an experienced international business leader with a strong track record of driving growth, transformation and innovation in global industrial businesses. He also knows Hempel well through his previous service on our Board, and we are very confident that he is the right person to lead Hempel through its extremely exciting next phase with full focus on strong growth and value creation.”
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Eric Alström says, “I am honoured to join Hempel as Group President & CEO. Hempel is a distinctive and successful global leader with a strong heritage, trusted and long-standing customer relationships and clear ambitions for the future. Having followed the company closely, I know it stands on a strong foundation, and I look forward to working with the Board of Directors and Hempel colleagues across the world to build on that strength, driving customer value through innovation, thus ensuring profitable growth at an even higher pace than in the past. Hempel has great people, and combined with our innovative products, we have the right ingredients to outpace the competition.”
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Hempel’s Board of Directors expresses its appreciation to Peter la Cour Gormsen and Emilie Barriau for their leadership during the interim period, ensuring continuity and progress while the CEO succession process was completed.