The Board of Directors of Husqvarna AB has decided to appoint Kai Wärn as President and CEO of Husqvarna Group effective as of July 1, 2013. Hans Linnarson, who was appointed President and CEO in 2011, will continue to work for the Group until he retires early 2014.

Kai Wärn has solid industry background. He worked for the power and automation technologies company ABB between 1985 and 2004, where he held various senior international positions including roles in Belgium, Germany and the U.K. His last assignment at ABB was as President of the Business Unit ABB Robotics Products. Between 2004 and 2010, Kai Wärn was President and CEO at Seco Tools AB, a leading global metal cutting tools company, at that time listed at NASDAQ OMX Nordic stock exchange. Thereafter, Kai Wärn has held the position as Operations Partner at the private equity firm IK Investment Partners.

Kai Wärn was born in 1959 and is a graduate from the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Sweden.

"On behalf of the Board, I want to welcome Kai to the position as President and CEO of Husqvarna AB. In Kai Wärn, Husqvarna finds a President and CEO who in his previous positions has demonstrated strong leadership and strategic skills and who is well acquainted with global businesses. At the same time, we would like to thank Hans Linnarson for his great contributions as President and CEO during a couple of challenging years," says Lars Westerberg, Chairman of the Board of Husqvarna AB.

Husqvarna Group

Husqvarna Group is the world's largest producer of outdoor power products including robotic lawn mowers, garden tractors, chainsaws and trimmers. The Group is also the European leader in consumer watering products and one of the world leaders in cutting equipment and diamond tools for the construction and stone industries. The Group's products and solutions are sold via dealers and retailers to both consumers and professional users in more than 100 countries. Net sales in 2012 amounted to SEK 31 billion, and the Group had 15,400 employees on average in more than 40 countries.