He brought the world Kallax shelves and Poäng armchairs, but can outgoing Ikea CEO Jesper Brodin help lead the world’s largest refugee organization?
While some businessmen, such as Donald Trump in the U.S. or Silvio Berlusconi in Italy, have entered national politics, virtually none have crossed over to head a major United Nations institution. UN jobs are more typically reserved for career diplomats and politicians, while private sector leaders have been mostly absent in UN leadership.
The UN secretary-general will select his choice for UNHCR, sending the nominee to member states for confirmation, by the end of the year.
In that light, Brodin’s track record of economizing on costs and resources at Ikea may be the real game changer if he is appointed.
